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“Now she looks like a hoochie in a pretty see-through sack,” Shannon piped up.

“I want you to go pull that wide silver belt off your black dress. The one that you think the skirt is too short.”

Bonnie rolled her eyes again, but did what her friend told her to do. She put it around the gauzy blouse.

“Holy shit. How’d you know to do that?” Bonnie wanted to know. “It covers all my assets, but still hints at them. I no longer look like I’m planning on asking him home for the evening to steal his wallet.”

“It’s more than that. You look classy,” Shannon grinned.

“Now for the heels part of our adventure.” Bradley said with glee.

Bonnie groaned. She was so used to wearing nurse shoes at the salon that high heels were murder on her feet. But she did like how they made her legs look.

“Stop it. I know you have some cute high heels. I know you shop for shoes and purses when you’re depressed,” Shannon said.

“Truth,” Bradley chimed in. “Hold the phone so we can see you, the honey pot.”

Bonnie reluctantly showed them what was on offer.

“Stop!” Shannon screeched.

“You’re right, Shannon. Those are perfect.”

Bonnie knew they were talking about her silver shoes. She’d found them at the outlet mall, and they were seventy-five percent off the outlet price and she couldn’t resist. She had only worn them around the house when the kids were at school.

So, shoot me. It’s fun feeling sexy sometimes.

“Bonnie, you’re wearing those tonight. No whining. No bitching. No, nothing. Now grab them off the shelf and show us the purse you bought to go with the shoes. You are not taking your mom purse on a date.”

“My purse is pretty,” she defended. It was blue and perfect. Okay, the leather was frayed, and she’d had it for four years, but everything fit in it.

“It’s the size of a diaper bag,” Shannon scoffed. “I want to see something pretty and silver,” she demanded.

“How will I fit everything I need in my silver handbag?” Bonnie asked as she bit her lip.

“Ah-ha, you do have one! Show it to us,” Shannon cooed.

Bonnie reluctantly pushed back some of her skirts and pants and showed them the wall where all of her purses were hanging. Every one of them was a screaming deal. This was for her pretend life. Every month, she squirreled away five percent of her tips to splurge on herself. Sometimes it was for a pedicure, sometimes it was for a couple of drinks with her friends, and sometimes it was for the outlet mall.

She’d learned that from her mother. She’d had cookie jar money that was just for her. Besides working as a teacher, she made and sold beautiful quilts, and that money went into the cookie jar so she could splurge on herself. Bonnie would sometimes catch her dad putting money in the cookie jar.

God, I miss them.

“Did you hear what I said? You don’t have much time left. You still have to do your hair and make-up. I think smokey eye, what do you think, Shannon?”

“Okay, you two. Thanks for all the advice, but I’ve got it from here.”

“You better send us a picture of how you look when you’re done,” Bradley demanded.

“I want a picture of how Jase looks. I’ve only seen him in jeans and a T-shirt. I’m betting he cleans up really well,” Shannon sighed.

“Later. Thanks for all of your help.”

Bonnie disconnected the call and slipped on the shoes. She’d better get some more practice in before they went out. She went into the small bathroom that was connected to her bedroom. It was one of the selling points of this house when she’d bought it. That and the fact that she could afford the down payment and still feed her kids after paying the mortgage every month.

As usual, she was only wearing mascara. After having gotten her cosmetology license and working at a high-end salon in Norfolk, Virginia, she got burned out on making women look like someone they weren’t, when they were really beautiful to begin with.

Still, if she went out on the date with no make-up at all, she worried Jase would think she wasn’t trying. So, she did a compromise—eyeliner, mascara, a little swoosh of color on her brows so she looked like she had some instead of her blonde brows that faded into her face. She ended everything with a little bit of tinted lip gloss.