To Keep Her Baby. Melissa Senate

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ is so funny?” he muttered.

      “That anyone would think I’m your wife. That we’re together. Come on. I’d believe you’d date a woman who’d wear these sandals maybe, but that’s about it.”

      He eyed the sparkly silver leggings and the practically see-through flowy tunic in black-and-white leopard print, but didn’t agree or disagree. She wondered what his type was.

      “Oh, we’re here,” he said, pointing at Best Dressed Boutique between the town florist and a hair salon. At the door, he turned to her. “Just curious. Why do you dress so...flashy?”

      Flashy. She supposed that was a nice way of putting it. “I just always have since middle school. The shorter and tighter, the sparklier and shinier, the better. Plus you have to admit I have a slammin’ bod. Why not show it off while I’m young?”

      Was James Gallagher blushing? He was.

      “Well then, why change your style?” he asked. “What are we doing here?”

      “Because if I don’t change the way I look and my big mouth and flipping the bird even when it’s deserved, that jerk Alden might come take my baby. The baby he says can’t even be his, even though he’s the only man I’ve been with in six months. And if I don’t look right, like the kind of woman a guy like you would date, I’ll never find a good man for my baby. I’m done with jerks and three-night stands. D-O-N-E.”

      She didn’t want to get all riled up before the big shopping trip, so to end the conversation she pulled open the door to the boutique and walked inside. And immediately got flashed a dirty look by a saleswoman. She also caught the brunette nudging the other saleswoman in the ribs. Beyotch!

      “May I help you?” asked the brunette. Ginger studied her for a second. The saleswoman’s expression barely hid her judgy disdain. Her makeup was understated, hair pulled back in a model-like ponytail and she wore a black pantsuit with black patent heels. Ginger hated that she had to admit the beyotch looked good. Elegant. And elegant was always good.

      James came in behind her and smiled at the woman. “Hi, Kristen. Nice to see you.”

      The saleswoman looked from James to Ginger and understanding dawned. Ginger was clearly “one of those” from the etiquette school. No mistaking her for his woman in this boutique.

      She wasn’t sure why, but her usual take-me-as-I-am-or-talk-to-the-hand went poof. She felt...exposed, maybe. And she didn’t like it.

      It’s a process, she reminded herself, thinking of something Larilla Davenport had said this morning. And it’s not going to be easy.

      Not much was.

      James sat on the tufted velvet chaise in the changing area while Ginger was in one of the dressing rooms with two armloads of clothes the saleswomen had selected for her. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Ginger had said.

       Because if I don’t change the way I look and my big mouth and flipping the bird even when it’s deserved, that jerk Alden might come take my baby. The baby he says can’t even be his, even though he’s the only man I’ve been with in six months.

      She wanted to look more presentable for her baby’s sake. To keep her baby. Of all the students his godmother had had over the years, he didn’t ever remember meeting someone in Ginger’s shoes. He’d help her best he could.

      The door to Ginger’s dressing room opened and she stepped out. Were it not for her big blond hair and makeup, he’d never have recognized her. She wore a tailored white button-down shirt and khaki pants, neither tight nor loose, and red leather flats.

      “The shoes add a delightful pop of color,” the saleswoman said with a nod, looking at Ginger’s reflection in the full-length three-way mirror.

      Ginger was canting her head to the left and right, biting her lip, frowning as she turned this way and that as she checked herself out.

      “I’d say this look would go from PTA meeting to playground to coffee with a gal pal,” the other saleswoman said. “And the shoes are on sale this week only!”

      Ginger stared at herself. “I don’t know...”

      “Oh! I know what’s wrong!” the brunette said. “Come with me!”

      “Uh, where?” Ginger asked, following the woman to a back corridor.

      Five minutes later, the brunette returned with Ginger trailing behind her. At least, James thought it was Ginger. She had on the white shirt, khaki pants and red flats, but her face was scrubbed free of makeup, and her hair had been pulled back into a low ponytail, the long fluff of it cascading down the center of her back.

      The gum was gone too.

      “Who is this?” Ginger asked, eyeing her reflection.

      “This is the new you!” the brunette said. “You look great. You look like every woman walking down Main Street.”

      Ginger stared at herself, her expression no less than glum. “I guess.”

      “Can’t be easy changing up your whole style in ten minutes,” James said.

      Ginger’s eyes darted to his. “How do you think I look?”

      “Like every woman walking down Main Street,” he said with a nod at the saleswoman. But that didn’t seem right in Ginger’s case. Not at all.

      And weird as it was, he kind of missed her regular style. The glittery eyelids. The red lipstick. The flash and sparkle. This new Ginger was...not her. But then again, that was the point, right? She needed to look momish for a very good reason. This wasn’t a makeover. It was an intervention.

      “I have an idea,” the saleswoman said. “This outfit is pretty standard. You can’t go wrong owning these pieces. But you’re not going to get used to looking completely different immediately. So why not buy it and walk around town and see for yourself how you’re regarded? And how it feels to have everyone’s unspoken approval. You’ll be back buying out the place.”

      Ginger glanced at herself in the mirror again, then at the saleswoman. “I’m sorry, but there’s no way I can go out in public looking like this.”

      James smiled. Score one for Ginger. She had moxie, that was for sure.

      The saleswoman frowned. Hard. “Hello. You said you wanted to look like a mom. Now you do.”

      “Can’t moms have a little pizzazz?” Ginger asked.

      “Duh, the pop of red,” the other saleswoman added, pointing at Ginger’s feet.

      “What do you think, James?” Ginger asked, turning to face him directly.

      Three sets of eyes stared at him. “I think there’s probably a happy medium. That’s what I think.”

      “What does that mean?” Ginger asked.

      “It means this may not be the right clothing boutique for you,” James said. “Go change and we’ll check out the other shop in town.”

СКАЧАТЬ