Free Smolder by Graylin Fox Page B

“She would think I forged them.”
    “How is Dad?” I asked.
    “He is doing fine, playing golf, and watching sports on that flat screen I bought him,” he replied.
    Josh bought Dad a huge, 60-inch television when he retired, and it had been a source of pride for Josh ever since. The television filled an entire wall in Dad’s family room with stereo speakers. It was a theatre and better than some of the real ones.
    “I haven't called in a couple of days. Maybe I should call him tonight,” I thought out loud.
    “He'll be so happy you have a date.” A devilish grin spread across my brother’s face. “Or I'll call and tell him.”
    That settled the issue. I would call my father after we went dress shopping. I hated shopping. If it was available online, that was my preferred method. I gave myself one hour each time I entered a store, after that if I wasn't done, I would leave. The thought of going to the mall made me hyperventilate.
    “We have to get me a dress first, or I won't be pretty for my date.”
    Josh sighed. “Okay, I'll finish dinner, and you go put on comfortable shoes. You aren't skipping out on this trip because your feet hurt.”
    My brother loved to shop. He could spend hours in a clothing store trying on different outfits and picking the matching accessories. All of his clothes matched, and had belts and shoes to go with them.
    We cleaned up the dishes and headed out to the closest department store. Josh's truck had enough room for the entire electronics department and was typically filled with a portable gym. This time, it was clean and even smelled good.
    “How did you get the sweaty man smell out of here?” I asked.
    “My girlfriend got nauseous the first time she rode with me, so I drove straight to a full service car wash. They did it.” He smiled at me as he pulled out of the driveway.
    The ride to the store was quick. My brother took time to learn the area around my house and was pleasantly surprised to find a number of small shops tucked away on the side of the road. We went to a small mom and pop clothing store whose owner was a seamstress.
    She took one look at me, grabbed my hand, and pulled me into a dressing area. There wasn't a mirror, and while I felt less self-conscious, she remained in the room. Once I was in my panties and bra, which she made sure to point out didn't match, she took my measurements and told me to stay put. Any thought I had of leaving the room disappeared when I heard voices I didn't recognize.
    The woman was a genius. She pulled three dresses for me to try on and each one was a perfect fit. When she found out the man accompanying me was my brother, she shoved him behind the curtain with me. They talked about each dress and discussed the proper accessories. I honestly looked for the “your friends told us you need a makeover” cameras. I bought all three dresses and the jewelry to match. We stepped outside, and Josh pulled me to a shoe shop a short walk away.
    “You are proud of yourself,” I said as he strutted in front of me.
    “She told me I have a great eye for fashion and offered me a job in her family-owned shop if I ever decide to retire.”
    It looked like I could have my brother for company in Savannah after all. The shoes we purchased had small heels and went with all three dresses. Coordination of outfits was something I could mess up with little to no effort. At one point in high school, Josh had used color markers to tell me what I could wear with what.
    The day wore me out, and I hung my new clothes in the closet before falling into bed. I woke up in a cold sweat around three in the morning with no memory of what scared me. I washed my face, changed into my pajamas, and tried to shake the fear as I fell back to sleep. The alarm sounded distant as I drifted back from wherever I had gone. Dream analysts would have had a tough time with me. I never remembered anything.

 
    Chapter Seven
     
    The office sparkled the next morning. Lee had shopped