Panyon said as she nibbled on a Godiva chocolate. She pushed the stroller in front of her with her free hand, oblivious to the fact that her belly could do it for her. “But I’m going to.”
Cass smiled at her, holding several bags in one hand and licking an ice cream cone with the other. The way the North County Mall was situated, there was always something to eat in between stores. Reva—Alice and Sel’s two-year-old daughter—was working her way through a giant pretzel, content to lie back in the stroller and watch the world go by.
Perhaps a compliment would sidestep the conversation. “You have style?”
“Uh-huh, but that’s not it.”
Cass shrugged. It wasn’t like Alice hadn’t figured it out already. “You’re probably the only person in town with an inkling of what it’s like to be me.”
Alice didn’t laugh, but she could have. Aside from having a similar height of around five-nine, Alice was definitely day to Cass’s night. With her pale blonde hair falling to the middle of her back, a normally willowy figure, angelic face and perfect manners, Alice didn’t exactly have tomboy written all over her. But ten years as a firefighter hadn’t happened by accident. She was stronger than some men, did work some still argued was no place for a woman and had to fight town opinion for more years than even Cass liked to think about. But when she retired, it had nothing to do with anyone else’s opinion. Alice did things when she was good and ready and not one second before. Cass admired that kind of strength. She certainly didn’t have it.
“There are worse things to be than you, Cass.” Alice’s quiet reminder didn’t have the teasing quality her voice usually held. She sounded serious.
“Sure there are.” Murderers, rapists, lounge singers. “That doesn’t mean I want to be Little Miss Mud Pie forever.”
Alice chuckled, her smoky voice full of warmth. “Well, if the damage we’ve done to your credit card is any indication, you won’t be.”
Cass smiled again. Okay, she would have to work the rest of her life to pay off most of what she’d bought, but it was worth it. Seeing her own reflection in the mirror and liking it was addicting. For the first time in her life, she understood why other women enjoyed shopping. Seeing Alice’s eyes light up with sisterly surprise gave her courage to try outfits she would never have dared otherwise. Even hearing Reva’s excited clapping had gone toward proving she was making the right decision. Now all she had to do was pass Burke’s inspection.
“Burke’s inspection?”
Shoot, did I say that out loud? “Um, yeah. He’s helping me with this…makeover.”
“I’m guessing you won the poker game?” Alice waggled her eyebrows.
Cass frowned. “Yeah, but he didn’t agree to help me until he ran into Luke himself.”
“Oh,” Alice said, her expression dimming.
“What’s that ‘oh’ about?”
“I hoped Burke would finally buy a clue and take you up on your offer, I guess.”
Cass stopped walking, tilting her head to the side and inspecting her friend for pregnancy-induced insanity. “What offer? Why would he need to buy a clue?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Alice stopped pushing the stroller, her mouth forming an “o” while her eyes widened. “Oh, my God, you’re not kidding. You seriously don’t know?”
“Don’t know what?”
“You and Burke are…well, that the two of you are…” Alice twirled her hand as if it would clear things up for Cass. It didn’t. Finally, she sighed and rolled her eyes. “You guys are in love with each other.”
Definitely pregnancy-induced insanity. “Are you nuts?” Cass sputtered, choking on her ice cream and a peal of laughter. “Me and Burke?” Yeah and aliens landed on the Statue of Liberty.
“Of course you and Burke. Everyone knows how you feel about him. Burke probably doesn’t, but he’s a typical man. You’ll have to practically write a sign on your forehead for
Cass smiled at her, holding several bags in one hand and licking an ice cream cone with the other. The way the North County Mall was situated, there was always something to eat in between stores. Reva—Alice and Sel’s two-year-old daughter—was working her way through a giant pretzel, content to lie back in the stroller and watch the world go by.
Perhaps a compliment would sidestep the conversation. “You have style?”
“Uh-huh, but that’s not it.”
Cass shrugged. It wasn’t like Alice hadn’t figured it out already. “You’re probably the only person in town with an inkling of what it’s like to be me.”
Alice didn’t laugh, but she could have. Aside from having a similar height of around five-nine, Alice was definitely day to Cass’s night. With her pale blonde hair falling to the middle of her back, a normally willowy figure, angelic face and perfect manners, Alice didn’t exactly have tomboy written all over her. But ten years as a firefighter hadn’t happened by accident. She was stronger than some men, did work some still argued was no place for a woman and had to fight town opinion for more years than even Cass liked to think about. But when she retired, it had nothing to do with anyone else’s opinion. Alice did things when she was good and ready and not one second before. Cass admired that kind of strength. She certainly didn’t have it.
“There are worse things to be than you, Cass.” Alice’s quiet reminder didn’t have the teasing quality her voice usually held. She sounded serious.
“Sure there are.” Murderers, rapists, lounge singers. “That doesn’t mean I want to be Little Miss Mud Pie forever.”
Alice chuckled, her smoky voice full of warmth. “Well, if the damage we’ve done to your credit card is any indication, you won’t be.”
Cass smiled again. Okay, she would have to work the rest of her life to pay off most of what she’d bought, but it was worth it. Seeing her own reflection in the mirror and liking it was addicting. For the first time in her life, she understood why other women enjoyed shopping. Seeing Alice’s eyes light up with sisterly surprise gave her courage to try outfits she would never have dared otherwise. Even hearing Reva’s excited clapping had gone toward proving she was making the right decision. Now all she had to do was pass Burke’s inspection.
“Burke’s inspection?”
Shoot, did I say that out loud? “Um, yeah. He’s helping me with this…makeover.”
“I’m guessing you won the poker game?” Alice waggled her eyebrows.
Cass frowned. “Yeah, but he didn’t agree to help me until he ran into Luke himself.”
“Oh,” Alice said, her expression dimming.
“What’s that ‘oh’ about?”
“I hoped Burke would finally buy a clue and take you up on your offer, I guess.”
Cass stopped walking, tilting her head to the side and inspecting her friend for pregnancy-induced insanity. “What offer? Why would he need to buy a clue?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Alice stopped pushing the stroller, her mouth forming an “o” while her eyes widened. “Oh, my God, you’re not kidding. You seriously don’t know?”
“Don’t know what?”
“You and Burke are…well, that the two of you are…” Alice twirled her hand as if it would clear things up for Cass. It didn’t. Finally, she sighed and rolled her eyes. “You guys are in love with each other.”
Definitely pregnancy-induced insanity. “Are you nuts?” Cass sputtered, choking on her ice cream and a peal of laughter. “Me and Burke?” Yeah and aliens landed on the Statue of Liberty.
“Of course you and Burke. Everyone knows how you feel about him. Burke probably doesn’t, but he’s a typical man. You’ll have to practically write a sign on your forehead for
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