After rifling through her closet, Brenna quickly came to the conclusion that a shopping trip was in order. She hadn't bought anything but jeans and uniforms in ages. First, a call to Molly. She wasn't home, but Brenna left her a message with her news and then climbed into a hot bubblebath, chilled to the bone.
The next morning, Brenna was dismayed to find herself with her self-predicted cold. After making herself eat a good breakfast, she took cold medicine and a lot of vitamin C and crossed her fingers. When the medicine kicked in, she felt much better and set off for Port Evan, shopping list in hand. She glanced back as she drove off to see Zoe’s nose pressed to the front window, looking for all the world like a little kid who had been left behind. Brenna shook her head.
Parking on a main street, Brenna began to look in some shops she and Molly had discovered weeks before. She finally narrowed her selection to one store and then to a few dresses and suits. She had set out to buy only one outfit, but on seeing the beautiful new fashions and considering her wardrobe a little more critically, she changed her mind. She finally came away with a seagreen pant suit and ivory shell, a flower-sprigged dress, and a short swinging dress of dark blue chiffon. She chose some ivory leather flats to go with the pants and some low-heeled blue shoes to go with the blue dress. Brenna was elated; she should have done this long ago, date or no date.
Zoe was thrilled to see her when she arrived home and actually jumped up on her. “Hey! Stay off the bags! Maul me all you want, but stay off the duds!”
Brenna and Zoe spent the afternoon lying in the sun. Zoe slept while Brenna alternately did her nails, read and napped. Around four thirty she hopped into her customary bubble bath and soaked for a long time. Thankfully, her cold seemed short-lived; she must have just had a good chill. After putting on her makeup, she brushed her hair until it shone and decided to leave it down. Zoe followed her upstairs and flopped down on the carpet while she dressed. She slipped the blue dress over her head and stepped into her new blue heels. After putting on matching earrings, she stood back and looked in the full-length mirror on her closet door. Not bad, not bad at all. The doorbell rang, causing her to jump and Zoe to run down the stairs to the kitchen. She had been so preoccupied she hadn’t even heard Adam drive up. Grabbing a blue crepe wrap the salesgirl had recommended for the late night chill, she ran down the stairs. Lord, she hoped she wasn’t overdressed. She peeked around a corner of the stairs, hoping to get a glimpse of him through the window in the kitchen door and was rewarded with the sight of a sportscoat. Phew.
Brenna picked up her purse and hurried to open the back door. Adam glanced up and was momentarily taken aback at her transformation. He had always thought she was pretty, but wow. And that hair...hair to run your fingers through. Well, maybe someday; tonight was the first date and it was definitely hands off. Except maybe for dancing.
He smiled. “Ready to go?”
“Yes, I am. Zoe, stay." Zoe sat back on her haunches, looking at them with mournful eyes, as if to remind Brenna that was what she’d heard that morning.
Adam helped Brenna into the truck and they drove away. She glanced back and had to laugh. Zoe had her nose pressed to the window again.