“Thanks, Mrs. Tomms! This sure is one of my favorites!” He put the candy in one of the shopping bags, carrying two small, light shopping bags on his arms. He skipped happily as we walked out of the store.
“Thank you again, Mrs. Tomms.” I turned to face the kind woman before we went out of the convenience store.
She replied one last time with a smile on her face. “Have a nice day!”
Vince’s held up the lollipop, silently asking if he could have it. I nodded and smiled. “Fine. Just don’t eat too many snacks before dinner.”
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sp; “I won’t.” He pulled the wrapper off and licked it like he was starving to death. “Dad, I like the woman who worked in the store.”
“Yeah, the Tomms are good people. They are kind.” I spoke to him, picturing Kylie in my mind. She was also like her mother, kind and loving to the people around them. Maybe me asking her out or showing her attention was wrong of me. She was a good woman and needed someone who was looking for a relationship, but fuck…she was two years younger than me. She wasn’t a girl, but a well-developed woman. Why was she single? Did she have someone in another town? I had a million questions all of a sudden.
“Oh, I did not see the young lady in the shop today. Where is she?” His eyes were curious. I began to think about him recalling Kylie. He seemed to remember her. Well, she was one remarkable woman, and beyond beautiful. Even the boy had noticed.
“Yeah, her mother told me that she had to do something. It’s just her and her mom working in the store.”
“Hmmm…just like one day it will be just me and you at the gun shop?” He smiled and watched me closely.
“That’s right, buddy.” I reached over and ruffled his hair, loving him like crazy for all of his innocence. I was blessed by two things in my life: him and the shop. Now all I needed was a woman. A girlfriend. A lover.
A wife. A mom for Vince.
Chapter Six
Kylie
I wrapped up my errands and finished helping at the store before heading out to meet up with Bailey again. We were making up for lost time. She and Cat wanted to go shopping for the afternoon, and I was all for it. It had been forever since I’d bought myself anything. Pampering myself seemed a little much, but it wasn’t like anyone else was going to do it for me.
I strolled through the shopping center of town, walking alongside Cat. Her tiny hand was soft and smooth in mine. I wanted kids so damn badly, but there were no prospects. Not even Hunter. You had to talk to someone before you started practicing making babies.
At least I thought you did. Who knew…I’d never slept with a man and had a few boyfriends in the past, but nothing worth remembering. I’d be a virgin forever in my own mind.
“This would look good on you, Kylie. Check it out.” Bailey pointed to a dress worn by a mannequin. It was a black, sexy dress that would outline the full figure of the woman who wore it. I grimaced at her, put off by her suggestion.
“Really? My breasts are too big for something like that. And if I managed to make them look smaller, my ass would embarrass me. Stop acting like we’re flat teenagers again. We’re not.” I gave her a look.
She burst into laughter. She stopped walking and pulled me inside though, compelling me to try the dress on. I stopped, seeing as it was impossible to escape from her persuasive ways of doing things.
“Can my friend try that one on display?” she asked one of the salesladies, persistent to see me in that sexy dress. The woman in uniform gladly affirmed, taking one of the stocks on the clothing racks.
“After I try it on, can we leave? It’s too sexy for me,” I whined, ashamed of what was yet to come. She gave me a look that resembled a mad mother toward her kid, knowing what’s best for her child.
“I’m telling you, you will rock that dress! Believe me; I’m a hundred and one percent sure about that. Right, Cat?” I looked down at her young daughter who nodded at her mother’s query, uncertain of what Bailey really meant.
I exhaled heavily, nodding in defeat.
The saleslady came back carrying the dress. She led the way to accompany me to one of the dressing rooms so I could see how the dress fit. I looked one last time at Bailey who sat in front of the dressing rooms, waiting with Cat who sat comfortably on her lap.
She signaled two thumbs up, but I rolled my eyes before closing the door.
“What a pretty dress.” I held it up, studying the cut of the seductive thing before me. It was a backless, figure hugging dress with a low neckline. It was tailor made to fit snugly to the figure of whoever wore it, highlighting the assets and curves of any and every woman. It looked fabulous on the mannequin, but I wondered how it would look on me.
I was never comfortable with my own body. Where I wanted to be thin and sleek like a model, I was anything but.
I stood in front of the mirror, studying my body. I looked about as worn out as I felt. Being busy at our convenience store filled my schedule, as well as my time for self-pampering and amusement.
I unbuttoned the checkered shirt I wore, eager to try the dress on all of a sudden. I hadn’t done anything nice for myself in far too long. Despite me saying I wasn’t interested in the dress in front of Bailey, deep inside I wanted to try it on. It was one of those pretty dresses women would stop and stare at during window shopping. It was beautiful, elegant and sexy.