Page 41 of Protecting Bree
“Take as long as you want. I know Julie usually has snacks and stuff, and coffee. You guys can shop and chat. I’m not going to leave you alone, sorry, but I’ll try to be as nonintrusive as possible.”
Bree smiled at him while they walked. “I don’t mind you being there, Smiley. I have nothing to hide from you.”
“Still, you might want to talk about girl shit.”
She laughed. “Girl shit? Like what?”
“I don’t know. Periods, giving birth, hemorrhoids…”
Bree stopped in her tracks and stared at him for a beat, before bursting into laughter. Smiley simply smiled at her in return. She realized he was messing with her but couldn’t stop giggling. She was still chuckling when they reached My Sister’s Closet. The bell over the door tinkled as they entered.
Almost immediately, Julie and Fiona appeared from a room at the back of the store.
“Hi!”
“It’s so good to see you again!”
Both women came forward and hugged Bree warmly. She was well aware of Smiley still standing at her back.
“What’s so funny?” Fiona asked, after she’d greeted both Bree and Smiley.
“Smiley’s idea of girl talk.”
Julie hooked an arm around Bree’s and led her toward the coffee bar set up against one of the walls of the store,near the cash register. “Let me guess. That time of the month, which tampons are the best, and boobs.”
Bree giggled again. “Close enough.”
Smiley didn’t seem perturbed that he was the butt of the joke. He simply shrugged, then turned and went to sit in one of the comfortable high-back chairs scattered around the store. Julie had likely bought them for situations just like this, when a guy accompanied his girlfriend or wife and needed a place to get off his feet for a while.
“Smiley, you want a coffee?” Julie asked.
“I’m good. Thanks.”
“How much time do we have?” Fiona asked Bree.
“As much as we need,” she said. “Smiley’s done working for the day, so we’re just heading home after this.”
“Awesome. I received a pile of donations that I haven’t had time to sort through yet. You guys want to help? Or, Bree, do you want to check out the things I put aside for you to try?” Julie asked.
“Ooooh, tough choice. Can we do both?” she asked.
“Both for sure. How about we start with the new stuff?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“They’re in the back room. But a warning, they’ll probably be wrinkled and stuff, so sometimes something might look like a mess right out of the plastic bags they’re usually dropped off in, but it’s a gem once cleaned and ironed.”
“I can’t wait to dig in,” Bree said with a smile.
“You want to come to the back with us?” Julie asked Smiley.
“I’m good out here. I’ll move the chair so I can see you guys back there, if that’s okay.”
“Of course it is.”
Bree couldn’t stop herself from walking over to where Smiley was sitting. She literally couldn’t think of any previous boyfriends who would’ve done what this man was doing. Spending time babysitting her, keeping her safe, while she did something frivolous like look for clothes. Especially when she literally had a storage unit full of them back in Vegas.
She put her hands on the arms of the chair and leaned over him. “Thank you,” she whispered before kissing him lightly.
