Page 24 of Sin for You

Unless, of course, I’d had three glasses of wine and a shopping high of epic proportions. “I never knew shopping could be so…”

“Exhilarating?” Cassy finished for me.

“Well, yeah.” I looked around me at the bags cluttering my living room. After we left Morning Glory, Cassy drove us to Springhaven and I got a little carried away. Maybe it was the wine or the fact that Cassy was easy to talk to, but I said, “I’ve never done this before.”

Cassy’s chuckles died down. “What?”

“This.” I motioned to the bags scattered around me. “All this girlie stuff. Clothes and shops…shopping with a friend.” My face warmed when I realized I’d called her a friend. I mean, I felt like we were friends, but maybe she was just taking pity on my fashion-challenged ass.

Cassy reached out and squeezed my hand, and I glanced over at her. Her smile was warm, and her eyes were a little glossy. “Um…me either.”

My chin jerked back. “Seriously?”

“I didn’t really have many girlfriends growing up, not close ones. My best friend’s a guy, and Ted is so not into any of this. And I’m pretty sure I’ve lost him to Cal, the traitor.” She rolled her eyes and smiled softly. “My mom died when I was young, and I guess I withdrew. My father’s world set us girls up to be more rivals than allies. I was lucky, I had my gran, and before he died I had my brother, Chris, but I haven’t had a lot of female friends.”

I was stunned by what I was hearing, the loss she’d experienced. We had a lot more in common than I’d realized. And Cassy was…well, she was just so great, funny and kind and warm, it was hard to believe she didn’t have many friends. “My mom died as well, when I was very young,” I said, surprising myself again. But it felt right to share. I wanted to. “I only had my dad and my brother. I didn’t really have any women in my life growing up. I guess I never knew how to relate. I always had more guy friends.”

“Our pasts are so similar.” She gave my hand another squeeze, and she grinned. “Quinn, will you be my friend?”

I kept my expression neutral and took her hand in mine. “I thought you’d never ask. Yes, Cassy, yes, I will be your friend.”

We both burst out laughing again, probably more as a release of emotion than anything. We’d purposely kept things light, when our watery eyes said what had just happened meant more to each of us than we were letting on.

When we got ourselves under control, and I’d topped up our glasses, Cassy turned to me, eyes wide with excitement. “I think it’s time for a fashion show.” She grabbed one of the bags and shoved it in my hands. “Start with this one. Oh! Try them on with your new jeans, or the skirt.”

I jumped up, ridiculously excited by this idea, and rushed to my room to change. Cassy said we should work with what I liked, with just a few changes to spice things up.

So, yes, I did have more jeans, but they had gorgeous stitching detail and one pair had a rose embroidered onto the back pockets. And for something different, we’d gotten a denim skirt. We’d also gotten a whole lot of T-shirts, but they were a little step up as well, with cut-outs and rhinestones and one had the cutest little puffed sleeve. They were edgy and sexy and comfortable, and thanks to Cassy’s knowledge of the stores in Springhaven, fairly inexpensive.

I should probably feel guilty about dipping into my savings. Old Blue wasn’t going to keep going for much longer, but I refused to regret it. Today had been the best day I’d had in months.

And the only thing I’d really splurged on was my dress for the exhibition.

It was black, had a deep V neckline, and the skirt kind of crossed over itself, giving it a small split over my right thigh. Cassy found a thin silver belt to pair with it, adding that edge I liked, and it was perfect.

Grinning to myself, and feeling a little daring after three wines, I chose the denim mini and one of the shirts with strategically placed slashes through it. It was black and you got peeks of my hot pink bra underneath. I loved it.

A crash came from outside, and I spun toward the back of the house.

What the hell was that?

The sound came again.

I rushed downstairs to the living room, and Cassy’s excited expression dropped when she got a look at my face.

“Something’s out there,” I said in a loud whisper.

Cassy’s eyes got wide and she stood as well. “What do you mean?”

Another crash came from the back of the house.

We both jumped, and Cassy grabbed my arm.

“Oh my God,” she whispered. “What the hell is that?”

“We should check it out,” I said, knowing my eyes were as wide and wild as Cassy’s.

“I’m not going out there,” she whisper-screeched.