“Mom says no matter how tall I get I won’t outgrow her heart.” Wesley choked as if he couldn’t believe he’d recited such a girlie sentiment out loud.
Nichole poked Wesley’s arm to remind him to shake Josie’s hand and prayed his hands weren’t too dirty. “Wesley, Josie designs her own wedding gowns at her bridal boutique. I’m sure she’d give you a tour.” And with luck, Josie would know how to dress Nichole for that next level.
“I’m not getting married.” Wesley stepped back and waved his hands out in front of him. “Ever.”
“Good to know.” Josie touched her cheek as if stopping her grin. “We’ll talk again when you’re in college and see if you’ve changed your mind.”
“Not happening.” Wesley shook his head so hard his bangs swayed.
“That leaves your mom and Brooke to walk down the aisle.” Josie clasped her hands together. The velvet scrap of fabric tied in her blond hair shifted in the wind.
“Uh.” Nichole stepped back, bumping into the brick ledge framing the window display. Her pulse raced. Brides were the center of attention. Nichole never wanted that. She’d elope and skip all the fuss. Or even better, she’d follow Wesley’s lead and forgo marriage altogether.
“My mom says she’ll only get married when she finds someone who eats peanut butter and pickle sandwiches too.” Wesley grabbed his stomach and released a burst of laughter. “Last night she ate the whole sandwich herself.”
Now Nichole was the center of the attention. “It’s a good sandwich.”
“That’s a rather specific requirement in a partner.” Brooke grinned at Josie. “It sort of sounds like a challenge to me.”
“There’s someone for everyone the same way there’s a gown for every body.” Josie glanced at Nichole and her smile widened. “We just need to find him for you.”
“My friend Adam Tanner will eat anything. He ate an earthworm one day after school.” Wesley grimaced. “But even Adam won’t try Mom’s sandwich.”
“I think we’ve gotten off track,” Nichole said. “I’m perfectly happy not sharing my pickle and peanut butter sandwich.” She was perfectly happy without a so-called better half. Or rather, she was content. Besides, raising Wesley filled her life—he was everything to her.
“Mom and Brooke dumped Mom’s entire closest all over her bedroom floor. Then Brooke announced a fashion emergency.” Wesley stepped closer to Josie and flung his arms wide. Disbelief lifted his voice an octave higher than usual. Wesley added, “Mom made me walk all the way here because I can’t stay home alone. Even though I’m almost twelve.”
Josie rubbed her forehead as if unsure how to console Wesley. Then she looked at Nichole, both eyebrows raised. “Nichole, your text didn’t say you wanted to redo your entire wardrobe.”
“I need an outfit for only one business meeting,” Nichole clarified. A potentially life-changing meeting. Less than an hour earlier, Brooke and she had determined Nichole owned nothing suitable to wear to her upcoming life-changing meeting. Still, an entire fashion overhaul seemed a bit much.
“One career-making or breaking meeting.” Brooke’s voice lowered into dismal and dreary. “With corporate gurus who can smash Nichole’s dreams into pieces.” Brooke ground her palms together.
Nichole raised an eyebrow. “That’s rather dramatic.”
“But sadly true.” Brooke waved at Nichole, presenting her with the flourish of a game show hostess. “Nichole needs an outfit to put her in control and in charge.”
If there was such clothing. Nichole gravitated toward comfort. And anything that helped her blend in. She never wanted to stand out. Not as a child. Not now as an adult. She touched her tunic sweatshirt and tights. “My wardrobe consists of leggings, sweatshirts, jeans and sweaters.”
“Mom works on her computer all day. Every day, even the weekends.” Wesley scratched his cheek. “Then she wears the same work clothes to the grocery store and on the basketball court when we play at Ben’s house. But I have to change my school clothes all the time.”
For the past year, Nichole had worked on her home computer to build the In A Pinch app. Determined not to go back to her old nine-to-five working life, Nichole had donated her business clothes after she’d quit her full-time job. Now she had no clothes to reenter the job market and a bit more regret than anticipated over her donation exuberance.
“When is your meeting?” Josie tilted her head and eyed Nichole.
“Tomorrow evening.” Nichole bit her bottom lip. She needed more time to shop for casual active wear online. How was she going to find an outfit in one afternoon?
“This is my first emergency retail session with girlfriends in...well, ever. I can’t wait.” Pleasure sparked from Josie’s grin up into her eyes and brightened her voice. “There’s no time to waste.”
What if Nichole was wasting Brooke’s and Josie’s time? And the investors’. Nichole locked her knees and blocked the doubt leaching into her. The moment for doubt had passed when she’d handed in her resignation letter.
A large pickup truck pulled into the no-parking zone and honked. Wesley shouted, “That’s my ride.” At the curb, he yelled to Ben and his dad, “Hurry! We need to leave before they make us go shopping too.”
The passenger window rolled down and Dan Sawyer leaned over from the driver’s side. “We’re off to do important boy things. Enjoy your afternoon.”
Brooke blew a kiss to Dan, her boyfriend. “We plan to have more fun.”
“Not likely,” Dan said. The boys’ laughter burst from the truck. Dan grinned, rolled up the window and pulled away.
“Time to shop.” Brooke opened the door to Next Level and waved them inside. She whispered to Nichole, “Stop overthinking this and at least try to have fun.”
“Overthinking is what I do.” What Nichole had always done her entire life. Overanalyzing allowed her to make solid decisions and avoid risks. She’d never discovered any kind of reward in risks. But she’d risked with her app. And now she had to find the
