Chapter Six

Peaches...is not what I expected. As soon as I walked through the door I fell in love with the atmosphere and just relaxed. It didn't take long before I was greeted by a warm voice.

"Welcome to Peaches! The name is Claudette, can I help you find anything this evening?" I look up.

Claudette appears to be around my age, with long dirty blonde hair that reaches her tiny waist, and legs for days. I'm not jealous, but dang, why did my legs have to be so...so...shorter than short?

"I'm just browsing for now, thank you." She smiles curiously at me as I walk past her and begin perusing the racks. To my surprise she follows me.

"Judging by that accent and the lost puppy look on your face, I'd say you need some help girl. So, what are we shopping for?"

"My dad is wanting to go out for dinner tonight and said I needed to find something nice to wear. Also, I just moved here today and left all of my old clothes behind. So yeah, pretty much anything would be great."

"Okay, okay. One thing at a time. Where is your dad taking you?" I think a minute, wondering if he ever told me the name of the restaurant.

"I'm not sure, he just said it's a really nice place downtown." I watch her take in my faded tee, ripped jeans, and old boots. I don't see any judgement on her face.

Her eyes are back on my face now. She has a kind smile. I like her vibe.

"Obviously I'm a bit out of my element here." I let out a small laugh in an attempt to cover up just how lost I really was.

"I get that it can be pretty overwhelming here at first. It is definitely a good thing you left your old wardrobe back home, my dear. Don't worry, I'll have you looking like you belong in no time!" I let out a breath of relief. But I sucked it back in when I saw her staring at me again.

She looks at me from head to toe and I'm feeling like a specimen under a microscope. I can't tell by her expression if I'm a disgusting specimen or not though.

   "Ugh. Your figure is perfect and I have the absolute thing in mind for you. This way!" I'm not going to lie, her enthusiasm is contagious and I feel myself perking up a bit. Plus, she called my figure perfect! I didn't even know I had a figure.

I follow her to a clothing rack and my eyes nearly pop out of my head at the dress she's reaching for. "Whoa, no. Whoa, no. I can't. Not me. In that. Hello?" She doesn't seem to hear me as she shoves the little red dress at my chest and literally drags me to a dressing room and into a stall.

"Less speaking more dressing. I'm going to fix you up so good! By the way, that little twang in your voice...where are you from?"

She shuts the door and I take a minute to breathe. What have I gotten myself into? "Hellooo? Little country cutie with the big ole booty?" Me? A booty? What?

"You think I have a booty? Really?" I start spinning in circles trying to catch a glimpse of my rear end in the mirror. This girl is a great sales person. I just want to buy her ego boosters at this point.

   I hear her laugh. "Of course you do! I don't lie. Now. Accent. Where are you from?" I'm pulling the dress up when I shout through the door, "South Georgia. Totally different world."

I hear a dramatic sigh as I'm examining myself in this little red concoction. Halter top, high neckline, form fitting, stops an inch above my knees. When I say form fitting I mean, this thing gives me curves in places I never knew I had. I can't stop staring at the girl in the mirror. Wow.

"Tell me all about those country boys. That Southern charm. Do they drive big , sexy, green tractors to school?"

I snort at her description and pull the stall door open. "Not hardly-" She interrupts me as she yanks me completely out of the stall before saying , "We will discuss that over coffee one day soon. Girl you are drop dead gorgeous." I feel my cheeks turn pink as I hear a low whistle come from behind me.

As soon as I spin around I wish I hadn't. The guy standing before me is the epitome of "drop dead gorgeous." Wow. He's beautiful.

"Well thanks doll, you're not so bad yourself. Name is Trevor and you would be?" You have got to be kidding me! I did not just call him beautiful out loud!

Claudette comes to my rescue. "This here is Miss Riley. She's new, very new and not interested, Trevor. Now if you'll excuse us, I must finish helping her get ready for her hot date tonight." She smirks and gives me a look that tells me to go along with it.

"Definitely. I'd hate to keep him waiting." I turn back towards Claudette and we head towards the shoes. I feel a hand on my shoulder before I'm spun back around.

You know, this dude really is gorgeous but something about his cocky attitude just doesn't sit right with me. I look at his hand like it's a gross insect before meeting his eyes. His very very pretty eyes.

"That adorable, sexy accent. Where are you from?" Willing my face to not blush, I answer, "Georgia." He smirks and says, "A sweet Georgia peach. A mighty ripe one at that." Ugh. Is he serious? I see his eyes land on my chest and turn swiftly back around.

Claudette suddenly giggles and claps her hands twice. "A Georgia peach in Peaches! Girl, this is fate! Destiny has formed our friendship!" I can't help but smile and feel super happy at that. I haven't even been here an entire day and I've already made a pretty cool friend. Things were looking up fast for me.

I feel that gorgeous hand on my shoulder again. "Please stop touching me," I say before he has the chance to spin me around again.

I feel his hand drop from my shoulder and would have sighed in relief had he not relocated it to my waist and spun me around anyway. Just to pull me closer. My chest on his stomach, my nose right between those defined pecs I can see outlined through that dark blue tee shirt.

Eyes up here, babe." I try to step back but he doesn't allow it. So I look up. Into the warmest brown eyes I have ever seen in my entire life. Whoa. It's like looking into pools of melted chocolate and caramel swirls. For a second he just stares at me, appearing to be as taken with me as I am him.

"Look. I don't know who you're meeting tonight but I promise you I'm way better looking. I mean, you haven't even properly checked me out yet! Just step back and take all of this in." He pushes me back and I take the opportunity to slip out of his grasp. I do choose to take all of him in though.

He's got to be around six foot four. Dark, olive complexion. His hair, curly but clipped short, is so dark it's nearly black. And that smile. That dimple  in his right cheek. Wow. But that smirk of his tells me all I need to know.

"Eh, I've seen better. It was nice meeting you though." I offer my hand and nearly laugh out loud as he stands there in shock. He numbly shakes my hand and I quickly take it back and turn back towards Claudette. She looks rather impressed with how I handled that. Proud, even.

"Alright, Trevor. You can quit harassing my customer now." When I look back his smirk has returned. "What about me? I'm your customer too, Claudette." She rolls her eyes. "You know this store better than I do. You don't need me. Now leave us be! She has to hurry."

   He looks back at me one last time. "See you around, Peach. This is far from over babe." I just smirk and turn back around.

   "Don't fall for it, girl. You're too good for him." I laugh at Claudette's protective tone and come back with, "I wouldn't dare. Guys like him are a dime a dozen."

She smiles as she pushes me down into a chair. She slides onto my feet a small, silver pair of two inch pumps. They're perfect. I sigh in happiness. Claudette is an angel sent from above. She instructs me to stand up and I do so.

   "Don't get me wrong. Trevor is an alright guy. Just not when it comes to being anything remotely more than friends." I nod in understanding. "And you, my dear, deserve a prince. You look absolutely stunning. Come to the back with me and I'll do your hair and makeup super fast. No charge, and I already have my stuff here so come on."

   I quickly follow her as she shouts to her co worker that she's going to the back. She pushes me into a chair behind a desk and dumps a giant bag out. So much make up. So many hair products. I don't know how to feel about this. I watch, a bit timidly, as she plugs in the curling iron.

   She laughs at my face and gets to work. I note the foundation and powder. Not sure about the other stuff. When she's satisfied with my makeup she spins the chair around and grabs the brush and curling iron.

   Claudette is so excited that by the time she finishes, she appears to be a little girl on Christmas Eve. She leads me to a full length mirror and I see why. I no longer recognize the girl in the mirror. In her place stands a beautiful, confident woman. I am in awe. There is no way I could ever repay her for this.

   We make our way back up front as she rings me up for the dress and shoes. "Claudette, I am forever in your debt. Thank you so much!" She laughs and says, "Don't worry about it, girl. What's your number though? We should keep in touch for real." I rattle my number off to her and head out to the parking lot. What a great night this has turned out to be.