Page 53 of Until the Sea Runs Dry

“This is a keeper, then?”

“Absolutely.”

“Fantastic!” Clare clapped her hands together, delighting Loki, who barked. Jane tried to settle him back down immediately. She had wedged the end of his leash under one of those gray stools, using the weight of it to keep him in place.

“I’ll be back with more.”

And she was off, a mini tornado whirling through the store with a sole purpose in mind. She grabbed then rejected clothes here and there. When her arms became overloaded, she dropped by with her latest choice, then disappeared off to find more.

Jane slipped into a million different outfits — at least that was how it seemed. From other floral dresses, each with a different design and cut, to thin cashmere tops and skinny jeans that showed off her long, toned legs.

Every outfit Clare bought fitted her well, so it was only a case of which ones she wanted to keep. It didn’t take long before Jane didn’t bother looking at the clothes before trying them on, trusting Clare’s impeccable taste.

Which was how she found herself staring dubiously at her reflection in a leopard-print catsuit that channeled the eighties with padded shoulders that almost reached her ears. She emerged from the changing room looking highly unimpressed, wondering how Clare could have gotten it so wrong.

“Really?” Jane said, only to find the other woman in a fit of giggles, collapsed over a stool.

“My God, you’re actually wearing it!”

Her reaction wasn’t what Jane had expected. Clare had to gulp in air to stop herself from laughing long enough to speak.

“We haven’t been able to get anyone to try that thing on — I honestly don’t know what they were smoking when they decided to stock it. We’ve had a running bet in the store about which of us would be the first to get a customer to try it. You’ve just won me fifty bucks. Thank you!”

“I’m glad to be of service,” Jane replied, feeling utterly ridiculous.

“Would it help if I said that if anyone can pull it off, you do?”

“Not particularly.”

Jane started back into the changing room, only to be stopped by Clare.

“Wait! I need physical proof of this or they won’t pay up.”

Clare snapped a photograph, not the least bit concerned by the glower Jane gave. Jane spun on her heel, heading back inside with all the dignity she could muster when her heart stopped.

“Where’s Loki?”

“He was right here.” Clare gestured to an empty space on the floor only to look immediately worried.

“LOKI?!” Jane called out, as panicked as any parent at losing her child. “LOKI, COME HERE!”

His answering yip was reassuringly happy and close by. They heard the unmistakable sound of four paws running toward them as he shot out from beneath a display of long dresses, carrying a mannequin arm in his mouth like a trophy. Seeing how proud he was, they laughed.

“No, drop that!” Jane commanded. Loki growled playfully at her though his tail wagged harder.

“Oh, he’s fine. His teeth won’t make a dent on that thing.”

Jane looked at the limb dubiously. “Are you sure? What’s it made of, titanium?”

“No idea,” Clare laughed. “And they don’t pay me enough to worry about it.”

After the clothes, Clare returned with handbags and accessories. Both seemed to be where her heart lay. She modeled one stunning piece after another until Jane had to beg her to stop.

There wouldn’t be enough room in the car to get all of this home.

“Where are you living now?” Clare asked innocently, not understanding how loaded the question was.

A deal was a deal, and she had promised to keep their arrangement confidential, but she didn’t want to mislead Clare either. She decided to skirt close to the truth.

---