Page 47 of Hooves & HeartStrings

“After what?”

Doubt starts to creep in. “You know what, maybe we should just go see a movie.”

“What?” Her brows furrow. “Luci. What's wrong?”

“This was a stupid idea anyway.”

“What was? I still don’t know what's going on. Please, tell me. No games.” She narrows her eyes at me.

Letting out a heaving sigh, I nod. “Well, I’ve seen this thing online. Where couples go to thrift stores and pick out random outfits then wear them on their date, no matter how silly they might look.”

Her eyes light up. “Oh my god! I know what you're talking about. I’ve always wanted to do that.”

“Really?” I ask hopefully.

“Yes.” She grabs my hand and pulls me toward the front door. “Come on.”

Seeing her happy about this date idea has my worries washing away and my nerves dissipating.

“Okay,” she says, looking out at the sea of racks of clothes. “Do you want to go first or me?”

“Rock, paper, scissors?” I suggest and she laughs.

“You're on.”

Grinning, I put my hand out. “Rock, paper, scissors.” We both put our hands out and Marley has rock while I have scissors.

“Yes!” she says. “I win. Oh, this is gonna be good,” she rubs her hands together. “Okay, bottoms first.”

I’m amused as she gets to the end of the aisle. “Ready?” I call out.

“Yup!” She closes her eyes and nods.

“Alright, go.”

She starts walking, running her hands along the clothes. I wait until she’s about halfway. “Stop.”

“Left or right?” she asks me.

My smile grows when I see her left hand on something bright green. “Left.”

She opens her eyes and looks, pulling it off the rack. “Oh my god.” She gapes at it, eyes bugging out of her head.

I lose it in a fit of laughter as she holds up this long layered lime green tulle skirt. “It’s so pretty,” I say, choking on my words as I continue to laugh.

“It’s god awful and you know it,” she says, but she’s laughing too.

“I’m sure you're going to rock that so hard baby.” I grin. “Now, your top.”

We do it again in the shirt aisle and she ends up picking a shirt that is nothing but cats. But not just any cats, no, they all look shocked or traumatized.

“This is amazing.” I laugh so hard my stomach cramps.

“Haha. Just wait until it’s your turn.” She glares at me playfully.

By the time she’s done, she ends up with the green skirt, cat shirt, a straw hat, a pair of clown shoes–yes, literal clown shoes— and a plush purse that's meant to look like a turtle shell.

“People are going to think I escaped from the crazy house.” She giggles. “Now it’s your turn.”

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