Page 94 of Hitting the Gap

Confused, the woman blinked at Kia. “I just thought it might be more appropriate for the event you were going to.”

Kia snorted. “I don’t attend that kind of event. Where I go, my tat’s go.”

Wow. Bailey was so envious of that kind of confidence. “The dress looks beautiful, but I thought you wanted some color?”

Kia adjusted the strap of the dress and studied herself in the mirror. “Yeah, I do. You know this would be more fun if you tried something on as well.”

“Somehow I think the dress would look a little different on me,” Bailey said.

“Well, of course it would, because your boobs are freakin’ insane. I’m so jealous.”

She was jealous of Bailey? That was a laugh. Kia looked amazing in the dress. There was no way Bailey wanted to attempt to slip into a dress, knowing how good her friend already looked in the same style.

Kia turned to the saleswoman. “Can you grab the purple dress like this you have out front for my friend?”

Bailey winced. “I don’t really know that this cut is the best one for me.”

“I agree,” the saleswoman said.

Kia glared at the saleswoman. “Isn’t that the whole thing with paying extra money for a dress like this? The quality of the fabric, the cut.” Kia flapped her arm. “Isn’t that the reason people shop at your store because quality covers a multitude of sins? Otherwise, people could just go to the mall.”

“Well, of course. There’s a tremendous difference in how a properly designed dress fits vs the cheap knockoffs that come off an assembly line.” The woman looked at Bailey. “But not all dresses look good on all body types.”

Bailey crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t really want to even try anything on.”

“Tough.” Kia glanced at the saleswoman. “Okay, I’ll give you that not every dress looks good on every body. I know I sure can’t pull off a mermaid cut. So you know your store. Can you grab something that will look good on her?”

“We wouldn’t have anything.”

“What?” Kia’s face wrinkled in confusion and Bailey slunk deeper into her seat.

“We don’t carry plus sizes,” the woman sneered.

“Plus size? What the hell?” Kia snapped, then flicked a glance at Bailey. “Oh, you weren’t kidding that they wouldn’t even carry double digits.”

“Nope.” Bailey muttered.

“Holy shit.” Kia looked at the salesperson and shook her head in disappointment before turning on her heel and walking back into the change room. A moment later, she stepped back out, dressed in her street clothes.

Bailey hopped out of her chair. “What are you doing?”

“We’re out of here. Let’s go.” Kia grabbed Bailey’s elbow and propelled her forward.

Bailey’s mind raced to catch up. “Why? You still haven’t tried on all the dresses.”

Kia turned to the saleswoman. “You work on commission, right?”

“Yes,” the woman replied.

“Big mistake. Huge.” Kia linked her arm with Bailey and pulled her toward the exit. Once they were on the street, Kia just grinned at her. “I feel like Julia Robert’s in Pretty Woman.”

“What?” What had just happened in there? One minute Kia was trying on dresses, the next they were out here.

“Pretty Woman? Come on.” Kia splayed her hands in front of her. “Are you kidding me? I freakin’ crushed that quote and you don’t even know what I’m talking about?”

“I’m still trying to figure out why you aren’t trying on that gray dress you loved. Just because they don’t have my size doesn’t mean you shouldn’t shop there. Lots of stores don’t carry my size.”

“Bailey, you’re what, like a size 14? 16? That’s not even big. It’s fucking ridiculous in this day and age that a store doesn’t carry a range of standard sizes. Of course, they aren’t going to carry everything in every size, but come on. Not carrying any double-digit dresses is ridiculous. There are lots of stores out there. I don’t need to give my money to this one.”

---