Page 75 of Unwrapping Romance

“Good morning. My name is Francine. Is there anything I can help you with today?”

“We’re looking for bedroom furniture for my daughter,” Jack said.

“Is this her?” She pointed to Ellie.

“No. She’s just a random kid we picked up off the street.” The words spewed out of my mouth, and Jack looked at me. “Just kidding. Yes, this is Ellie.” I smiled.

“She’s adorable. Follow me. I have the perfect set that I think you’ll fall in love with. This is perfect for a child her age.”

“It’s a twin. She needs a full,” I said.

“It comes in a full size.”

Ellie climbed up and started jumping on it. “I like this one.”

“No jumping on the furniture, sweetheart.” Jack grabbed her and set her down.

“Wait a second. What’s that section over there?” I pointed.

“That’s our teen collection,” Francine said.

I grabbed Ellie’s hand and took her over there. “Jack, I like this furniture better.”

“It is nice.”

“It’s for teens. Your child is what? Four or five?”

“Four,” I narrowed my eyes at Francine.

“She has many years before she needs this.”

This lady was getting on my nerves. “Listen, Francine. She’s going to grow. Why would we buy baby-looking furniture and then have to come back in a few years and buy another set? Butthat’s your whole point, right? You want us to come back in a few years and spend thousands more when we can spend it now, and she has it until she’s an adult.”

“Excuse me for a moment.” She walked away.

Jack hooked his arm around my waist. “This is why I needed you to come with us,” he whispered in my ear.

“I love this tufted bed in white,” I said. “And this dresser, chest, bookcase, and desk.”

“I don’t think she needs a desk right now, Sierra. She’s only four,” Jack said.

“The point is she’ll need one. When she goes to kindergarten next year, she’ll have homework. It’s best to teach them how to do homework at a desk.”

“How do you know so much?” His eye narrowed.

“Every home I was in, I had to sit at a desk to do homework. I just think it’s a good thing to have in her bedroom. She’ll grow with it. This is a one-time buy, Jack. She’ll have this bedroom furniture until she goes to college.”

Ellie threw herself on what looked like a lounger. “I want this!”

I looked at the tag. It was called a Polar Bear Modern Lounger. I picked her up and sat down.

“Oh my God. I want one, too! Jack, this is a must.”

“Okay. Okay.”

Francine walked over with her iPad. “Have you decided what you want?”

“Yes,” Jack said. “We’ll take this bed, dresser, chest, bookcase, desk, and that lounger.”

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