Page 56 of New Day at the Beach House

She glanced at her reflection in the mirror. The color was beautiful and really made her face come alive. The drape of the fabric was very forgiving, too, but the tank top and leggings were doing a great job of making the silhouette underneath smooth and trim.

She pulled the curtain back. “What do you think?”

Roxie smiled. “I think you just found outfit number one.”

“Yeah? You think it looks all right? Not too young for me?”

“It does make you look younger. But not like you’re trying too hard.” Roxie nodded in appreciation. “If you don’t buy it, I will.”

Claire smiled. “I’m getting it.” She held out her hand. “Next outfit.”

Roxie stayed with her for the next twenty minutes, giving her opinion on everything Claire tried. There were two outfits Roxie didn’t like, giving Claire some confidence that the woman was being straight with her.

She ended up with three complete outfits, two tops, a cute pair of floral Bermuda shorts that she never would have tried on her own, two sundresses, and a small raffia handbag.

Roxie picked up a new top and a pair of sunglasses.

Claire spent just under the hundred dollars she’d wanted to. She was very happy.

And she had Roxie to thank.

Having never been surfing, Trina wasn’t sure what to bring other than sunscreen and a towel. Kat, on the other hand, had a whole beach bag. Trina pointed at it as they walked toward the car. “What are you bringing? You’re making me think I forgot something.”

“Probably too much,” Kat said. “I brought a change of clothes, since we’re going out to eat afterwards.”

“Oh.” Trina was wearing shorts and a T-shirt over her bikini. She’d just figured she’d put them back on after she dried off. “Should I have brought clothes, too?”

Kat shrugged and unlocked the car. “Up to you. You want to run back up and get something?”

Trina stood there, trying to decide. She could grab a bag and throw a sundress in it. Maybe a little makeup bag. A hair tie. “I’ll be right back. I’ll hurry.”

“Okay,” Kat said. “I’ll get the AC going.”

Trina ignored the elevator and took the stairs, using her key to get in the front door.

Willie peered at her from the living room. “Change your mind?”

“No, just forgot some stuff.” Trina got her beach bag and tossed in her sparkly black flipflops along with a black tank-style sundress that had pink and red flowers on it. She added a red hair clip, then dug through the rest of her accessories.

Into a smaller bag she put some jewelry: big red hoop earrings and two matching bracelets. Into a cosmetics bag, she put the bare essentials: mascara, eyeliner and a hot pink lipstick, which could double as a cream blush. She tossed in a bronze eyeshadow stick, too, just for good measure.

She started out of the room, then realized if she wasn’t wearing her bikini anymore, she’d need underwear. That went in the bag. Finally, she headed for the door. “Bye, Mimi.”

“Bye, honey.”

Trina hustled down the steps and jumped in the car. “Okay, sorry.”

“No problem.” Kat got the car moving and they were off to meet the boys. “Are you nervous about learning to surf?”

“Nah. Are you? I think it’ll be fun.”

“I’m not great at sports. I just don’t want to make a fool of myself, you know?”

Trina nodded. “I don’t think Alex expects you to be great at it on your first attempt.”

“Yeah, probably not.” Kat smiled.

A few minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot at Carlton Fiske park, the same place they’d come for the sandcastle building contest. The boys were already there, unloading surfboards from Alex’s truck and Miles’s SUV.

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