The Big Girl's Guide to Buying Lingerie

4. BLOW OUT THE CANDLES

“I just didn’t take you for the baby … daddy type.”

“Maybe if you’d lay off those cookies you wouldn’t need all that dental work.”  She’d had four bags of cookies in her basket to go with her bras and panties.  He’d never understood why people drank diet soda and ate junk.  Did people think they cancelled each other out?

Her cheeks turned a deep pink and she looked away.

With the flush to her face, he finally realized what was different about her.  She had makeup on.  At least, more than she usually wore.  He moved closer for a better look. 

She finally met his gaze head on, her notebook clutched to her 40DD’s.  He glanced at her chest then back up at her eyes, silently telling her as best he could that he’d seen the size on that bra’s tag last week.  He couldn’t suppress a smirk, and she raised her chin a notch then angrily turned away again.  No matter what he’d said to Skye the night before, Rowdy was a self-admitted breast man.  A connoisseur even but he’d never actually seen a pair that big up close and naked.    

While she studied the empty bar, he studied Miss Snooty Pants with her regal posture and pursed lips.  As pale as Jade's skin was, he knew her boobs would be snow white.  But her dark hair made him wonder what color her nipples would be.  A soft pink to match her skin or dark and rosy.  She was a pretty woman, even if she could stand to lose a few pounds. 

He liked it when she got angry and snapped those big green eyes at him, and he got a real kick out of riling her.

“Rowdy,” Toni said, her voice low. 

He frowned at her, a silent message to mind her own business, then leaned against the bar next to Jade.  “Hope is my goddaughter,” he explained, then wondered why he’d felt the need to explain. 

“Interesting.”

“Why do you say that?” he countered

“I’m surprised anyone would trust you with the spiritual well being of their child.”  Her green eyes blazed as Jade let loose an arrow that went deeper than she could imagine.

“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?” 

“A godparent’s primary role is to oversee the spiritual education of their godchild,” she snapped, in her typical condescending tone.

As if he didn’t know what a godparent’s role was.  He might not be the church-going type but he took his responsibilities seriously.  “Spirituality is in the eye of the beholder,” he snapped back, thinking of Charlene’s letters full of religious drivel.

“Rowdy is a wonderful godfather,” Toni threw in as she took a now sleeping Hope from him.

“I gotta get to work.”  He silently headed across the empty dance floor, not caring if the heels of his boots left scuff marks. 

Screw her.  Jade was as much a preachy do-gooder as Charlene.

# # #

The following Tuesday night he called Skye to confirm their plans, a part of him still worried she’d back out.  Especially after he’d spent all afternoon at the mall, shopping for a present.  He didn’t want to overwhelm her and had spent more time walking around wracking his brains for the perfect gift than actually shopping. 

He finally settled on a sterling silver anklet with a clef note dangling from it.  Music, at least, was one thing they had in common.  But not the only thing.  “Do you want me to pick you up?”

“Could we...is your IM on?”

He loved listening to the sound of her soft, breathy voice but clicked the little icon that launched the instant messaging program they used.  “It is now.”

He noticed hers was on also, and a note popped up in his screen.  No wonder she didn’t want to talk.

Skyebaby:  I’m nervous.

“Would it make you feel any better if I told you I was, too?”  He leaned back in his chair and doodled on a notepad advertising a local computer parts store.

She didn’t say a word but he could hear her typing, and another message quickly appeared.

Skyebaby:  Yes it would.  Do you mind just meeting me there?

“Not at all.”  He’d do whatever she wanted.  It was her birthday, after all.  “What are you wearing?  How will I know you?”

Skyebaby:  Red off the shoulder blouse and a black skirt with long fringe and big red poppies on it.  My little black dress is at the cleaners <shrug>.

“Black hair, green eyes, red off the shoulder blouse, long skirt with flowers.”  He smiled to himself, enjoying the image she’d painted.  “Anything else?”

Skyebaby:  Pearls.

Classy flashed through his mind.  “Nice.  I’ll be the big blonde with a receding hairline and a rose jammed between his teeth.”

That got him a giggle and a big smiley face with lots of teeth.  From the distinct tremor in her voice, she was beyond nervous.  The sugar and spice he’d gotten so used to in the last seven months was nowhere to be found.  He tried to think of something that would ease her fears.  “Skyebaby, it’s just me.”

“I know,” she whispered.  “I’m gonna go.  I want to get done with work early tomorrow so I can come home early and start getting ready.”

“Hey.”

“Huh?”

“If you decide this is too much, call me.  I’ll understand.”

“Okay.  I’m gonna go do my toes.”

“Night, Baby.”

“Night, Shy.”