Page 23 of If I Didn’t Have You

Glancing at the clock, I seriously hoped it didn’t take that long. “I highly doubt we’ll still be shopping in four hours.”

“You never know!”

While Georgia looked absolutely thrilled about the whole thing, Ellie looked like she wanted to vomit. Nausea swirled in my stomach, too, but for different reasons than Ellie. It had been a long time since I’d changed anything about my appearance, and I was afraid I was too late to switch my style now.

I would be my mother forever.

“Oh my gosh! I love that one!” Georgia beamed.

“Really?” I turned, letting the skirt flow around my calves as I checked myself out in the mirror. It did look good. I was just finding it hard to accept that this was really me.

The green v-neck wrap dress looked fabulous, and those were really my legs sticking out. In the right shoes, I actually looked taller and a little more shapely. I never knew something like this still existed under the fabric I’d buried myself in over the last thirty years.

“Ben won’t be able to take his eyes off you in that,” Georgia winked.

As I admired myself in the mirror, I wondered if Ben would even recognize me. I did love it, but when would I even wear something like this? Dresses were not conducive to ranching or cleaning a house.

“What is it?” Georgia asked, coming up behind me to look at me in the mirror.

“I was just mentally counting on one hand all the places I would wear this.”

“You know, I heard the town is talking about bringing back the monthly dances. You could wear it then. Pair it with some cowboy boots, and you’ve got yourself one hot outfit.”

I rolled my eyes at her ridiculousness. “Like I could get Ben to take me dancing.”

“Honey, if you wore this, he wouldn’t be able to say no.”

“But…doesn’t it look like I’m trying to be somebody I’m not?”

“Isn’t that the whole point of this? You said you wanted to change.”

“I know, but this is a young person’s store.”

She grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me to face her. “Clara Parker, you are not even sixty. I will not allow you to talk about yourself like you’re some elderly woman with one foot in the grave.”

“I almost was,” I reminded her.

“And that is precisely what brought on this change, right?”

Sighing, I knew she was right. If I was really going to make a change and please myself, then I needed to get moving.

“Alright. Ellie, let me see what else you’ve got!”

As if on cue, Ellie popped out of the back with a smile on her face and an armful of clothes.

“I have the cutest jeans for you and some shirts that should look fantastic on you!”

I hadn’t seen Ellie this happy in a long time, so I smiled and tried to be just as excited as her. And honestly, I should have come in a long time ago. Her taste was flawless, and the outfits she chose fit me perfectly, even if I was a little uncomfortable with how tight the jeans were.

“Oh my,” Georgia murmured as I stepped out in jeans and a loose-fitting button-down shirt. With it tucked in, you could actually see my waistline, something I hadn’t shown off in years. I’d been too busy hiding it behind my mom jeans that fit me all wrong. How had I not realized that I was dressing in the wrong things all these years?

“Look out, Montana! Clara Parker is in town, and she’s here to break hearts!” Ellie laughed.

“I can’t believe this is me. Seriously, who knew I could actually look younger?”

“Well, it helps if you don’t dress like you’re already in your eighties,” Ellie grinned. “But I think I’ve got quite the wardrobe for you.”

“I’ll break the bank with all this,” I laughed.