“Mm-hm?”
“You don’t have to worry about me. I’m old enough to get my own meals. I can get all around town—everything is walkable. I have my job to earn money to spend.”
“I feel like I’m walking a tightrope trying to balance everything.” Giving brutal honesty here.
“Then… don’t. If some things fall between the cracks, it’s okay. I was a kid with a single parent before. I know how hard it is with you balancing things. I didn’t mean to make your life harder.” Concern settled on Blake’s features.
Jesse shook his head. “You made my life so much better. That’s all that’s important.”
Blake’s concern turned into a smile. “Mine’s a lot better, too. So quit worrying so much about me.”
But that was much easier said than done.
Chapter 10
Emily met Angela at Barbara’s Boutique after school the next day. She was so excited to help Angela—it was all she could think about the whole day. They went inside and Margaret greeted them. Emily remembered asking, when she was about eight, why it was called Barbara’s if Margaret ran it. Her mom said that a Barbara had opened it years ago, back in the 1920s, and it had kept its same name through the years. Just another charming quirk of their small town.
“Margaret, you know Angela,” Emily said.
“Of course, Charlene’s girl.”
“We’re going to browse around for a bit.”
“Sure. Let me know if I can help.”
Emily led the way toward the back of the store, thrilled to have this chance to help Angela. Maybe with some new outfits, she’d feel more confident.
Angela followed behind her. “My mom was so excited when I said I wanted to go shopping. She’s always offering to take me, but I don’t like to shop much. I don’t know how to pick out clothes that are… right. But… I want to wear something that will make me look… I don’t know. That fits me better. Jeanie did call me a loser yesterday.”
“Jeanie called all of us losers. She was just jealous Blake is taking you to the festival instead of her.” And Angela wasnota loser. Nor were she and Blake. Jeanie was such an annoying twit.
Angela didn’t look totally convinced.
“Leave it to me. I’m an expert shopper. I’m warning you now, though, I’m a bit opinionated in my choices. I took Jesse shopping for school clothes when he first came to town. I’m pretty sure I overwhelmed him.”
“You took him shopping, too?”
“I did. So you’ve been warned.”
“That’s okay. I trust you.”
Emily sorted through the racks, selected an armful of outfits, and sent Angela to the dressing room. Angela came out time after time, showing them off.
“That one is nice. Do you like it?”
Angela nodded.
“Good, because we’re only going to get clothes you like, too. Not just me. Get clothes that make you feel special. Figure out what you like, your style.”
“I’m not sure I have a style.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.”
Angela headed back in for another change of clothes and they continued picking out outfits.
“That one is not for you. Ugh.”
“It’s pretty horrible, isn’t it?” Angela agreed and disappeared again.
