“I think it looks very nice, simple but decent-quality fabric and construction.” She had checked that out before Loren put it on. The others she’d tried were too frothy. “You can dress it up or down by the accessories. That print jacket on the rack would make it more casual, and the black one with the scroll trim would look dressier, not that you’d want a jacket so much in the summer anyway. And before you ask, it is very slimming. Now let’s get you a black bra, and panties, and then we hit the shoe department.”

Loren groaned. “All in one day?”

“Might as well while we’re here. By the way, why the change of heart?”

“Nate wants me to meet his mother so he’s taking us both to supper tomorrow at her favorite restaurant.”

“Which is?”

“The Royal Crown.” She flipped the dress over the fitting stall door.

“Okay, this will be fine. You can use my turquoise jewelry, will look great on that, and my black shawl if it gets chilly. Knowing that restaurant, you better take the shawl.”

Loren stepped out of the fitting room, shaking her head. “Jeans or khaki pants are much easier.” She glanced in the mirror and pulled her T-shirt down. “Let’s get this over with.”

“You are not sentenced to the guillotine.”

“Almost. And besides, what if she doesn’t like me?”

Roxie put her arm around her daughter’s shoulders. “She can’t help but love you. I’ve heard all good things about her.”

“If she’s so wonderful, why did they divorce?”

“Couldn’t get along in the same house but reverted to being the friends they were before the marriage. Rich said, ‘She gave me great children.’”

They finished their shopping, got Loren through the shock of spending that much money on fancy clothes, and stopped at Loren’s favorite restaurant, where the hamburgers were superb. They had celebrated many life events there through the years. “Let’s get that dress hung up and we’ll steam it. You’ll look smashing tomorrow for supper.” Roxie pulled into their driveway. “You might want to wear your hair up, look even more sophisticated that way.” She grinned at her daughter. “Want a bowl of ice cream?”

“Need you ask?”

A message from Rich was waiting on her house phone. She returned his call. “You called?”

“I did. Since Nate is taking Loren and his mother out for dinner, you want to come out here since you’ll be all alone?”

“You think I can’t handle being alone?”

“And here I was trying to be nice. So much for nice. Will you please come out here? We’ll have chicken on the grill, veggies, garlic bread, and some kind of potatoes, I suppose. Then we can watch the sunset over the water and the moon come up. What do you think?”

“I think it sounds heavenly.”

“Whew, you scared me there for a moment. Oh, I get it, you were teasing me.”

“You got it. See you about…”

“Three, no four. I have some things I need to get done.”