A bashful smile spread across Victoria’s face as she checked herself out in the three-way mirrors. “Yeah?” The little black dress hugged her hips, snatched her waist, and outlined her full bust before settling on her shoulders. She wound her braids into a neat bun at the top of her head and looked at the lines of her neck and curves of her shoulders. Not bad at all.

“Well, you got legs for days, so yeah,” Reggi said.

Paula whipped back the curtain to reveal her own dress. It was an A-line emerald green cocktail number that stopped above her knees. The boat neck bodice and three-quarter sleeves sparkled while the skirt was fluffy taffeta. The dress complemented her full figure so beautifully, Victoria actually squealed. “Paula, you look like a sexy black June Cleaver.”

They collapsed against one another in laughter as Penny strolled back with a simple pair of black velvet pumps. “Try these on,” she instructed as she knelt down and held them in place.

Victoria slipped her feet into the shoes and smoothed down the front of her dress. “Okay,” she said, admiring herself in the mirrors. “This might be okay.”

“She’s not used to anything but work clothes,” Reggi told the store owner. “So this right here, is literally blowing her mind.”

“Calm down,” Victoria said, still staring at herself. “I like it, but where does a Pembroke professor wear a ‘freakum dress’?”

Penny shrugged. “It sounds like you need to wear it just the one time with the children’s librarian.”

The store went silent as Victoria’s eyes widened.

“I know that’s right. Okay?” Her friends shouted in unison as they exchanged high-fives with the woman.

Victoria released the breath she held and chuckled. “As the proprietor of this store, I’m swearing you to secrecy,” she said.

The woman placed her hand on her chest. “I promise.”

“Since she likes likes him,” Regina said with a cheeky grin and wink, “She should probably buy this dress?”

Penny smiled. “It couldn’t hurt.”

“Now please walk the runway,” Paula goaded. “Do your hip thing.”

Victoria did as she was told and walked the clear space of store, working her hips as she went. As the women whooped it up, she grinned. She couldn’t ask for better hype-women than her friends. But when she saw Becca’s familiar face in the storefront window, she stopped in her tracks. Next to her, was her uncle Johnny, who stopped short and did a double take. He tried to hide behind one of the mannequins, but she saw him. Before she could back up and return to the protection of her friends, Becca burst through the front door. “Dang it.”

Becca came streaking inside, face flushed and sweaty and curls all askew. “Victoria?”

She froze with an awkward grin plastered on her face. “Becca, what are you up to?” She glanced at the window where John had already disappeared.