Page 28 of Doctor Holliday
A painful sound drew Lucy’s eyes to her daughter again. Callie coughed and laughed at the same time.
“You could give me some space here,” Lucy suggested with her brows raised.
“Nope. Remember my first date? You were on me like syrup on a pancake while I was getting ready.”
“I’m your mother.”
Callie shrugged.
“Who’re you going out with? Do I know him?”
On the occasion Lucy had a date, that was usually Kim’s first question. Eastport—Rhode Island, itself—wasn’t that big, but then again, it wasn’t like everyone knew everyone in the state or city for that matter.
“Keaton Thatcher,” Lucy answered as she browsed the hangers in her closet again.
“Don’t know him.” Kim’s answer was punctuated with the deep breath that told Lucy she had just lit a cigarette. Lucy glanced at her alarm clock—the one it seemed she only used when she was rushing to get ready to go somewhere and Kim was yakking her ear off, nearly making her late.
“Let me, Mom.” Callie climbed off the bed. Lucy, clad in sweats and t-shirt, perched on the edge of her bed and watched while Callie took her turn perusing the clothes in the closet.
“What’s he like?” Kim asked.
“Sexy,” Callie called with her back to the phone.
“You think he’s sexy?”
Callie looked at Lucy over her shoulder. “Yeah. For an old guy.”
“Ouch.” Lucy laid her hand over her heart.
“I got the TV for Mom and Dad,” Kim told her.
“Good. What do I owe you?”
“Here, Mom.” Callie pulled a sleeveless burgundy dress from the closet and turned to her. “It’s not black, so you’re not, like screaming, I’m sexy. But it’s classy…kind of subtle sexy.”
“Why do you assume I want to even whisper sexy?”
“I mean, Aunt Kim had a point,” Callie mumbled.
“Ohmygod.” Lucy groaned.
“Put it on,” Kim commanded. “Cal, send me a picture.”
“Really?” Lucy took the hanger from Callie, but she remained seated.
“And…” Callie squatted in front of Lucy’s shoe rack. “These.”
Lucy stared at the knee-high black leather boots. The sexy kitten heels.
“C’mon, Mom. It’s not like they’re fuc?—”
“Do. Not. Even. Say. It.” Lucy stood up and pointed a motherly finger at Callie.
“Man, I wish I was there,” Kim cackled. “Next time you go on a date, tell me so I can come hang out with Cal.”
“C’mon.” Callie nodded at the dress.
Lucy wasn’t thrilled with the idea of taking her clothes off in front of Callie. The one thing she had donned for the date with no hemming and hawing was a sexy thong and a see-through lace bra in matching black.