Louise stood examining herself in the dressing room mirror.
"Ugh," she blew out frustrated. Shopping was never something she really enjoyed but dress shopping was physically painful. She never really understood where her contempt for the activity came from, she laughed thinking of the disaster that had been prom dress shopping. A small smile touched her lips as she thought of her father trying to balance the multitude of garments after he had lured her to the shopping district by telling her they were going to pick up some things for the guys back at the ring.
"Papa," she closed her eyes trying to fight back tears, "I miss you."
Louise was pulled from her thoughts by knocking on the door, "Excuse me Miss? The gentlemen you were with uh Mr. Gallo, he asked me to bring you these pieces as well."
Louise swung the door open quickly, taking the dresses from the blonde and overly cheerful sales clerk.
"Uh Thanks," she muttered trying hard to level her annoyance at the woman's bright red smile. Her mouth looked awkwardly large on her petite face, and with the hair bump at the crown of her head she looked like one of the bimbo's from her small collection of comics.
Louise was about to shut the door when a thought struck her, "Oh and Ma'am."
The clerk's smile seemed to widen, "Can you please tell Mr. Gallo that if he tries to bring me anymore dresses I will murder him in his sleep."
The clerk's eyes widened and she laughed nervously before turning back down the hall, her heels clicked after her.
After closing the door Louise began to shift through the mountains of rhinestone and tulle when her eyes suddenly caught a flash of emerald. She let the other garments fall to the floor and held the dress up, it was beautiful she thought.
She slipped it on and though she couldn't zip it up herself, she knew it fit perfectly. A triumphant grin formed on her face as she began placing the other dresses back on the hangers, she shook her head at the monstrosities that Johnny had picked out for her. She took in the hot pink dress that sat at the bottom of the pile, "what the fuck was he thinking?"
When she walked back out into the main area she saw Johnny sitting nervously in an overly stuffed and no doubt overly priced arm chair. A glass of champagne was on the side table next to him, it looked untouched.
"So," Johnny asked with eager eyes.
Louise whisked past him and began speaking to the blonde clerk from before. Once she was certain that the girl understood she walked back over to Johnny who was standing with his mouth hanging open.
"Louise? Which dress did you choose?"
"None of your business," she snapped playfully, "you'll see when you pick me up on Saturday."
"Louise," he drew out like a child.
"Johnny," she gasped back, mimicking his tone.
"Fine, have it your way then. And by the way Pink's picking you up on Saturday not me; I have to take care of some things before the dinner."
"Oh I've missed Pinky," she tried not to sound too excited. The truth was that of all the thugs Johnny ran around with Pink held a special place in her heart. Stephen Pinkerton or Pink as he went by was one of Johnny's oldest friends, next to her of course. Pink had taken on the role of big brother and protector when she moved back after her father died a couple of years ago. When Johnny was not around to work on her last nerve she could always count on Pink to pop into the shop for a few freebies. Pink was a big, black man, not fat just large and at 6'4 and 240 pounds he could eat a truck load of her sweets. Hell he'd eat her out of business if she didn't keep him out of the kitchen.
Even though he looked threatening Pink was the biggest push over when it came to her, he was always teasing her about being Johnny's girl to push her buttons.
Johnny broke into her thoughts, "I swear sometimes I think you like him more than me. And would you stop calling him Pinky it's demeaning."
"Why? Are you jealous he gets a nickname?" She loved to tease Johnny; she could get under his skin like no one else.
"No, but I'm sure he doesn't like you calling him 'Pinky' behind his back," he straightened his suit jacket.
Louise couldn't hold back her laughter, "Oh Johnny you should hear what I call you behind your back."
He cocked a brow, "Devilishly handsome?"
"Oh please, you wish," she continued laughing.
"Or maybe incredibly charming," Lou felt like she was going to piss her pants giggling, "Or maybe 'the best fuck you've ever—OW!"
Louise smacked his chest through her giggles, "please don't flatter yourself."
Johnny was referring to her graduation night when he drove her out to the coast and they'd drank almost an entire bottle of rum between the two of them. After a night swim they ended up cuddling beneath blankets in the back of his father's SUV, the rear door was open so they could see the stars and catch the warm evening air. She remembered she had been so nervous when he tentatively pressed his lips to hers. It hadn't been their first kiss but her head was spinning as if it had been. Louise remembered how full she felt, it was like her heart would burst from her chest; she was so young she had just turned 18 to his 21. She could still feel how warm he felt touching her and how gentle his fingers were. He had asked her, "Are you sure Lou?" She wasn't a virgin but for some reason when he touched her everything felt new and in that instant her nerves suddenly got the better of her. Louise had been confident up until that point, lost in the haze of liquid courage and his lustful blue eyes. However, when his fingers skimmed the waistband of her jeans she stilled beneath him, but then he asked her that question and she relaxed. She didn't give any answer instead she propped herself on her elbows and moved her head up kissing him tenderly. Nothing else needed to be said after that.
That had been almost 7 years ago, their hormones had calmed down and her and Johnny were able to resume their usual friendship. Both knew that night was special but neither was willing to admit it, so they both laughed it off as a catastrophe that was fated to happen once in their lives. She'd never admit the heartbreak she felt when they agreed to put it behind them both. She was leaving to California in a couple of months for undergraduates; it didn't seem sensible for her to muck up her strongest friendship over one drunken night. So instead she buried her feelings and just tried to enjoy those last few months she had with her best friend before she'd start her own life.
"You know I was the best you'd ever had."
"Well considering all I'd had up to that point was a few sweaty minutes with Kyle Rend I guess you're right. But he was definitely a cutie pie though."
"He had a stutter," Johnny added accusingly.
"Only when he was nervous," she defended, "and I said 'cutie pie' not 'stud muffin'."
Johnny chuckled at her defensiveness, "Yeah, I am so sure."
"Whatever asshole, take me back to the shop. I left Rachel in charge of Simon and Kasey, and well Simon's an idiot."
"Your wish is my command fair lady," Johnny started the engine before pulling of the parking lot.
||
Louise was all thumbs in the kitchen this afternoon; every time the bell rang she'd pop her head out hopefully but come up disappointed when she didn't see him, J.D that is.
"Get a hold of yourself girl," Louise chastised herself. Yes he was incredibly sexy, damn that, he was downright gorgeous. Tall and lean with the right amount of muscle from the way his white t-shirt had stretched over his chest beneath his leather jacket. She'd only spoken to him for five minutes but that was enough for her to notice those Greenish gray eyes and his incredible smile. She'd tried to play it cool on the outside but inside was a raging inferno that blazed brightest right between her thighs. Rachel had melted like a school girl when he left and chattered about how he couldn't take his eyes off of Louise. She had simply smiled at the girl's remarks but secretly she was reeling, she chalked it up to the dry spell she'd been having.
