“I kind of fell into the job that other day I was here, actually.”
Morgan nodded, her dyed black ponytail bobbing wildly, bangs swinging free around her pixie face. “I’m glad. They needed someone decent after that bitch Selena quit.”
“You knew Selena?”
“Downtown is kind of a small town, really. We all pretty much know what’s going on with everyone else. You’ll catch on quick.”
“So you know Connor and Alex then?”
Morgan’s face took on an impish look. “Well enough. Alex used to come in here a lot.”
Morgan grabbed a box of new merchandise and dragged in into the middle of the floor. Tossing several items aside, she dug toward the bottom.
Jessa leaned back against a counter and crossed her arms. “Used to, hmm?”
“Yeah, things ran their course. You know how it goes.”
“With Alex,” Jessa nodded emphatically. “I can imagine.”
“But man, he was good.”
A sudden thought made Jessa’s blood run cold. “So does Connor send girls over here for extra clothes a lot?”
Something in Jessa’s tone caused Morgan to emerge from the box. She assessed Jessa with a pair of frank blue eyes. “Connor Archuleta hasn’t ever spent enough time around anyone for them to need extra clothes. He’s more of the wham, bam, thank you ma’am type. Or, I guess I should say he has been until now.”
“What makes you say that?”
Morgan rolled her eyes. “Oh come on. You can stand there and discuss Alex’s innumerable flings without batting an eyelash. But toss Connor into the mix and you clam up.”
“Am I that transparent?” Jessa moaned.
Morgan pulled a black and white mini skirt from the box and stood up. Though she was casing the store for more items, Jessa noticed a frown wrinkling the bridge of her nose that didn’t seem to have anything to do with Jessa’s need for an outfit.
“I never expected to see you back here,” Morgan said quietly as she pulled a red satin thong off a rack and added it to the growing pile in her arms.
“Why not?”
“Because when I mentioned our frequent buyer program you had no idea what I was talking about.”
Jessa’s cheeks flamed red hot. How had she managed to forget that little eye-opener in such a short time? “I was never naive enough to think my husband knew how to keep his pecker in his pants.”
Morgan sent the heaping pile on the countertop next to Jessa. “I’m glad.”
“He’d left me that day, just a couple of hours before I came in here.”
A slow smile spread over Morgan’s face. “Bet you never realized what a good thing that was going to be, huh?”
“No, at the time it felt like the world was ending.”
Morgan picked up the plain red satin thong and twirled it around her finger. “Sweetie, things are just picking up.”
Jessa eyed the pile of daring clothing on the counter and her smile slowly died. “I can’t wear this stuff, Morgan.”
“Why not?”
“Look at me! I’m not you.”
“Good, because that would be creepy.”
Jessa rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. I’m not twenty anymore. Truth be told, I’m pushing forty.”
Now it was Morgan’s turn to roll her eyes. “I never realized Connor was blind.”
“Huh?”
“Well, he’s either blind and can’t see you, or you’re crazy and he thinks you’re attractive.”
“But I’m so…” Jessa gestured irritably to her ample hips, soft backside, and heavy breasts. “Big!”
“Contrary to what pop culture would have us believe,” Morgan said, “men like a few curves on their women. And a guy like Connor would break a girl in two if she had one of those stick figures.”
The mental image Morgan painted was outrageous. Jessa was helpless to stop her giggles. Eyebrows wiggling suggestively, Morgan dragged her to the dressing room and began to throw clothing over the door.
Jessa wriggled into a short skirt before picking up something shaped as though it was meant to be worn on the top. She was at a loss as to how the garment actually worked.
“I’ve got no idea how this goes on, Morgan. What if I end up wearing it upside down?”
Morgan heaved a gigantic sigh and threw open the door. “Girlfriend, you need some adventure in your life.”
Jessa yelped in surprise as Morgan stepped inside the room and began giving her the critical once over. The miniskirt had been a surprise, mostly because Jessa actually liked it. The black-and-white striped hounds-tooth pattern flattered her ample hips, and the wide, double-button waist made Jessa’s belly feel flatter.