Chapter 22
EVAN
It shouldn’t have surprised me to see the bright pink note on the refrigerator when I got up to make coffee the next morning.
Take Effie bra shopping.
I should’ve woken her ass up to give her a piece of my mind. Damn you, Chloe.
I’d known a reciprocal challenge was coming for me. That’s how it always worked. But for some reason, I hadn’t anticipated it so soon, and I hadn’t expected this. I would have to face the fact that my little girl wasn’t a baby anymore, but I was hoping for a little more time.
Effie wandered into the kitchen. “What’s wrong, Daddy?”
I crinkled the paper and stuffed it into my back pocket. “Nothing, baby.”
“You were looking down at something like you were mad.”
Feigning a smile, I shook my head. “Nope. All is good.”
If I was going to do this, I’d take full credit for it and surprise Effie this afternoon when I picked her up.
Sure enough, later that day, I instantly became Father of the Year when I announced during the car ride home from school that I would take Effie bra shopping. She practically cried tears of joy, never imagining I’d change my mind so fast.
Of course, she wanted to go to a store that was an hour away. She said it was the one “all her friends” had gone to, and it specialized in women’s lingerie.
I sighed and gave in. There weren’t many options here in Dry River anyway.
When we arrived, the exterior of the building was painted pink. Of course it was. I felt like a creep walking into the place.
An attendant approached me the second we entered. “Can I help you, sir?”
“Yeah. You can save me from this entire experience,” I muttered.
“Don’t even look at him,” my smartass daughter told her. “He’s clueless.”
I cleared my throat. “She wants a bra. Not sure what you even call bras for little girls who don’t really need them yet.”
“They’re called bras.” She laughed. “But training bra is probably a better term.”
“Clearly, I’m the one who’s in training here. As my daughter pointed out, I have no idea what I’m doing when it comes to this stuff, so I’d appreciate you helping her find one.”
“I’ve got you covered.” The woman winked at me. “No need to stress.” She put her hands on Effie’s shoulders and led her to a corner of the store.
As I stood in a sea of underwear, bras, and lingerie, I typed out a text to Chloe.
I want you to know that because of you, I’m currently standing next to a mannequin wearing a thong.
The three dots moved around as she responded.
Chloe: You’re wearing the thong? Kinky.
Evan: She’s wearing it. Well, maybe it’s a she. It has no head. But it has breasts, unlike my daughter who doesn’t need a goddamn bra yet.
Chloe: Proud of you for going.
Evan: Did you expect otherwise?
Chloe: I wasn’t sure about this one!
Evan: You had to choose this, of all things…
Chloe: An eye for an eye. You hit me right in the jugular sending me to see my father. I had to pick something I knew would rival it.
Evan: You certainly achieved that.
Chloe: Why are you texting me if you’re supposed to be helping her pick out a bra?
Evan: I don’t have to do anything but stand here, thankfully. The attendant took over.
Chloe: Lucky you!
Evan: Yeah. Lucky me.
Chloe: LOL
Evan: Want anything while I’m here? Like a bra for you, since you seemed not to have one on when we were having wine the other night…
Chloe: Did that bother you?
Evan: Far from it.
What the fuck am I doing admitting that?
Chloe: I did catch you looking at me.
Evan: Was I supposed to ignore it?
Chloe: I don’t wear a bra to bed, so if you ask me to have late-night drinks, I’m gonna get comfy.
Evan: So now I can’t invite you to have wine in the living room without you thinking I want to look at your boobs. Great.
Chloe: You don’t have to invite me for wine if you want to see my boobs. All you have to do is ask.
Damn her. A jolt of arousal shot through me. My finger hovered over the keypad.
Evan: Chloe…
Chloe: Are you scolding me? I can’t tell via text.
Evan: I am fucking scolding you for trying to drive me nuts, yes.
Chloe: Is Effie near you?
Evan: No. Why?
Chloe: Because I don’t want her to see the photo I’m about to send you.
Evan: Don’t.
Chloe: Are you sweating?
I didn’t even respond. And yes, I was sweating. Fuck. I felt my dick move. All I needed was to get hard in the middle of this lingerie store. I felt enough like a pervert just being here.
Chloe: I’m totally kidding, Evan. You’re not getting a photo of my boobs.
Am I supposed to be relieved? This felt more like disappointment.
Chloe: Why would I send you a photo when I can show you in person later, after Effie goes to sleep?
Well, shit. Be careful what you wish for.
Evan: You suck, Chloe. You know that?
Chloe: It was a joke.
Evan: Was it?
Chloe: Do you want it to be?
This entire text exchange was a mind fuck. Without even thinking, I reached for a pair of panties nearby and wiped my forehead. I was burning up. Shit. Now I had to buy this pair of underwear. I couldn’t leave it here for some poor woman to try on with my sweat all over it.
Effie came hopping toward me. “Daddy, we found three bras.”
I clutched the underwear, nearly caught in the act of rubbing it on my damn face.
“She should be set for a while,” the attendant said. “But as things grow, feel free to come back anytime.”
Grow? Hadn’t I been through enough today without having to think about that?
The only consolation in this entire experience was that they hadn’t “grown” thus far, because Effie was still a damn child.
But my daughter was smiling from ear to ear, and that had to count for something. Maybe this wasn’t all bad.
The woman motioned toward the front of the store. “If you want to follow me, I’ll check you out.”
Once at the register, I attempted to discreetly hand her the underwear I’d used as my sweat rag. “These, too,” I murmured.
My ever-so-sharp daughter caught me. “Daddy, who are those for?”
Great. “They’re for Chloe.” I coughed. “I, uh, told her we were here, and she said she was short on underwear.”
“Oh.”
Effie bought the excuse, and the next thing I knew, I was holding a small pink bag as we exited the store. We won’t even talk about the bill for three supposed bras that would hold absolutely nothing and a sweat rag.
The ride home was quiet. I was still on edge from that text exchange with Chloe.
She was messing with my head. Was this some kind of retribution for the past?
Did she not see how dangerous it would be if we started something now?
But despite my sweating, it had been fun.
I’d felt alive and invigorated by that flirty exchange. And now? I felt a little unhinged.
I had no idea whether I’d end up scolding her tonight or asking to see her boobs.