Secrets of the Tulip Sisters

She ran barefoot to the kitchen and collected the rest of the boxes. Twenty minutes later, she was surrounded by piles of clothes and couldn’t help grinning like a fool.

Olivia had done good. Better than good. Okay, there were a few duds. She wasn’t a hoodie girl and refused to try on the two her sister had bought. There was a calf-length skirt that made her look like she was auditioning to be an extra in a Western, but other than that, the choices were...fantastic. There were at least a half-dozen really cute T-shirts, both long and short-sleeved, that she could wear to work, along with ridiculously expensive dark wash jeans that she should instantly reject but couldn’t help noticing how good they looked on.

There were ankle-length and cropped pants in different colors with coordinating flirty tops, four dresses and a jean jacket that cost as much as a car payment, but made her whimper with its cuteness.

Three of the shirts and two of the dresses required her to go braless, something Kelly would have sworn she would never do. Only the clothes were so pretty and she felt so good wearing them, she wasn’t sure she had a choice. Besides, at some point, not having breasts should work in her favor.

She turned in front of the mirror, checking out a fitted black-and-white-plaid short-sleeved dress. It was both casual and pretty. As she looked at herself from the back, she wondered if she had any decent sandals tucked in some corner of her closet.

“How the mighty have fallen.”

She looked up and saw Olivia standing in the doorway to her bedroom. Her sister smiled at her.

“I knew you’d look good. Admit it. The clothes are nice.”

Kelly glanced at the huge pile on the bed. “You spent nearly three thousand dollars. On my credit card.”

“They’re your clothes. Plus the last time you bought something that wasn’t a pair of cargo pants was 1969.”

“I wasn’t alive in 1969.”

“You get my point. You never shop. And yes, you can use the excuse that while the local Costco has some lovely options, they are limited. But hello, use the internet. You’re easy to fit and even Tulpen Crossing gets mail delivery. I like the dress a lot.”

“Me, too.”

“Try it with the jean jacket.”

Kelly frowned. “I can’t. The dress is black and white. The jacket is denim.”

“And?”

“They don’t go together.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “You’re so provincial. Jean jackets go with everything. Hold on.”

She walked through the bedroom to the bathroom and returned with a set of hot rollers. After setting them on the desk, she plugged them in, then picked up the jean jacket.

“Try it on,” she said as she held it out.

“Those curlers better not be for me.”

“Of course they’re for you. I already did my hair this morning. I want to make a point. You know I’m going to help my friend Eliza with a makeover and she’s a lot more cooperative than you.”

“You spent three thousand dollars.”

“I believe we discussed that already. Put. It. On.”

Kelly did as instructed. Olivia turned the collar up, then stared at her.

“You need a black patent leather belt. I don’t suppose you have one, do you?” She shook her head. “Never mind.” She found a pad of paper on the desk and started writing. “Shoes. You’re going to need shoes. Lots of them. Did you try those on?”

Those were a pair of taupe-beige suede shoes that weren’t exactly sandals and weren’t exactly booties and weren’t exactly anything Kelly had seen before. They had a peep-toe and a sling back with a three-inch heel. They covered the top of her foot, except for the tips of her toes and while they looked sexy, they were also two and a half inches more heel than she was used to.

“I can’t do heels.”

“You don’t do heels. There’s a difference. Try them on.” Olivia pointed to the chair. “Sit there and try them on or I’m going to start singing. Trust me, no one wants that.”

Kelly did as she was instructed. The neutral color looked pretty on her skin and there was plenty of padding. She stood and was surprised to find that they weren’t as hard to walk in as she’d first thought.

“They’re nice,” she admitted, crossing to the mirror.

“They have a platform, so they only look high. You’ll need to practice getting around in them, but they’re a fairly classic style and they’ll go with everything. You and I are going to have to go to the outlet mall one afternoon and buy you a bunch of shoes. I’m not having you ruin everything I bought by wearing them with your horrible work boots or ratty athletic shoes. Now get over here and let me curl your hair.”

Twenty minutes later Kelly’s waves were actual curls. She liked the shorter, bouncy look. She and Olivia sorted through the clothes and agreed on what was to go back. While the dresses were cute, right now Kelly only needed a couple. She was forced to admit that she loved all the cropped pants and cute tops and was delighted to realize that yes in fact she could wear the jean jacket with everything.

She stood in front of the mirror admiring herself in tan ankle pants, her new shoes, a cute lightweight, sherbet-orange sweater and her jean jacket. She would never be like her sister, but this was really, really good.

Her phone buzzed. Olivia reached for it and grinned. “Someone wants to buy you dinner.”

Kelly felt her stomach quiver. “Griffith?”

“Unless you’re two-timing your boyfriend, who else would it be? Shall I tell him you’re available?”

Kelly grabbed the phone. Let me bring over takeout, she texted back.

Can’t wait.

Olivia sighed. “You’re just like the guys I date. You get what you want and then you abandon me. It’s fine. I’ll recover.”

“Are you serious or are you messing with me?”

“Messing with you. I’ve got some work to do tonight. Design research. Plus I heard back from Sally on her booth and I want to work up a couple of sample floor plans. You kids have fun.”

“I might be late,” Kelly said as she started out the door. “Don’t wait up.”

“Oh, my God. Stop!”

Kelly froze. “What?”

Olivia walked to the desk and opened drawers until she found a pair of scissors. “You still have tags. You might grow the most beautiful tulips on the West Coast, but you are ill-equipped to deal with normal life.”

She snipped and tugged, then said, “Now you can run off to have sex with your hot boyfriend.”

Kelly flushed. “We’re having dinner.”

“I really don’t want details.”

Kelly thought about explaining that she and Griffith hadn’t done more than kiss, only she knew Olivia wouldn’t believe her. Plus, Griffith was waiting.

Impulsively, she hugged her sister. “Thank you for all this.”

“You’re welcome. Tomorrow we’ll pick a couple of online shopping sites and sign you up for delivery service.”

“I’d like that a lot.”

Olivia smiled at her. “Me, too.”





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