Hope

Chapter Five

Danny drove the truck carefully down the windy roads so I wouldn't move around too much, and stopped in front of a small clothing store, "This store is owned by my sister. There's not a lot in it, but we can get you some shoes, underwear, pants, and a couple shirts. That will hold you up until we can get down to Colorado Springs to one of the bigger stores." I opened the door and started to get out, "If you hold on a second, I will help you get down. My truck is pretty high and you don't need to injure yourself further."

He walked around the side of the truck and put his hands on my waist, lifting me down gently. The front of my body brushed up against his and a shiver of arousal ran through me, but luckily Danny just thought I was cold. We walked into the little boutique store and I was impressed by the variety of clothing. On one wall was a rack with some dresses. On the wall across from it were jeans, various long sleeve shirts, and a small selection of boots and sneakers, as well as a couple pairs of heels. In the back was the lingerie.

"Daisy, you back there?" Danny yelled into the store.

"Coming, hold your horses." A shorter version of Danny came out of the back room. She had the same coloring, eyes, nose, and mouth but she was infinitely prettier. A little female version of her brother in a petite package. "Oh honey, what happened to you?" she asked, the concern evident in her voice and in the look she gave me as she took in the gash and bruises.

"Dais, she was in a car accident last night. Rose is having a little trouble right now, so she is going to stay in my guest room for a while until we can figure some things out." I looked at him, appreciative that he didn't tell her about my memory loss, "I'm going to run down to the grocery store, why don't you help Rose pick out a couple of outfits and put it on my tab. I'll be back in an hour or so."

Danny left the store, leaving me with his sister. I stood there while she took in my ragged and bruised appearance, "Oh hon, we'll get you all fixed up. Danny is a good guy, but he wouldn't do this for just anyone. You must be special." Her words brought tears to my eyes, "Now, none of that. Let's start over here with the unmentionables."

We walked over to the lingerie section and Daisy looked at me questioningly. Before she could ask a question that I didn't know how to answer I said simply, "I don't know my size." Then I lied, "It's been so long since I bought bras, I don't really know if I'm wearing the correct size or not."

"That's no problem, we can take care of that." She led me back to the fitting room, "Go ahead, take off that sweatshirt so we can take your measurements." She could see my hesitation, "It's okay, hon, nothing I haven't seen before." I took off my sweatshirt and she eyed my bruises as she measured me, "I hope that whoever did that to you is locked up."

Tears sprung to my eyes before I could help it and I put my sweatshirt back on. I didn't know how to tell her the truth, because the truth is rarely as simple as it seems, "Let's go pick out some stuff before Danny gets back."

We spent the next hour going through her small store, finding me several outfits to wear. More than I really should have let her pick out, but she kept shoving clothes into my arms, not listening to my protests. I was going to have to find a way to pay Danny back for everything he was doing for me. But, I couldn't help but feel like Hope was a good town. People here were so nice, not asking for anything in return, but helping out someone just out of the kindness of their hearts.

Daisy wouldn't let me watch the total as she rang up my purchases, telling me that Danny wouldn't like that. We managed to get me a couple pairs of jeans, several shirts, underwear and bras, socks, a warm jacket, and a pretty dress that Daisy had said her brother would enjoy. As she finished ringing up the total and put all my stuff, minus what she had told me to wear, into bags, Danny walked into the store.