Who Is Lucas Ryker O'Riley?

61. RECIPROCITY IN ACTION

"Sweetie, this is a lot," mom commented, referring to all the things I had pulled out from the closet and placed on the bed. "You're definitely going to do something really nice for Beck. These are not cheap brands."

"Yeah, I know."

Mom began picking items up and examining them.

"This skirt's really cute. I hope you got somthing special to go with it."

"Yeah, this top here,"  I replied, pulling a top from under other items.

"Oh, wow. I really like that. You've got good taste. Let's see how it looks on you."

I turned around and began to take my top off.

"Carla honey, you don't have to be shy. You've got on underwear, don't you?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Stop worrying about undressing in front of me. It's just us girls here. Besides, I've seen you naked before, duh."

I thought about that as I stepped into the skirt. She right, you know, I told myself. There's no one else in here. It's no different than changing in front of Beck, I guess.

Once I had the skirt on, I turned around and took the blouse from mom's hands.

"You're starting to get a nice base tan, sweetheart," mom observed."I hope you're using sunblock. Wouldn't want you to end up with skin cancer before you're thirty."

An image of Jeremy holding the bottle of SPF 100, from earlier today, crossed my mind.

The mental image also caused a feeling in my stomach. The only way I know to describe it is butterflies.

"Of course, mom. I don't want my skin to prematurely start to wrinkle."

"Remind me later. I've got a body moisturizer I'll give you that'll help keep your skin soft and supple as long as you use it regularly."

"Like yours? You've got great skin, mom. You must use it all the time."

"Among other things. I'll teach you my whole skin care routine. It's something I started to do when I wasn't much older than you are now."

I slipped the blouse over my head and pulled it down across my breasts.

Mom began to gush over me. She told me I looked absolutely darling in the outfit and that she was proud of my eye for fashion.

I didn't tell her it was Beck that had insisted I had to have this outfit. I never would have picked it out on my own. It shimmered in the light and attracted attention.

In fact, I had been unsure about it being one I would wear, but after seeing how much mom liked it, along with the enthusiasm Beck had showed when she insisted I have it, I guess now, I can't wait to wear it out.

"I think you should wear this one to dinner tomorrow night. Your dad mentioned taking us somewhere nice to celebrate your name change."

"Yeah,  I agree, mom. This'll look nice with my fancy heels on the shel--Wait! Tomorrow night? Won't dad still be gone to Austin?"

"Oh, yeah you're right. He'll be gone two nights, so we'll go to dinner Thursday night. We had discussed dinner tomorrow night before he got the phone call. Why, you got a hot date or something tomorrow?"

Well not exactly, I told myself. But I can't tell her I'm going to hang out with Jeremy. Not yet.

"No, I think Beck and I are going to go to some place with bowling, go-carts, skating, and mini-golf. It's this amusement place she was talking about," I quickly covered.