Christmas Peace by Violet Howe

Author:Violet Howe [Howe, Violet]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781732726925
Publisher: Charbar Productions

Chapter 9

Edwin assured them they could take their time since he had a few errands to run, so Robert and Maddie enjoyed lunch at an outdoor cafe, and then they wandered in and out of the small shops that lined the narrow main street of the village, searching for a swimsuit. Only one store carried them, and the selection was limited to one rack.

“Do they not wear one-piece suits in Costa Rica?” Maddie grumbled as she flipped hanger after hanger of string bikinis. “Undoubtedly, I can’t be the only middle-aged woman who’s ever shopped here.”

“What about this one?” Robert asked, holding up a black and pink leopard print one-piece suit.

“Ew.” Maddie wrinkled her nose in disdain, but she took the hanger from Robert since it seemed it might be the only one-piece in the entire village. “I don’t suppose Amazon delivers same-day or overnight to the rainforest, eh?’

When the rest of the rack offered no better options than the suit Robert had found, she reluctantly took it in the dressing room to try it on. The bosom had no padding or lining, and certainly no lift. A white plastic gemstone almost as big as her fist sat right in the center of her cleavage, and there were three diagonal cut-outs on either side, showcasing what might be abs or ribs on a skinnier model. The back was entirely open, and the coverage in the rump area could best be described as cheeky.

“How does it fit?” Robert called through the dressing room curtain.

“It’s hideous,” she whispered, hoping the store clerk wouldn’t hear her. “I look like Leopard Print Barbie, if Barbie’s breasts had lost their perkiness and her tummy had a permanent little pouch. There is not a stitch of supportive Lycra anywhere in this thing.”

“Let me see.”

She pulled the curtain back a couple of inches so he could peek, jerking it closed the moment he chuckled.

“I still can’t believe you laughed,” she said when they exited the store, stuffing the suit and the receipt inside her backpack.

“Again, I was laughing at the disgusted expression on your face, I swear. The suit is fine, and you look incredible in it.”

“Please don’t lie to try and make me feel better.

He laughed again, covering his mouth in hopes it wouldn’t be so obvious. “It’s really not as bad as you think. Granted, it’s not something you might normally choose to wear, but it’s not like you’re going to run into anyone you know.”

“You’re not helping.” She shoved her sunglasses on and exhaled with a loud sigh.

He laughed again, not even bothering to hide it. “Here we have it, ladies and gentlemen—the downfall of Madeline Kirby as a fashion icon. An impeccable reputation carefully curated over a lifetime, gone. Poof! Down the drain in pink and black leopard print.”

“Tread carefully, my dear,” she warned, sliding her sunglasses down the bridge of her nose with an exaggerated glare. “I might untuck your side of the mosquito net while you’re sleeping and let the scorpions in.”

“No, you won’t.

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