Last of the Summer Tomatoes by Sherrie Henry Read Free Book Online Page B

decent stuff. Maybe we all can head to the city one night for an actual mall experience.”
    “I’m sure it’s fine.” Kyle got out of the car, blinking against the bright sunshine. A row of cowboy boots and mannequins with jeans filled the store’s window.
    “Not a huge selection, but if we’re only here for jeans and such, they should have it.” Glenda held the door open for him, and they escaped the early summer humidity.
    The store smelled of leather. It seemed to hold more boots than anything else. Kyle picked up a fancier pair.
    “You probably don’t want those. They’re more for show than anything else.” Glenda picked up a more practical pair. “These will work. What’s your size?”
    “Do boots have the same sizes as sneakers?”
    “Yep, pretty much.”
    “Twelve, then.”
    Glenda rummaged around and found the right size. “Here, try these on, make sure they’re okay.”
    Kyle plopped down and kicked off his shoes. After pulling the boots on, he stood up.
    “So, how do they feel?”
    “A little tight, but okay I guess.”
    “Not okay. Let’s go a half-size bigger. Believe me, you don’t want to get a blister.” Glenda found the size, and he put them on. “Now, how about these?”
    “Better.”
    Glenda kneeled down and felt the sides of his shoes, then pressed down on the toe. “Doesn’t seem to be tight. Walk up and down the store in them.” Kyle did so. “You feel any rubbing on the inside?”
    “Nope, seems to be okay.”
    “Good, we’ll get these.”
    Kyle sat back down, putting the new boots back in the box. He noticed the price and nearly dropped them. He tapped Glenda’s arm. “Um, I think these are a bit much. Should we try something cheaper?”
    Glenda looked at the price. “No, these look about right.” She sat down next to him. “I don’t want you to worry about the cost of anything, okay?”
    “But I’m supposed to be working off my—” He lowered his voice. “—my sentence. Not costing you money.”
    “And you’ll be doing no work if you don’t have the right clothes. This is an investment in our farm and its success. If you’re constantly cold or have wet feet, you won’t be doing a good job and everything suffers. So, this is just as much for us as for you. Now, go pick out some jeans.”
    Kyle walked the aisles, picking a couple of nondescript jeans and three shirts. Glenda dropped a package of socks into his arms, then pointed him to the underwear.
    “Boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs, whatever, just grab your size. I’ll meet you by the front register.” Glenda went off to the back of the store while Kyle found some underwear to his liking. He got to the front register and found Glenda there with a leather jacket and a leather and silver hair tie.
    “Here, try this jacket on.” She held it up.
    “I have a jacket.”
    “That flimsy thing you’re wearing? Isn’t going to cut it if you go out riding in the evening.”
    “I don’t know how to ride.”
    “Well, something else for you to learn. Now, put this on.” Kyle hesitated, and Glenda gave him a stern look. “Now.”
    He shrugged the jacket on; it fit perfectly, fit like it was meant for him. He felt quite odd wearing something so expensive. He took it off and handed it back to Glenda. “It fits, but really, maybe I could just get another hoodie or something.”
    “When’s your birthday?”
    “Huh?”
    “When’s your birthday?”
    “August eighteenth.”
    “Ah, your golden birthday. So, happy birthday.”
    “Golden birthday?”
    “When you’re as old as the date of your birthday. You’ve never heard of it?” Glenda motioned for the clerk to start ringing up the items.
    “No.”
    “Well, it’s special. So it deserves a special present.”
    “But I—”
    “Did your mother teach you to accept gifts graciously?”
    Kyle dropped his shoulders and looked down. “Yes.”
    “So accept this gift graciously.”
    Kyle nodded, a growing feeling of uneasiness in his stomach. When all