Of course, Rose didn't literally resemble an actual scarecrow. I'd say her gothic taste looked more like the mother from "The Addams Family." Only her bright red lips were vibrantly fuller when she outlined the curves of her lips in black liner. From the way she applied her darker touch of makeup, she enchanted her eyes in glittery black eyeshadow and black liner, as mascara accented her long, curly lashes for a finishing touch. By the end, her cosmetics always highlighted the striking features of her heart-shaped face and sleek, long, flowing black hair.
On the other hand, Sharlene's aura showered in like a dash of colorful sprinkles. Whenever she entered a room, her poised manner and fashionable hot-pink-and-fluorescent-green style always brightened it with extra rays of sunlight. Men were not only drawn to her beauty but also to how she held herself with confidence and pulled off her colorful wardrobe, which kept their interest.
Vampires hardly resisted her flawless glow that glittered in her long, ginger hair and delicate tan skin. Sparkles of gems shone in her eyes against her shade of pink makeup, which traced her diamond-shaped face like a precious jewel. Adding to her gem-like features, her lips only sharpened in that pink shimmery gloss she often wore. Aside from their differences, Rose and Sharlene were undeniably beautiful and best friends at heart, despite their conflicting styles.
"Would you feel comfortable watching Neil while Sharlene and I hunt?" Rose whispered to avoid being overheard by the other moms browsing in the baby department.
I glanced down at baby Neil, lying contentedly in his bassinet stroller. Not making a fuss, Neil was wide awake as he stared up at whatever caught his eye within his limited view.
"Yes, I can handle him," I reassured her, gripping the stroller handle firmly.
"We shouldn't be long," Sharlene chimed in, checking the time on her phone. "In about an hour, we can stop by the food court and grab you some dinner."
"Sounds like a plan." I nodded, liking her idea.
Before Rose left with Sharlene, she added, "If he gets fussy, there's a bottle of milk and a pacifier in the diaper bag."
"I've got it; we'll be fine." I waved them off with a lighthearted gesture.
They giggled as they gradually left the baby department, leaving me alone with the vamp baby.
"No diaper surprises until your mommy gets back," I cooed softly, and Neil babbled back as he flashed me a big, toothless grin.
Sometimes, it felt like he understood me to some extent, but he just couldn't talk yet. Or maybe, I was imagining it.
"One day, I'm sure you'll have plenty to say," I laughed softly, giving him a warm smile before continuing to shop.
Still browsing through the baby girls' clothes, I noticed a tall figure speeding by the aisle.
"Ryder?" I called, catching a quick sideways glimpse of his face as he ducked behind a nearby rack of infant outfits.
His whole body went rigid before he awkwardly reemerged from behind the small rack of the baby girls' clothes.
As his face flushed a reddish shade, Ryder sheepishly confessed, "Yeah, it's me."
"Are you trying to hide from me?" I asked bluntly, squinting as I studied his nervous fidgeting.
For some reason, it seemed like he didn't want to be caught by me.
Flustered, Ryder stammered, "Uhm, no... not at all."
"Are you sure you're not following me?" I raised a curious brow, pressing him further.
"No—I mean, I wasn't!" His voice cracked slightly as he fidgeted and grabbed a random baby outfit off the rack in a panic. "I was... looking for a baby outfit to surprise my mom with."
I blinked, doing my best not to burst out laughing at the outfit he had unknowingly chosen.
"Ryder, that's a dress for an infant girl. Last I checked, your mom had a boy," I reminded him as gently as possible, hoping not to add to his embarrassment.
Ryder blushed even deeper as his eyes widened when he eyed the tiny, silky white and purple lace dress he held up by the hanger. With a nervous chuckle, he scratched the back of his neck and glanced around. Undoubtedly mortified by what he did, his face paled once he finally noticed that the infant boys' clothes were on the complete opposite side of the department store.
"Right... well—I, uh, saw this dress when I overheard you saying you were looking for some purple outfits, and I thought... maybe you'd like this one for your daughter," he stammered, trying to slyly recover himself.
"So, you were spying on me," I teased, gently taking the tiny dress from him as I touched just below the seam with my other hand to examine it closely.
Made from white silk, it was adorned with little purple butterflies, delicate pearls, and white lace that trimmed the edges with an embellished flower pattern.
"Well... maybe... but I swear it wasn't on purpose! I just so... happened to be here, and... I mean..." Ryder faltered, struggling to find the right words as his fingers nervously fidgeted.
With a soft giggle, I hung the dress on the stroller. "Thank you, Ryder. It's lovely. I think it will look beautiful on her. Next time, don't be so shy to say hello. After all, you did save my life, and our Covens are allies," I reassured him, hoping to ease some of the embarrassment off his shoulders.
"Right... I'll remember that," he muttered, still evidently nervous. "I just didn't want to make you uncomfortable, especially after you just saw me at the campus."
"You don't make me uncomfortable," I replied with an easygoing wink and flashed him a gentle smile.
As Ryder now tagged along with me, he nervously inquired, breaking through the silence. "So... have you picked a name for your daughter yet?"
"Not yet," I shared, shuffling through the rack of baby boys' clothes. "Kai and I haven't agreed on anything."
Rather amused, Ryder chuckled, "I guess he's being a bit picky."
"You could say that," I lightly laughed, thinking about my husband's stubborn side. "We each named one of the boys, so we agreed to choose our daughter's name together. If I had known how picky he was going to be, I might've rethought that agreement."
Ryder lightheartedly chuckled. "My mom always laid down the law when it came to naming my siblings and me. She never left it up to my dad."
Half-joking, I mused aloud, "Perhaps I should take that approach. Then again, I was mad at him when I agreed to it at the time, so I might have to manage."
"In the end, I'm sure Kai will agree with whatever name you decide," Ryder warmly declared, beaming at me.
"I'm sure he will," I replied with a soft giggle, smiling back.
Ryder glanced at me briefly before his eyes flickered down to my baby bump, and for a moment, I wondered what was going through his mind as that same sparkle of happiness appeared in his eyes again.
"I should probably grab my mom's gift and head out," he mumbled, looking a little flustered as his eyes met mine again.