Su-Ann was shopping with her mother Maree and was surprised to see her looking in a shop window at a sexy little light blue dress with black accessories.
She Asked, 'What's on your mind Mum? Are you planning a dirty weekend away with Anthony or a party or something? A little dress like that one looks like you're planning some fun.'
'You're nearly right. I want to wear something like that out with the girls when we go out partying Friday night. Do you like the dress Su-Ann?' Maree asked.
'It's definitely your colour and it will attract plenty of attention if that's what you want,' her daughter responded. 'Will you get a bag and shoes to match?'
'I'll check at home to see if anything I have goes with it first.'
Su-Ann thought Anthony, her mother's boyfriend, was a dish and had engaged with a bit of flirting without intent with him. She thought he would like to see her mother in that outfit, but she was sworn to secrecy. Maree would probably cook up some occasion to surprise him with that dress.
Su-Ann's parents had split when she had left school about 4 years previously and her relationship with her mother suffered for a while, but they had become more accepting of one another when she moved out of the house and began living with a group of people her own age. In fact, without the pressures of living together, mother and daughter had become a lot closer and acted more like friends than family.
She knew her mother would be busy preparing her house for the engagement party the next day, so she decided to keep out of her way. She had just moved into a new house, and planned do re-arrange her furniture in the morning after buying her food for the next week.
As she was returning to her car at 10.30 that Saturday, she heard a man's voice call her name, 'Hi Su-Ann? Watcha doing?'
She turned and saw Anthony as he was coming out of the hardware and walking back to his car in the shoppers' car park, wheeling a shopping trolley filled with an assortment of tools and painting supplies. She was often surprised at how young he looked, and wearing his white painter's overalls over a dark red T-shirt did nothing to hide his physicality.
'Oh hi Anthony. You look like a man on a mission. Are you decorating something?'
'Not right away, but I'll be ready when I decide to get started, one of these years,' he replied with a grin. 'What are you up to today Su-Ann?
'Trying to move some furniture out that was left behind by the last tenant, and re-arrange the some rooms. Know a big strong man who could help me with the heavy stuff?'
'After I've had lunch with your mother, I could take some stuff away to the charity re-cycling depot if that helps,' he offered.
'I'd appreciate that. Thank you Anthony. I'll see you later,' she said with a smile.
She walked back to her car carrying her shopping and without knowing it she had a little more wiggle in her walk and he was watching her.
At home that morning, she cleared everything out of the path where furniture would need to be moved so she would not keep her mother's partner occupied for longer than necessary. The temperature climbed during that spring morning and Su-Ann changed into a pair of little green shorts that showed a generous amount of her legs and a sleeveless top that showed a generous amount of her cleavage.
Early that afternoon Anthony drove up to her place in his pick-up with a furniture trolley in the back and parked her driveway. He wore the same T-shirt he had on when she saw him earlier, but was wearing denim shorts to his knees, and work boots.
'Hi Anthony. Twice in one day. We'll have to keep meeting like this,' she said with half a smile on her face.
'Where do we start?' he asked as he was rolling the furniture trolley off the back of his pick-up.
'In the bedroom,' she answered. 'There's a wardrobe and a pair of bedside cupboards to get rid of and a dresser with a detachable mirror. It belongs to the past. If you can use any of it, it's yours.'
He quickly loaded the unwanted furniture leaving the small wardrobe on the front veranda. He tied everything securely and protected the mirror with a blanket before securing it.
'What about the wardrobe?' Su-Ann asked.
'I'll come back for that in a while. It will be perfect for a tool cabinet in the shed, once I put a few shelves into it.'
Do you mind helping me to re-arrange some furniture while you're here Anthony? It will make a huge difference to me.'
'Easy. What can I do?'
For the next forty minutes, they re-arranged beds, a piano and several other pieces around from room to room and from place to place within rooms.
When Su-Ann was satisfied, she said 'All done. Thanks Anthony. You've saved me a whole week of work.'