“But is it too slutty?” I asked while running the flat iron over the top portion of my hair to battle the frizzies. I was losing—my hair was notcooperating.
“Totally slutty, but subtle enough.” Jessica was sitting on my floor, painting her toenails. “You don’t have to take it out of your purse, but have it just in case you want touseit.”
“I’m really starting to get nervous.” My hair was not doing what I wanted it to, my makeup was still not perfect, I had no idea what I was going to wear, and the car was going to be at my place before Iknewit.
“You’re going to have the best time.” Karla topped off my wine glass before filling hers with the bottom of thebottle.
“Just think about it—how perfect would it be if you guys got married?” Myla was probably already starting a Crosby-Bates wedding Pinterestboard.
“This is date one, My. Let me get through dating him before you start planning ournuptials.”
She threw her phone down on the bed, huffing. “Fine. I’m just so damnexcited.”
“Where is he taking you?” Karlaasked.
“The Gramercy Tavern. I’m so excited totryit.”
“So fancy,” Jess remarked before blowing on her wetnails.
“What are you going to wear?” Mylaasked.
I shrugged. “Will said to wear a dress andheels.”
“Little black dress with heels—you can’t go wrong with that,” Karlaadvised.
I dove into my closet to find a little black number to wear. Finally, I found the dress I had in mind. I slipped it on and grabbed my leopard-print pumps. Walking out of the closet, I modeled my outfit for mygirls.
“So, what do youthink?”
They all startedclapping.
“It’s perfect!” Myla was so adorable bouncing on my bed with her littlebabybump.
“Are you sure? I really want everything to beperfect.”
Jessica got up, checking out my necklaces where they hung on the rack. “You’re stunning, he’s crazy about you, and there is nothing for you to be worriedabout.”
* * *
“Ican’t believewe are finally doing this.” Crosby took my hand, leading me into the busyrestaurant.
“It’s been a long time coming.” Ten years in the making and we were finally there, about to have a realfirstdate.
“Good evening,” the hostgreetedus.
Will gave the guy his name and we were escorted to our table, a dimly lit booth in the back.Perfect.
I was a ball of nerves. I couldn’t believe that after all this time, we were finally sitting across from each other in a horseshoe-shaped booth sipping on whiskey gingers. It wasn’t that we hadn’t ever been out together before—we had—and it wasn’t that we couldn’t have amazing conversation—we did. It was all the pent-up frustration and chemistry that we had been forced to stifle for too long; it was all coming to a head, and I was about to burst from attraction andeagerness.
“You look incredible, Jordan.” Crosby’s fingers rolled over my forearm, sending goose bumps over myentirebody.
“Myla and the girls helped me get ready—I don’tgirlveryoften.”
Crosby sneered at me. “Myla can be a fuckinggobermouche.”
“Wait, excuse me—did you just use that word? Likeno oneknows what that word evenmeans.”
He pulled me closer to his side so we were almost touching. “I have word of the day emails, babe. I’m not just a dumb jock that protects the net. I actually read quiteabit.”