The dress was ready for the date. But, was I?
Christine: What if it’s terrible?
Trish: The outfit or the date?
Christine: Both.
A series of dots appeared as I waited for her response. Then, a message appeared that made me laugh in a way only Trish could. She was taking my worries step by step. Just like her.
Trish: Let’s start with the outfit. We can tackle world issues next.
Time to say fuck it to nerves.
This was it. No more second-guessing.
Just do.
I slid on the dress and headed for the inner sanctum – my shoe shelves.
After digging through piles of tennis shoes and reasonable heels for work, I fished out a pair of stilettos. Then I paused when I spotted a pair of basic black pumps. Should I go with something more sensible?
Nope, this wasn’t a night for business meetings.
This was a night for possibility.
Stilettos for the win.
Red. High. Daring.
After all, maybe the shoes would deactivate the nerves.
It could happen. Shoes had been known to possess superpowers.
I snapped a selfie in the mirror and sent it off to Trish. Almost immediately, several enthusiastic fire emojis landed on my screen.
Trish: Daniel’s dead. He won’t be able to handle how hot you are!
Christine: Have I told you that I’m keeping you forever as a friend?
Trish: I know you are.
Turning, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I had to admit, the dress did look great on me. Even before I’d had Carson, I’d always had a good ass. Lucky that way, I suppose. Tonight, my booty was emphasized in a way that even upstaged my magical yoga leggings.
I imagined Daniel seeing me in this dress. Where would his eyes go first? Would he be one of those guys who didn’t even bother to look at your face? Who surveyed your assets?
And more to the point, where would my eyes travel on him?
I’d seen Daniel before on the occasional limo ride with Trish, and I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t noticed the sharpness of his jawline and the way his green eyes danced in the rearview mirror when he looked back at me.
Was that why I’d given in to Trish? No, it was more.
Trish had a special talent for people. An eye for connection.
I hoped, against all odds, she might be right about Daniel and me.
I looked in the mirror again. I swiped on a red lipstick I hadn’t put on in ages. It had never felt right for the boardroom. Too much, they would have said. Even for my line of work.
But tonight?
It seemed perfect for possibility.
Jake and Carson were already settled on the couch with a pair of controllers. They didn’t hear me come into the living room, so I stood at the edge and watched as Carson waved at the screen.
“Just hit the square and R1!” Carson said, bouncing up and down. “That’ll make him do a low cross. See? Watch me.”
In a flash, Carson made his soccer player on the screen kick the ball across and into the goal. Next to him, Jake stared open-mouthed. In real life, I bet Jake could’ve mastered that low cross kick.
But here?
Carson was king.
And he was loving it.
“You’re not clicking fast enough,” Carson explained.
“Maybe you’re right and thirty really is too old,” Jake said, laughing and ruffling Carson’s hair with his free hand.
Carson grinned. “It’s okay. I can teach you. Remember? I’m the master.”
Behind them, I cleared my throat so that they both turned around.
“Well look at you,” Jake said. “You look great, sis.”
I bit my lip. “It’s not too much?”
“No way!” Carson said, jumping off the couch. “Mom, you look pretty. Well, for a mom.”
I laughed, and that was helpful, because I refused to cry in front of him, even though his comment, caveat and all, already had me tearing up. I held out my arms so he could run over and hug me.
“Thank you,” I said as we let go.
Carson gave me one last grin before he rushed back to the couch and grabbed the controller again. My brother came over, glancing at him before looking at me.
“So,” he said, sounding pleased. “You’re finally taking that ‘me time’ you so generously encouraged me to take.”
I laughed. “Your ‘me time’ didn’t really last. Pretty sure it’s turned into you-and-Kate time.”
Jake grinned. “Can’t say I regret that in the least. And who’s to say that won’t happen with you and Daniel?”
I couldn’t help it. I smiled. Then, Carson let out a whoop from the couch, and my heart flipped just a little.
“Are you sure he’s okay with this?” I asked, in a whisper, nerves kicking back up.
Jake’s expression softened. “Christine,” he said, squeezing my arm. “You saw him just now. He wants you to be happy.”
I took in a deep breath. He was right. And I hated that he was. Who gave my little brother permission to be the smart one?
“Besides,” Jake said, nudging me in the shoulder. “If I get to—what was it you said?—sparkle, then so should you.”
I pinched his cheek. “And you are very sparkly.”
In my pocket, my phone buzzed. Daniel. I’d asked him to text me when he was outside. I wasn’t ready for him to knock and meet Jake and Carson.
Not yet, anyway.
For now, I was doing this on my terms, just like everything else in my life.
“He’s here,” I said to Jake. “Now go back and be a good babysitter. And don’t let him play video games all night.”
My brother winked before returning to Carson and the low cross.
Leaving me to slip out the door.
Leaving me to my new chance in the city of opportunity.
For the briefest moment before I opened the door, I panicked and wondered if Daniel would have come on his motorcycle. I had no idea how I was supposed to ride a motorcycle in a tight dress.
But when I glanced down the driveway, I saw something better. A limo, long and sleek. He stood in front of it, a tailored suit jacket skimming his thick arms and broad shoulders. His dark hair was just the right amount of messy.
Even without the motorcycle, he’d arrived looking both put together and a little wild.
The thought made me imagine sitting behind him, my arms wrapped around him.
His muscles moving under my hands as I held on.
The wind zipping past us as we roared down the Vegas Strip.
I shook off the thought.
No motorcycle for tonight. And in my stilettos, that was probably for the best.
“I trust you’re Christine?” Daniel asked as I approached, holding out his hand. A polite gentleman. I guessed he would have to be to be good enough to work for Trish.
“You trust correctly.”
“Then this is already the best blind date I’ve ever been on,” he said, and I couldn’t help but smile.
He brought my hand to his lips, brushing a kiss against my knuckles as he met my gaze with his. Something dangerous and exciting glinted in his eyes.