color, with thick straps and a tight, heart-shaped bodice. The skirt stops just above my knees, and the material is so soft, I consider using it as a blanket sometimes. I put the dress on the bed and sit down next to it. “Now, these shoes will work. You need more choices, by the way,” she points out.
“Gee, thanks,” I tell her sarcastically. I take my white, lacy flats. She then tosses me a white shawl thing. “This isn’t mine.”
She claps her hands. “Well, duh. It’s Hayley’s. She insisted.” Absently, she adds,” I wonder where she is?” Widening her eyes, she snaps back at me, her eyes wide. “Don’t just sit there! Get dressed!”
Slightly afraid of Jaclyn, I do as she says, and I hurry into the bathroom and change into the dress. Taking a glance in the mirror, I smooth down the skirt and nod to myself. You can do this, Jen. No problem. Or so I hope.
_*_*_*_
The knock comes promptly at six, and I grab my stomach, feeling the nervous flutters. I still can’t believe this is happening. I open the door and smile at Cole. He’s wearing nice, dark jeans and a vest over a white, long sleeve shirt.
He smiles down at me. “Wow, you look great.”
I try hard not to blush but dang it, it happens anyway. “Thanks.” Jaclyn clears her throat, and I roll my eyes before turning to her. “Cole, these are my roommates. Hayley and Jaclyn.”
He shakes Jaclyn’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you both.” Hayley waves instead of shaking his hand, and Cole looks a bit confused but doesn’t say anything. Hayley is fine around other girls, but guys are a different story.
“So, where are you taking our girl?” Jaclyn asks.
He chuckles while sticking his hands in his pockets. “I’m taking her to Marcello’s for dinner.”
I have no idea what that is, but apparently Jaclyn does. She gasps in awe and winks over at me. “That’s an awesome restaurant! You’ll have to tell me how it is, Jen.”
“I will make sure to do that. Well, we should get going, yeah?” I ask Cole, who has been watching on with amusement.
“Yes, we should get going.” He turns to Hayley and Jaclyn. “Ladies, it was nice to meet you.”
Before Jaclyn can ask more questions, I pull Cole out of there. “Sorry about her," I say once we're outside.
He shrugs as he holds open the car door for me. “She was fine. She’s just looking after you.” He closes the door and rounds the car.
“She does that,” I tell him after he gets in the car. “So, Marcello’s? I’ve never been.”
He starts driving, peeking over at me with a smile. “Marcello’s is the best. Great Italian food, you’ll love it.”
“Great. I love Italian.” We ride in silence. For me it’s because I have no idea what to say. It’s become stifling. We aren’t at the library now, and the jokes aren't coming. It’s all I can think about until we reach the restaurant. Just relax. Maybe he’s nervous too and can’t be his usual playful self.
The maître d’ greets us with a fake smile. I’ve got that down to a tee and can spot them anywhere. He brings us over to our table by the window. Cole pulls my chair out for me, and I sit down, murmuring a thank you. “This place is beautiful,” I say to him.
He leans in close, his attention rapt. “It is. Not as beautiful as you are, of course.” He winks.
Pointing at him, I say, “That was cheesy. Stop it.” We both laugh.
We order our food, and that’s when the lull happens again. We’ve talked about his family, growing up, and his high school years. Luckily, I got him to keep talking about himself. Though that’s what I want, I can’t help but feel like it’s one-sided. He doesn’t even try to ask questions about me. Is it because he doesn’t want to pry? This dating stuff is harder than I thought it would be.
“What are you majoring in?” He finally asks something.
I fold my napkin, playing with the edges. “Oh, nursing. It’s been something I’ve always wanted
“Gee, thanks,” I tell her sarcastically. I take my white, lacy flats. She then tosses me a white shawl thing. “This isn’t mine.”
She claps her hands. “Well, duh. It’s Hayley’s. She insisted.” Absently, she adds,” I wonder where she is?” Widening her eyes, she snaps back at me, her eyes wide. “Don’t just sit there! Get dressed!”
Slightly afraid of Jaclyn, I do as she says, and I hurry into the bathroom and change into the dress. Taking a glance in the mirror, I smooth down the skirt and nod to myself. You can do this, Jen. No problem. Or so I hope.
_*_*_*_
The knock comes promptly at six, and I grab my stomach, feeling the nervous flutters. I still can’t believe this is happening. I open the door and smile at Cole. He’s wearing nice, dark jeans and a vest over a white, long sleeve shirt.
He smiles down at me. “Wow, you look great.”
I try hard not to blush but dang it, it happens anyway. “Thanks.” Jaclyn clears her throat, and I roll my eyes before turning to her. “Cole, these are my roommates. Hayley and Jaclyn.”
He shakes Jaclyn’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you both.” Hayley waves instead of shaking his hand, and Cole looks a bit confused but doesn’t say anything. Hayley is fine around other girls, but guys are a different story.
“So, where are you taking our girl?” Jaclyn asks.
He chuckles while sticking his hands in his pockets. “I’m taking her to Marcello’s for dinner.”
I have no idea what that is, but apparently Jaclyn does. She gasps in awe and winks over at me. “That’s an awesome restaurant! You’ll have to tell me how it is, Jen.”
“I will make sure to do that. Well, we should get going, yeah?” I ask Cole, who has been watching on with amusement.
“Yes, we should get going.” He turns to Hayley and Jaclyn. “Ladies, it was nice to meet you.”
Before Jaclyn can ask more questions, I pull Cole out of there. “Sorry about her," I say once we're outside.
He shrugs as he holds open the car door for me. “She was fine. She’s just looking after you.” He closes the door and rounds the car.
“She does that,” I tell him after he gets in the car. “So, Marcello’s? I’ve never been.”
He starts driving, peeking over at me with a smile. “Marcello’s is the best. Great Italian food, you’ll love it.”
“Great. I love Italian.” We ride in silence. For me it’s because I have no idea what to say. It’s become stifling. We aren’t at the library now, and the jokes aren't coming. It’s all I can think about until we reach the restaurant. Just relax. Maybe he’s nervous too and can’t be his usual playful self.
The maître d’ greets us with a fake smile. I’ve got that down to a tee and can spot them anywhere. He brings us over to our table by the window. Cole pulls my chair out for me, and I sit down, murmuring a thank you. “This place is beautiful,” I say to him.
He leans in close, his attention rapt. “It is. Not as beautiful as you are, of course.” He winks.
Pointing at him, I say, “That was cheesy. Stop it.” We both laugh.
We order our food, and that’s when the lull happens again. We’ve talked about his family, growing up, and his high school years. Luckily, I got him to keep talking about himself. Though that’s what I want, I can’t help but feel like it’s one-sided. He doesn’t even try to ask questions about me. Is it because he doesn’t want to pry? This dating stuff is harder than I thought it would be.
“What are you majoring in?” He finally asks something.
I fold my napkin, playing with the edges. “Oh, nursing. It’s been something I’ve always wanted
Similar Books
