She has this way of looking at a person that’s both accusatory and encouraging.
“I’m taking Halle on a date.”
Beside me, Cynthia lets out a cry of joy and claps. “I knew it! I told you, love, didn’t I?”
Thelma grumbles, pointing her dripping paintbrush at me. “You couldn’t have held out a little longer? Now I’m down five bucks.”
Fighting a smile, I look from her to her wife. “You two were betting on Halle and me?”
Cynthia hums, eyes dancing. “We wagered on how long it would take you to ask her out. I had faith in you.” She squeezes my shoulder. “Thelma swore it would take you until the new year at least.”
Thelma scoffs. “She’s sugarcoating it for you to spare your feelings.”
Frowning, I lean forward, elbows on what I hope is a paint-free spot of the table. “What was your prediction, then?”
Thelma’s grin is downright evil. This woman is a menace. “I bet that it’d take you at least six monthsto work up the nerve.”
Head tossed back, I laugh. “Well, that’s mean. Glad I could surprise you, though.”
“You really like her then?” Cynthia asks, one brow quirked.
Just the thought of Halle makes me smile. “Yes. A lot.”
“Good. That teacher you dated was too mealy-mouthed for you. You need a girl with fire, and that Halle girl has got it.”
“Fire, huh?” I bite back a grin.
“Reminds me of myself, if I’m being honest,” Thelma muses. “You know what that means?”
“Yeah,” I sigh.
It means I’m in for a world of trouble.
CHAPTER 16
HALLE
“You bought a dress for me?” I hold up the maroon-colored garment and turn, zeroing in on Caleb. “Where on earth are you taking me?”
When we agreed to give this a shot, I never imagined he would take me out quite so soon or that it would require me to dress up. The dress isn’t the fanciest thing I’ve ever seen, but it is certainly nicer than anything I’ve ever owned.
Eyes twinkling, he takes a step closer. “I’ll tell you when we’re in the car.”
Annoyance mixed with what might be excitement courses through me. “Why?Am I going to hate it?”
With a frown, he backs toward the door. “I hope not.” He gives the doorframe a knock and steps into the hall. “I have to get ready too. Meet you downstairs in an hour?”
Nodding, I lay the dress out on the bed gently. There’s no point in pressing him for more information. I’m learning that Caleb is incredibly stubborn when he wants to be.
I don’t own much makeup, but I use what I’ve got, and when I’m done, I feel a little stronger. It’s not that Ineedmakeup, but in situations like this, it can be a confidence booster. And I can’t deny I could use a little of that. I use my old curling iron, a hand-me-down from my mother, to set my hair in loose waves. It took far too long to understand that my curls were always tighter than I wanted because I was supposed to comb through them a bit to soften them. That’s probably something most girls learn from their mothers. Not me.
I slip into the dress, surprised when it covers more skin than I expected. It shows off a bit of cleavage, but that’s about it. The sleeves are short with a slight flutter, and it cinches in at the middle before flaring out and stopping just past my knees.
As I assess myself in the mirror, I can’t help but wonder what Caleb was thinking when he picked it. And it’s hard to imagine any man picking out a dress this simplistic yet flattering for a woman.
My single pair of black heels should work fine with this. They’re a little scuffed, but it’s not too obvious, so unless people stare at my feet, they shouldn’t notice.
I give myself a final once-overin the mirror, fluffing my hair, then sling my purse over my shoulder. Only a little wobbly on my feet—mostly from nerves, not the heels—I pull the door open. When the two figures on the other side register, I let out a small yelp.
