‘I wasn’t going to.’
22
JACK
She looked incredible. Seriously. The dress clung to her in all the right places, revealing her long, toned legs, arms and shoulders. Her hair was loose and side parted, old-Hollywood style. I couldn’t believe I was lucky enough to be the guy taking her out. She seemed way out of my league. It was hard to keep my eyes off her, and I couldn’t help sneaking little sideways glances as we drove in my truck to town. I didn’t think she’d noticed.
‘Can you please keep your eyes on the road,’ she said, with a smile tugging at her lips.
‘Sorry. It’s just, you look incredible.’
‘You already said that.’
‘No, I said you looked beautiful.’
‘Same thing.’
‘Oh, here we go with the synonym conversation again.’
‘Eyes on the road.’
‘I’m just saying, you look incredible.Incrediblyincredible. Magnificent. In fact, all the adjectives, all the good ones. That’s how you look.’
‘You’re very kind.’
‘I’m not being kind, I’m just stating the truth. That dress is…’
‘My mother’s.’
I stared at her. ‘You’re kidding. It is?’
‘Eyes on the road, please, and yes, it is. I found it in her wardrobe.’
‘Whoa,’ I mused. ‘Go, Moira.’
She pulled a face. ‘Can we not? I really don’t want to imagine her wearing this.’
‘Ican’timagine her wearing it. It fits you like it was made for you.’
‘You don’t look so bad yourself,’ she said.
‘Thanks.’ I was wearing a long-sleeved light-blue shirt. Top buttons undone, sleeves slightly rolled up, and a pair of black dress pants. I was glad I’d gone with the pants instead of jeans, considering how much effort she had gone to.
I parked outside the restaurant. She moved to open her door.
‘Wait,’ I said loudly. ‘I want to do this properly.’
I hurried around to her side of my truck and opened her door with a flourish.
‘I thought this wasn’t a date,’ she said, carefully dismounting, swinging her long legs around together and placing her heeled feet on the pavement.
‘It’s not,’ I said. ‘Just two people who happen to be dressed up nice, going out for a meal.’
Inside, I guided her towards the back corner of the restaurant with my hand in the small of her back, towards the table I’d called ahead and had Fiona set up just for us. She’d outdone herself, with flowers in a vase and fairy lights stuffed inside a jar to create a romantic ambience. Taylor’s eyebrows arched when she saw it.
‘Still not a date?’ she asked.
‘Still not a date,’ I confirmed, pulling out her chair.
