“Morning.” Jules sighed in relief as the warmth of the theater enveloped them. “Want to grab a drink after rehearsals tonight?”
Sophie’s eyes were questioning. “Sure.”
It was all Jules could do not to lean in and kiss her right there in the hallway. All day, she found herself impatiently checking the clock. She was practically vibrating from the pent-up energy of a decision made but not yet set into motion.
When it was finally time to leave, they walked to Dragonfly on their way home. Josie served them Broadway Bubbles, giving Jules a discreet wink as she left them alone at their table.
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since you left on Sunday,” Jules told Sophie.
“And?”
“And I’m ready,” she said, exhaling in relief to have finally said it out loud. “I think it’s a conversation to have with my family in person, so I’ll tell them when I go home for Christmas, but unless you want to wait until after then, I was thinking maybe we could go out for a real date on Friday and…see what happens.”
“Yeah,” Sophie said, lips curving as she reached for her glass. “I’d like that.”
* * *
Sophie rummagedthrough the pitiful selection of clothes she kept in the armoire that served as her closet. What should she wear tonight on her date with Jules? They were going to dinner at a restaurant Jules had suggested, a seafood place here in Brooklyn that was supposed to be really nice. Sophie had never eaten there before. Fancy dinners hadn’t been in her budget or on her radar the last few years, but with her paycheck fromIt’s in Her Kiss, she could afford to broaden her horizons. And she was really,reallylooking forward to their date.
Finally, she decided on dressy black pants and a purple top that she’d been told flattered her complexion. She messed with her hair in front of the bathroom mirror, adding some cream to better define her curls. As she touched up her makeup, she realized she was spending a lot more time on her appearance tonight than she had for her date with Kim a few weeks ago, which was ludicrous because she and Jules saw each other almost every day. They’d seen each other barely two hours ago. There was no need to impress.
And yet, she wanted to. She wanted to impress Jules.
What would Jules wear? A dress, probably. Sophie zipped her coat, picked up her purse, and headed for the door. The restaurant wasn’t far, so she opted to walk rather than wait on the subway just to go one stop. She didn’t mind the cold air, and hopefully the exercise would help to settle her before her date. She refused to think about where tonight might lead them, because it might just be dinner. Jules might not be ready for more, and honestly, that might be for the best. Starting a relationship with a costar was risky.
It was also exciting. Thrilling. Sophie had always had a risky streak when it came to relationships, which was probably why she was still single, because they always seemed to blow up in her face.
And Jules wasn’t out yet. That knowledge lingered in Sophie’s periphery, threatening to dampen her excitement about tonight. She was content to date Jules for a few weeks until she’d had the chance to go home and tell her family in person. But what if she didn’t actually go through with it? Brianna had promised Sophie over and over that she’d come out to her family, only to back out at the last minute every single time.
Sophie was going to do her best not to think about it tonight. This was their first date, a fresh start, a time to look forward, not dwell on the past.
She arrived at the restaurant slightly out of breath. In her excitement, she’d speed walked the whole way. So it was probably a good thing that she’d gotten here ahead of Jules, because it would give her a minute to catch her breath. She took off her coat, glancing around the restaurant as she folded it over her arm. It had a nice vibe, with décor in various shades of blue and turquoise, an ode to the sea, perhaps. A Christmas tree to her right was strung with white lights and glossy aquatic ornaments.
The front door opened, and she turned toward it in anticipation, but a couple stepped inside, arm in arm as they headed toward the hostess desk. Sophie reached into her pocket for her phone to make sure she hadn’t missed a text, surprised at the nervous tingle in her stomach. How could she be this eager for a date with a woman she’d already spent all day rehearsing with? It was bizarre and not at all like her.
The only notification on her phone was a text from Kit asking if she wanted to meet for lunch tomorrow. Sophie replied that she wasn’t sure if she’d be around but would check in tomorrow, because…maybe she’d be with Jules.
Speaking of Jules, the front door opened again, and there she was, wearing a navy wrap coat that revealed her bare shins—shehadworn a dress. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold, brown eyes shining as she caught sight of Sophie.
That tingle in Sophie’s stomach zapped her like an electrical shock as Jules smiled at her. They certainly weren’t lacking for sparks. “Hi,” she said, sounding as breathless as she had been when she first walked into the restaurant.
“Hey,” Jules said. “You look amazing.”
“Thanks. So do you.” Sophie closed the space between them, brushing her lips against Jules’s cheek. “Can’t wait to see what you’ve got on underneath that coat.”
“Well, you’re going to have to wait a minute until I’ve thawed out.”
“We’d better get you warmed up, then,” Sophie joked.
Jules led the way to the hostess desk. “Reservation for two under Julia Vega.”
“Absolutely, Ms. Vega. We’ll be ready for you in just a moment.”
Jules nodded, stepping to the side.
Sophie leaned in. “Sometimes I forget your name is Julia.”
“My brothers started calling me Jules when we were kids, and I guess it stuck.”
