Chapter 12
Elise
On Friday night,I put more effort into my appearance than I usually did.
I shaved my legs, my underarms, and between my legs. I put on makeup, actually following a tutorial that I found on the internet to get the perfect wings to my eyeliner and do my eyeshadow just right. I picked out the lingerie that made me feel the sexiest, and even though I had no plans to go home with Bradley or bring him back to my place, the confidence boost was going to be necessary. I put on a dress that I liked a lot, one that was made of a silky material that flared around my legs when I walked, in a soft, dusty pink that made me feel pretty.
I gave myself a spin in the mirror in my bedroom, looking over myself with a critical eye. My hair was done, my face looked better than it ever really had, and I added some heels to the mix, even though I didn't really like them.
The funny part was that I wasn't even doing all of this for Bradley. I didn't know Bradley. I didn't know what he liked in a woman, and a quiet part of me was willing to admit that I wasn't sure if I cared or not.
At this point, I was motivated by spite more than anything.
Logan had talked his nonsense about me making bad decisions and him wanting to make sure I wasn't doing anything stupid, and every time I thought about that, I just got angrier and angrier. He was such a self-righteous dick sometimes. I felt a little bad about what I'd said to him about his fiancé cheating on him, but honestly, he'd deserved it. He acted like he was better than everyone else, like he had never made a mistake, and I couldn't take it sometimes.
So, I was going to go out with Bradley, someone who actually seemed to like me, and I was going to have a good time.
He'd sounded excited when I'd called him and accepted his offer for dinner, and when he suggested his own restaurant as a joke, I'd laughed and countered with an Italian place I liked a lot. Close enough to both my apartment and the main roads that if it was a bad date, it wouldn't be hard to bail. I wasn't that stupid.
Bradley had agreed, and so, by seven that evening, I was sitting in front ofDeliz, the trendy little Italian restaurant I adored.
I walked in, and Bradley was standing by the hostess stand, chatting with the woman behind it. When she saw me, she brightened and started to ask me something, but Bradley turned and saw me before she could get it out.
"Ah, there you are," he said grinning. "Pushing it close, aren't we?"
I frowned. "It's seven exactly. Maybe one after."
"Three after," he corrected, still grinning. "But it's alright! I'm just glad you're here."
Strange, but maybe he was just excited. He was definitely beaming and had the energy of a kid in a candy store, which was...flattering. Kind of.
"Table for two?" the hostess asked, and I nodded.
She led us through the fairly crowded restaurant to a table near the middle. "Is this alright?"
I opened my mouth to say it was perfect, but once again Bradley spoke first. "Do you have anything a bit more... intimate?" he asked. "This is our first date."
He was still beaming, and the hostess looked like she couldn't decide whether he was being cute or annoying. Either way, she smiled and continued back to a booth that was tucked away a bit. "Is this better?" she asked.
This time I cut it. "This is great," I said. "Thank you so much."
She smiled at me. "Your server will be with you soon."
It was odd that someone in the restaurant business would be so weird in a restaurant, but maybe it was just nerves. Maybe he didn't date a lot and wasn't comfortable yet. That would make sense.
He smiled at me as we settled into either side of the booth. "How was your day?" he asked.
"Oh, it was fine. Lots of editing for me to do this weekend on another shoot, but it shouldn't be too bad. I'm just glad business is booming, I guess." I laughed a little.
"That's good. I never had the guts to freelance. It seems too... fickle."
"There's something to that, for sure. It's about getting your name out there more than anything, and you have to be willing to advocate for yourself."
He hummed, drumming his fingers on the table. "So not for the chronically shy, then."
"I guess not."
Silence fell for a bit, and I picked up my menu, trying to decide if I wanted wine or a starter. When I happened to glance up, Bradley was still looking at me.
