“She asked me out after the interview we did last night. I think that one really got to both of us.”
“Why?”
“Two friends. They knew each other for a long time before they finally admitted how they felt, and they’ve been together for a while now. I know it got tome. I was thinking about Harlow and me the whole time, and after they left, she just asked me out.”
“That’s it?” Aggie asked. “Nothing else? No declaration of undying love?”
“We were talking about Janine because of… reasons, but I told her that I didn’t want to date Janine. Harlow asked if I wanted to dateher, and I said yes. We’re going on our first date tonight. She should be on her way home from work, but we’re not supposed to see each other.”
“What?”
“She said she wanted to pick me up, but she lives with me right now, and I didn’t want to wait until she moved out to have our date. When we were leaving the office space, I suggested that since we were driving separately, she could get home before me, and we could try not to see each other until the date. It would’vebeen like that if she weren’t staying here, anyway, so when she gets home from work, she’ll just go to her room to get dressed. She wants to go outside and ring the doorbell like she just got here and is picking me up.”
“Oh, my God. That’s so cute,” Aggie said. “Nathan, get that out of your nose!”
Larissa stood still, waiting to hear her sister give her an update on the toddler-with-something-up-his-nose situation.
“He put one of Junior’s crayons up his nose. Why do kids do that?”
“Didn’t mom tell me you swallowed a penny when you were four?”
“I wanted to know what it tasted like.”
“You could’ve just licked it. Either way, still gross, and he clearly gets this behavior from you.”
“I was four,” Aggie argued.
“And he’s two. Anyway, I need help.”
“Yes, a lot of it. But what about, specifically?”
Larissa rolled her eyes and said, “Clothes.”
“Oh, you’re picking out your date stuff. That’s why you sound like you’re in a tunnel,” Aggie said.
“You’re on speaker.”
“FaceTime me,” Aggie told her. “Show me what we’re working with here.”
Seconds later, Larissa had her sister’s face on the screen and had her phone aimed down at the outfits she’d chosen.
“One, you’re not a nun. Lose the turtleneck and blazer combo. God, Larissa. You’re not defending your dissertation in a room with a bunch of stuffy doctors.”
“It was supposed to make me look elegant.”
“It wouldn’t,” Aggie replied. “The second one is fine. Jeans say casual, but skinny jeans with some nice heels or decent flats elevate it to casual-dressy. The top is fine, but do you haveto wear a button-down tonight? What about a nice sweater or something?”
“I mostly have hoodies. I’ve got a few sweaters in the closet. One might work.”
“Find a good one. And do your hair, Larissa. Don’t just toss it back into its usual working-from-home ponytail. Show the girl that you really care about tonight.”
“Idocare about tonight.”
“Good. Show her that by doing your hair.”
“If I don’t get started on it now, it won’t be done by the time she gets here.”
“I’ll let you go, then. Good luck tonight.”
