“Don’t be too much of a pain tonight and go to bed when they tell you to.”
“I will,” Archer said, running out of the room.
“We’re just taking him to dinner and then will watch a movie tonight.”
“Does he know you’re going to dinner? He asked if he could go with me and Jayce.”
“No. I’m going to get your mother and then we’ll let him pick the place. We’ll see you tomorrow around noon?”
“I’ll be here.”
Her father nodded and left, and she returned to her closet to figure out her attire.
There wasn’t much in there other than scrubs, jeans, shorts, leggings and cotton shirts.
That was the basis of her wardrobe.
Long gone were sexy skirts and dresses. At least the ones she’d had when she was married. They all got donated along with anything that was a reminder of the man who cheated on her.
She was pushing hangers aside and found three summer maxi dresses. Nothing really sexy, but they’d be different.
She lifted her favorite dress from the hanger. She’d worn it once to a coworker’s outdoor wedding last year and worried at first she’d be underdressed, only to realize she was more polished than most. The top was white, scattered with tiny blue flowers, sleeveless and fitted to her body, before giving way to a light blue skirt that fell in soft ruffled layers.
With her nude heeled sandals, it might be the right mix of fun and flirty. It’d definitely give Jayce something more to look at.
If it was too much, she’d just change into one of her other floral dresses, or put some flats on. She had plenty of them. Tucker didn’t like her heels being too high, bringing her closer to his height.
With her dress in her hand and a change of undergarments, she walked to the bathroom, showered quickly, put her hair back in a sleek ponytail, and applied minimal makeup. Just a touch more than her daily routine, then grabbed her shoes and sat on the bed to strap them on.
Five minutes later, the doorbell went off, the click of her heels on the hardwood floor the only sound until she opened the door to Jayce’s wide eyes and the air gushing out of his lips.
“Shit. You slay me.”
“Don’t be silly,” she said. “Come in.”
He reached his hand out, his arm snaking around her hips, his mouth crushing hers. “I’ve been dying to do this for days and then you greet me looking like that.”
She laughed against his lips, then leaned back. “I take it you like it?”
“Yeah. Damn.”
“It’s not too much? I’m not sure what to wear, just thought it’d be better than jeans or shorts.”
“It’s great. I’m going to be the envy of everyone there.”
“That would be me,” she said. Jayce had a white button-down shirt, undone at the top buttons, the sleeves rolled up and casual, tucked into tan, slim fit cotton pants that were rolled at the ankles with white sneakers on his feet. “You got a littleGQgoing on here. Now I’m scared. Bet you’re used to dressing like this at your old job.”
“Most times,” he said. “Guys can get away with sneakers with just about anything.” His eyes dropped. “And those, those are some seriously smoking pumps.”
“Hopefully, I don’t embarrass myself and kiss the floor in them. Sneakers or clogs are more my style.”
“You look good in anything,” His lips grazed her ear. “But better with nothing at all.”
Her hand ran down his arm. “I was thinking the same and looking forward to later. You’re staying, right?”
“I am,” he said. “Are you ready?”
She grabbed her small purse that she’d use for the night. She was so used to carrying something bigger, having a kid, but tonight was about her. Her and Jayce.
