“What’s this? I like it.”
“Mirror by Sigrid. It’s one of my favorites and it got me through my break-up with Alexander.” He kept his eyes low, not wanting to show too much vulnerability. I understood all too well. I knew what a hard break-up it was.
“Ah, yes,” I said, nodding my head, “Alexander, that half-wit. He fucked with you a lot after the break-up.” He nodded. That was his lastmajorrelationship. It was while we were still in med school, and when Alexander broke up with Eddie, and he’d been completely heartbroken. He almost failed a couple of classes. He had been single and only having ‘casual things’ for the last five or so years.
Until Clint. Things seemed to be getting a bit more into serious waters with those two. They were constantly together. I had fully expected Eddie to be with Clint tonight. Not here.
“This song helped me see that he and I being done was going to happen one way or another, and I was going to be better off without him. He and I weren’t meant to be together. We wanted two very different things out of life. I want a family and to spend holidays with loved ones. He wanted to party and not ‘be tied down’.” He shook his head, going into my closet and pulling out surprise outfit option number four! Holding it up against my towel covered body, he smiled at me through the mirror. He looked like he was about to go all wise on me.
“It never would have worked in the long run. Let me help you finish getting ready. Because, even though I don’t like the man, you do, and you deserve to knock his socks off. That, and he’s going to be here in like ten minutes.”
My eyes bulged, because I thought I had more time! Shit! There had been a serious miscalculation! Rushing to put the finishing touches on my outfit and face, I was still wishing that whoever was in charge of time would slow it down just a minute or two so I could get myself together before he got here.
The ding of my doorbell told me my wish had gone unanswered.
“I’ll get the door. You finish up and make sure you have everything.” Eddie said before walking out of my room to answer the door. I paused for a moment. Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself this was for me. I deserved to look and feel good.
I looked in the mirror, and, true to the lyrics, I loved who I saw looking back at me. Eddie had blow-dried my hair withsome product in it, giving my hair the fuller appearance. My make-up, just a little contouring, cat eye, and clear gloss on my lips made my natural beauty stand out more. It also highlighted what I thought was my best feature, my eyes.
I decided to go with an all white fit. I was wearing wide-leg, high-waisted trousers, an off-the-shoulder sweater, and my black red bottom heels. I looked amazing. I also looked like I should be going somewhere warmer or to a Christmas photoshoot.
I can do this. It’s just dinner with the man who makes me feel something when I haven’t felt shit in almost three months.
I’m not scared.
But I did think I was drooling as soon as I walked down the hall and saw him standing there talking to Eddie.
Sweet baby Jesus! Could he be any more Johnny Cash?
Looking at the man in front of me, as he looked completely unbothered as Eddie glared at him. Could he be bothered to even spare my brother a glance? Nope. Cash was much too busy staring at me, drinking me in like a man who’d just walked through the Sahara and found a fountain to drink from. Everywhere his eyes looked felt like he was physically touching me, caressing my skin, setting me on fire.
I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to keep this friendly when his eyes darkened, checking every inch of me out.
“You look handsome,” I breathed out, feeling slightly like a woman whose corset was too tight and couldn’t breathe after such a thorough eye-fucking. I hoped he was feeling the same after I finished admiring him.
I was trying to rein it in butfuck. The man looked damn good, all the time. His hair was slicked back, but not plastered to his head so a few stray pieces hung down giving him that sexy,bad-boylook from the nineties. He was wearing all black again. Black trousers, shoes, button-down shirt, and sport coat. Even his tie was black!
The man could pull it off. We complimented each other so well tonight.
“You look lovely, June,” he winked at me. I smiled, looking away quickly, trying to hide my blush. It was furiously creeping across my face to my ears, as Eddie looked like he was ready to kill Cash before we even walked out the door.
“Thanks, Johnny. Ready to show a lady a good time, Mr. Cash?” I played along with the joke.
“Yes, Ma’am,” he held his hand out to me. “Eddie took the wildflowers I bought and put them in a vase already.” He said as he tucked my hand safely in his arm, then turning to Eddie, “I’ll have her back by eleven at the latest.”
I smiled, big and wide, up at him. He wasn’t too tall now that I had heels on. We kept our eyes on each other as we walked out of the apartment. He led me to his car out front of the building.
“How’d you get them to let you park here?” I asked as he moved in front of me to open my door.
“The doorman loves me. Very nice man,” he was being cheeky, and flirting. I raised an eyebrow, trying to remind myself we’re going out as friends. Friends. Foundation. He chuckled at my confused look.
“He also happens to like Benjamins. One or two happen to go a long way with him.” He smiled at me, closing the door and rounding the car to get in, on the other side.
Say what now? How was I supposed to tell him I wanted to be friends now?! That’s a lot of money.
Shit.
Fuck it.
