I balance my phone facedown on my thigh and nod. "He asked me to get dinner tonight. Will you be okay on your own?"
I don’t want to leave her, especially after she threw up on the hike.
She gives me a withering look. "Autumn, I'm a grown adult. Of course, I'll be okay having dinner on my own."
"I just wanted to make sure. Because I can cancel. It's just a dinner between friends. No big deal." My hands lift in the air as if I'm pleading my case.
"Go to dinner. Have fun. Forget about your problems."
My problems.Damn. Why did she have to remind me? Jobless, hanging with my ex and watching my mom get sicker by the day.
"If that's what you want…" I tell her.
She laughs. "It's an order."
When we get home, she goes to her room to lie down. I go into the bathroom, turning on the shower and waiting for the water to warm. As I wait, I lean against the bathroom counter and think about what I should do about tonight.
I can't figure out if it's a good idea to let this happen. A friendship with Owen feels inevitable, but is it agood idea? Maybe not. Will it stop me from going?Nope.
I climb under the hot spray of water, but I don't have all the time in the world to let the water wash away my nerves. A drink wherever we're going should do the trick.
After stepping out of the shower, I towel off, then start on my hair. It takes forever to dry because it's too long, and I make a mental note to get a trim. Moving on to curling it, I blend it into loose waves. I move on to my room, where my makeup bag lies on the dresser. Some women love makeup. I am not one of them; however, I do see the merit in a good pressed powder and swipe of mascara. Since I'm going to dinner, I add a dab of cream blush to my cheeks and a little eyeshadow and eyeliner.
Tonight is about two people who are hungry deciding to break bread together. Nothing more. But, just to be safe, I select a romper from the closet and pull it on, hoping it will function as a modern-day chastity belt. I'm not sure one can ever really prepare for something as unexpected as what happened the other night at Owen's dad's house, but at least this way I feel I've taken some measure of precaution in case things get out of hand again.
Or,inhand, I suppose.
My little joke makes me chuckle. Standing in front of the dresser mirror, dabbing some Chapstick over my lips, I slide a couple gold bracelets onto my wrist.
"Autumn," my mom calls from somewhere beyond my door.
I grab my purse from my bed and thread my arm through it, then leave the room.
Owen stands in the foyer, making small talk with my mom, and nerves claw at my gut. He looks up when I walk in and I watch him take me in, his Adam's apple bobbing when he clears his throat. I take him in too. He’s wearing dark-wash jeans and a tight powder-blue polo that shows off his tattoos. He looks absolutely yummy.For a friend…
"All set?" he asks, eyebrows raised.
I point down at my bare feet. "Just need shoes."
I walk to the sandals I dropped by the front door when we came in from our hike. But to get there, I have to walk by Owen. He smells like manly body wash, virility, and desire.
Pushing the scent out of my nostrils with a quiet huff, I slip my feet into my sandals. "Ready," I sing, turning around and holding my hands out to the side.
Mom smiles. "Have fun, you two."
I lean in, brushing a kiss on my mom's cheek. "What are you having for dinner?" I feel bad making her eat alone. I'm here now. She shouldn't have to eat by herself.
"Spray cheese and ultra-processed crackers."
Owen explodes with laughter, shaking his head as he tries to catch his breath, and I scowl at the both of them.
"If that's true, you'd better eat it all in one sitting, because when I get home I'm going to search high and low for that contraband."
Mom laughs, placing her hand on my shoulder and gently shoving me to the door. "Seriously, go. I'm fine."
I open the door and step through, pausing on the other side to wait for Owen. He offers my mom a high-five, probably congratulating her for ribbing me, and walks out.
“Feeling better from before?”
