I can feel the roll of Mom’s wheelchair across the floor as she comes closer. “You didn’t invite him in?” She sounds slightly disappointed. Once he finally gets into his SUV and pulls out, I turn around to face her. I’m sure she can read the flushed excitement on my face, but I tell her anyway. “He asked me out.”
Her eyes widen, and her mouth opens. “You said yes?” she hisses like she can’t believe her own words. I nod slowly. “Hot damn. Good for you!” She’s congratulating me as if I’ve received an achievement and not accepted a date. I wonder how happy she will be when or if she finds out how old he is.
“Now I really wish you would have invited him in!” She tries to look around me, but it’s no use, he’s already gone.
“He just asked me out, Ma. We’re not at the meet the parents stage.” I step away from the door and move into the kitchen.
She grunts. “I guess I can’t demand to meet him before he takes you out now that you’re an adult.” She pouts.
“It’s just one date, Ma, no biggie.”
“Sure, and I bet it has nothing to do with the smile on your face either,” she singsongs. I tuck my head into the fridge, fighting my grin but losing while I look for something to munch on. I end up closing it instead and spinning to face her again. I’m too excited to eat.
“We’re going out tonight.” I bite the side of my lip.
“Smart man, didn’t want to give you time to back out.” She nods her head in approval.
I click my tongue. “He doesn’t know me well enough to think I would have backed out. He did already mention a second date though.”
“Tell me about him. What’s his name?” She rolls over to her spot at the kitchen table and I take a seat.
“There’s not much to tell yet. His name is Rafe. He drives a Mercedes.” I widen my eyes at that. “He’s kind of intense.” I’m not sure if that’s the right way to describe him or not.
“And handsome, not that I got a great look, but you can tell even from afar sometimes. I wonder what he does for a living to have the entire morning off on a weekday?” Mom props her chin in her hand.
“I’ll ask him tonight. We’re going to have dinner and maybe catch a movie.” I push up from the table. I have hours left, but I need to decide what to wear and what I’m going to do with my hair.
Mom grabs my hand as I begin to walk past her. “Hey, I know I’ve been teasing you. I want you to have fun, but I also want you to be safe, and I’m not just talking about condoms.”
“Mom,” I groan.
“I’m not kidding, Lucy, you just met him. I know you’re smart, but I have to remind you. It’s my job as your mom. Keep your phone on you, text me where you’re going, and don’t be too polite to say no.” She stares me right in the eye while saying all this, and I wilt under her gaze.
“I won’t, Mom,” I promise.
“Good, now that I said my piece, have fun.” She wiggles her shoulders a little. I lean down, give her a swift hug, kiss her cheek, and then bounce up to my room. I start picking through my clothes, but nothing feels right. Most of my stuff is a few years old or too casual. Not that I want to be super dressed up, but I do want to look like I made an effort.
I toss another shirt over my vanity chair and collapse onto my bed in frustration. I don’t have time to go to the store, so I’m going to have to make something work. I think about calling Gwen. I do want to ask her if Jay said anything about Rafe, but I still need to take a shower, and she would just try to get me into a dress. Plus, I would rather be comfortable in my own clothes. I’m tired of putting on costumes for other people.
The reminder makes my decision a little easier. When I face my closet again, it’s with a new idea. I’m not going out of my way to impress him. I’m going to be myself, which makes the selection so much simpler. I grab a pair of my nicer jeans and head to my dresser. I have a cute spaghetti strap tank top I can wear. It’s not fancy, but neither am I, so it works. I don’t really need a bra, but I grab a lacy black bralette anyway. I’ll be more comfortable with it on under the thin top. Matching black cotton panties get tossed on the bed with the rest of my outfit, and I feel a little more confident.
I leave my hair braided and clip it to the top of my head so it won’t get too wet in the shower. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with it yet, but I already washed it this morning, so that’s a step I can skip. I’m probably going to be sitting around with hours to spare, but I haven’t gotten ready for a date in ages. The ones I went on were when I was younger, and if I’m being honest, they weren’t even real dates. Just group stuff with Gwen or the occasional dance after one of Mom’s rodeos.
Thinking about my inexperience with dating in general makes me feel like I’m jumping into the deep end without floaties. Sure, I’m probably not your average eighteen-year-old, but twenty-nine is kind of a jump. I start second-guessing myself, wondering if we’ll have anything in common, but then I remember it’s just a first date. I’m sure he’s had tons of them, and I need to start somewhere.
My phone rings as I’m about to head into the bathroom for a shower. The number is blank, but I’m pretty confident I know who it is. My first thought is he’s calling to cancel. “Hello?”
“Hey.” His voice is subdued. I don’t know what to say, so I just wait for him. “Are you ready yet?” he asks after a breath of silence.
“No, I was just about to hop in the shower,” I tell him truthfully. “It’s no biggie if something came up and you need to cancel.” I keep my voice light, even though I’m already disappointed.
I watchher shoulders fall on the screen of my laptop. The camera I set up in her room seems to be the only reason I turn the fucking thing on anymore. I used to obsess over my bank balance, but now it’s her. “You think you’re going to get rid of me that easily? How soon can I pick you up?”
She bites her bottom lip, stifling a smile as she spins to look over at the clock on her nightstand. “You want to come earlier than five?”
I want to come now, down her throat and all over her body, but I don’t say that. “My schedule opened up, and I thought I could swing by a little early.” That sounds a hell of a lot better than telling her I’m just counting down the minutes anyway and passing the time by watching her. I thought knowing I would have her later tonight would be enough, but as soon as I left her house, I wanted to turn right back around. “Think you could be ready by two? There’s a place I want to take you.” It will only give her forty-five minutes to get ready, and I’m curious what she will say.
I watch her look at the clothes she struggled to pick. “I’m noticing a trend here, Rafe. You seem to like to spring things on me. Are you always in a hurry?”
