"Hello!"
‘Hi Bella, it’s Jack. Jack Calloway.”
“Yes, I’m aware. How are you, Jack?
“I’m good and you? You sound out of breath - am I getting you at a bad time?” he asked.
“I just finished up on the treadmill, so not a bad time at all. What’s up?”
“Um, so, well, I was wondering, would you like to get dinner one night?”
“Sure, I’d love to, but where? I’m not due in Houston till the dinner dance in November. Are you going to be in Dallas soon?”
“Shit. I didn’t even think about that. No, no plans to be in Dallas anytime soon. It’s pretty busy here, as you can imagine,” he replied. “I’m sorry. I would just like to see you - I didn’t even think. How are we doing to do this - I’m here, you’re there - we are both busy, plus I’ve got the girls. I finally meet someone I actually want to date, and she lives in another city.”
Bella felt a thrill go through her -he wants to date. Me.
“Jack, you’re a fighter pilot and an astronaut, I’m sure you can figure something out. Because I would very much like to spend time with you too.”
Jack felt his grin go a mile wide.She wants to date. Me.
“Hold on” - he looked at his schedule.HA!“I’ve got next weekend open - the girls are at a sleepover on Saturday night. I could drive up to Dallas, get a hotel room - we could have dinner someplace. What do you think?”
“I think it’s a date, Captain.”
The next week seemed to take a year to get through, and finally Saturday arrived. Bella spent the day getting ready - she went to the salon to get her hair styled, then a manicure/pedicure. It was now 6pm, Jack was due to pick her up at 7pm and she was standing in her closet wondering what to wear. She’d already pulled out several dresses and quickly hung them back up. She wasn’t sure where they were going, so wasn’t quite sure what to wear. The only thing she knew for sure was the shoes needed to be fabulous. She heard her phone ping in the other room and went out to see who it was. Jackie.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO WEAR?
Why are you shouting at me?
BECAUSE I’M SO EXCITED FOR YOU!
I don’t know where we’re going, so I’m not sure.
Well, whatever you decide on make sure it’s something easy to get out of, wink wink.
You’re terrible, you know that?
Yes, that’s why you love me so much!
Laughing, Bella went back into the closet.Okay Bella, don’t over think - just pick something!
Jack arrived at 7pm on the dot, and Bella met him at the door. “Let me set the alarm and then we can go,” she said.
She had finally decided on dark fitted jeans, with a long sleeve black t-shirt - the logo for the band ‘Kiss’ spelled out in rhinestones on the front, and a pair of black Manolo Blahnik pony hair high heeled ankle boots. A smoky eye and a light pink lip, along with a silver sequined Fendi baguette bag completed the look.
WOW — she is a babe!
"You look amazing, Bella — really. You've got the rocker chick look completely down — but then of course you do," he said.
Bella smiled, then took him in properly. Fitted jeans, a navy dress shirt untucked, the Breitling on his wrist, and a pair of —
Wait.
Is he wearing Dad shoes? Oh dear. He is.
New Balance sneakers. Dad shoes. In white. Unmistakably, undeniably Dad shoes.
