“Which one?”
“I don’t even know what’s playing. It’s not like we have a choice.”
He makes a face. “Small town.”
“Pretty much.”
Eventually, my aunt comes out, looking beautiful. I don’t know why she worries. Unlike their first date where she went for cool sophistication, tonight she’s wearing a bold pink-and-purple-print dress with kicky retro shoes, chunky gold jewelry, and her hair up in an adorably complicated twist. They must be going to dinner in a neighboring town, or possibly even the city, a fifty-five-minute drive on the highway.
“Where you taking her?” I ask Joe.
Some men might get irritated, but he answers me in a quiet, polite tone. “To Rudolfo’s. We have reservations at eight.”
Yep, he’s taking her to the city. Rudolfo’s is where the rich people eat before prom. Then they take a limo back to be dropped off at the country club in style.
“Have fun,” I tell them both.
“Ryan’s not coming over tonight?” My aunt knows I’m talking to Ry again, but things are still awkward between us, made more so by his quiet jealousy.
“Actually I’m going to see a movie with Shane.”
Things have been so crazy, I forgot to tell her, but this works out better for me. In front of Joe, she won’t go all hyper-protective and ask a million questions. She can’t implore her date to stick around so she can meet mine without looking anal, plus it would ruin Joe’s reservations. Aunt Gabby gives me a look that says we’ll talk later.
“I can’t wait to hear all about it,” she says pointedly. “Be home by eleven.”
“The movie will be out by ten or so, and there’s nothing else to do. So … definitely.”
I give Joe a smile as he sets a hand in the small of her back. It’s not a gesture that casts aspersions on her competence, more a quiet assertion that he’ll help if she needs it. After all, the driveway is rocky and she’s wearing heels. She kisses my cheek on the way out, then I scramble to finish getting ready. Shane will be here in an hour, and I don’t even know if this is a date.
Please let it be a date.
His comment about not expecting to find a friend echoes in my head. I can’t glam up too much or it’ll look like I’m trying too hard. Plus, I’ll probably burn my hair off if I try to use my aunt’s flat iron without supervision. In the end, I settle for jeans, a lacy sweater, and a T-shirt with sparkles on it, then it’s time to decide what to do with my hair. The usual ponytail doesn’t seem like a solution, so I brush it out and then aim the blow dryer at it for a few seconds. It’s a little fluffy but not too big. I tame it with a squirt of product from Aunt Gabby’s stash. She won’t mind if I borrow some earrings to go with my silver key necklace, so I dig into her jewelry box and find some hoops.
That leaves makeup. I don’t do foundation because to cover my freckles, I have to use too much and it looks caked on. Which leaves me with eyes and lips; I’m pretty good at those, though I don’t bother for every day. Five minutes later, there’s a knock. I scrub sweaty palms against my thighs as I move to answer, swinging the door wide to find Shane waiting. He looks as nervous as I feel; that makes things easier.
“Wow. You look beautiful. Not that you don’t always.” He’s about to stammer something else, and I feel like kissing him.
I don’t, obviously. That would take way more swagger than I possess.
He’s wearing the usual boots and jeans, but he traded his T-shirt for a blue button up and he has on a black jacket instead of the army one. It’s big on him, which makes me think it might be his dad’s. But he made the effort, and I can’t help thinking this means tonight counts as a date.
“Thanks. Ready to go?” I ask.
“Yeah. I hope you don’t mind walking. My limo’s in the shop.”
I smile at that. “I wouldn’t get in it, even if it was out front.”