Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80314 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80314 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
It was a project that took me forever to complete but was so worth it in the end, especially with the matte black shelves blending perfectly with the black wallpaper with its dark-green and light-pink floral design. All of it pairing perfectly with the deep-seated forest-green velvet couch I got at a secondhand store and my gold, circular chandelier hanging from the ceiling over the glass-and-gold coffee table.
But even with how gorgeous my living room is, it still comes in second to my kitchen, with my white cabinets, cream marble counters, and gold accents on the handles, faucet, and lighting above the island that matches my backless barstools. The only thing I have yet to get for my house besides stuff for outside—since it’s winter now and too cold to hang out there—is a dining table. And that’s only because the piece I really want is sitting in an Amish furniture shop in my cute little town and costs about a billion dollars.
That’s an exaggeration, but only slightly, since I work for the local school system and get paid close to nothing. Then again, who cares about money when you’re doing something you love every single day?
Or that’s what I’ll keep telling myself.
After I start a pot of coffee and feed Cooper, Blue, and Bella, I walk back to my bedroom and check my phone, finding that Mike sent another text with a laughing emoji. Smiling, I shoot him a quick text, letting him know I’m excited about tonight, and he messages back a moment later, saying he feels the same. Then with a happy pep in my step, I head for the shower.
Even if I have hours before I need to head into the city, my hair is not just long, but it’s also thick, so it will need all that time to dry, and I want to look my best tonight. I’ve gone out on a few dates over the years, but my last serious relationship was when I was in high school, so basically forever ago. Which means there is a lot riding on tonight, because if this goes badly, it might just be years before I really try putting myself out there again.
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AFTER PARKING MY car in one of the lots near the restaurant where I’m supposed to meet Mike, I grab my cell phone out of the cup holder so I can send my sisters a message in our group chat. None of them were really okay with me going to meet some guy I don’t know, and all of them made me promise multiple times that I would check in with them—when I got to the city, after I met up with Mike, and once I was on my way home.
It’s a little bit of overkill, but it’s better than what they threatened to do, and that is tell our mom, who would no doubt tell our dad. And even though I’m a grown woman who pays her own way and lives by herself, my dad would probably follow me downtown, then sit outside the restaurant until my date is over. And my mom would be right there at his side, but her reason for being there would be so she could scope out Mike, take all the information back to the women in my family, and dissect every inch of him over drinks.
As a slew of “good luck” and “be safe” texts come in from my sisters, I check my reflection. I never wear a lot of makeup, and tonight is no different—just bronzer, blush, mascara, and lip gloss. I kept my hair down like I tend to wear it since I grew it out and stopped dying it blonde. I’m sure my sister April would be disappointed that I didn’t wear something more revealing tonight, but I knew I wouldn’t feel comfortable, so I chose my black formfitting turtleneck dress and a pair of boots that are both sexy and easy to walk in. I feel like myself, and I think that’s better than me pretending to be someone else for the night.
I send Mike a message letting him know I’m parked and heading to the restaurant, then grab my purse off the passenger seat and get out of my car, locking the door. As I head down the street, I’m glad I chose to wear my long, brushed wool coat, because it’s freezing outside.
When I reach Etch, a restaurant I’ve never been to in my life, butterflies fill my stomach. I head inside, since it’s too cold to wait on the sidewalk, and walk to the podium. After letting the girl there know I’m waiting for someone, I head for the bar and take a seat on one of the stools. I order a glass of wine to help soothe my nerves and then check my phone again, finding nothing from Mike who’s been quiet since this evening when I told him I was heading into the city but probably because he’s driving himself.