Page 28 of Owen's Heart

RANIA

It’s Friday before Valentine’s Day, and I still haven’t heard from Owen about the date he wanted to go on. I try not to let my mind go where it wants to go. I refuse to think about who he will be spending the holiday with since he hasn’t called me.

Thankfully, Janae called early this morning to set up a surprise girl’s day out in Montgomery tonight. I happily accepted her offer and prepared for some lakeside entertainment and good food downtown on the riverboat ride.

“When you get home from the café, a package should be in front of the door waiting for you,” Janae had said at the end of our call this morning.

“What? What did you get me?”

“Just open it and put it on. No questions asked.”

This sounds super suspicious, so I asked, “What are you up to, Janae?”

“Just put it on…”

We ended our call, and I went on about my morning.

After a long day at the café, I make it home to find a box containing a red bodycon dress with a plunging neckline. I can deal with the fact that it’s a figure-hugging dress that dips below the line of my cleavage. Though, the thing that stands out is the barely-there fabric that’s damn near nonexistent to cover my thighs.

“Whoa, Nelly!” I immediately call Janae back and protest. “I can’t wear this. You know I don’t dress like this.”

“Yep, and that’s why you’re wearing it tonight. Put the dress on, and I’ll be there at five sharp,” is Janae’s reply before her name disappears from my phone screen.

I sit there in disbelief. She really hung up. Janae bought me this skimpy dress and then hung up on me.

I mull over the idea of putting on the dress and going out versus finding something else to wear. The temperature is forty-nine degrees in Montgomery today. If I do wear the dress, a huge overcoat will be necessary. My legs feel cold at the thought of being bare in the forty-nine-degree weather. Though I have gotten used to colder temperatures in New York, I still have not completely adapted to the cold weather.

I talk myself out of being a prude and decide to wear the dress with a long overcoat and a pair of leggings in my purse if I need them.

I’m sitting on the Harriett III in Montgomery four hours later, wearing a dress with barely enough fabric to cover my thighs. Six-inch stiletto heels match the dress to perfection. I do look damn good. I just would feel more comfortable if the dress had twice the fabric. I pull at the material once again and look at Janae, who’s snapping her fingers to the light jazz playing.

“That’s my shit right there. Me and Jonah can make some more babies to this.” She stands up and starts swaying side to side to John Coltrane’s “In a Sentimental Mood.”

The boat is scheduled to take off in a few minutes. Our dinner will be out shortly after that.

I don’t know why, but I think about Owen. Even if he doesn’t plan a date for us this weekend, I’ll be good for the Valentine’s Day weekend after spending some time with my old friend. I submit to the idea that I’ll only get a Galentine date for this Valentine's holiday.

The servers come around and place our salads and seafood meals in front of us. It looks delicious. “Not bad for a pre-Valentine’s Day dinner,” I say to Janae.

“It’s wonderful. And when we get back, we can stop to listen to Frankie Beverly and Maze. The band is playing live at the lakeside tonight,” Janae announces.

She is just full of surprises today.

“Sweet!” I say and begin to pine over the seafood salad in front of me. “This salad looks great. Why didn’t you get one?”

Janae peers around me and looks toward the door. “Oh, I didn’t want one.”

“You’re missing out,” I tell her.

She looks toward the door again, this time with squinted eyes.

I turn around and look in the direction that she’s looking. “Are you expecting someone?” I ask.

“Who? What? No. Give me a minute. I have to run to the bathroom,” she says, then stands up and makes her way toward the exit.

I glance over my shoulder and watch as she hurries out of the room. I shrug and turn my attention back to my salad and start enjoying it.

A few minutes after Janae leaves, a tantalizing scent wafts by me that makes me look up into the green eyes I have been thinking about all day. The music switches up to Gregory Porter’s “Insanity,” and lyrics that match the mood make this moment unreal.

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