Page 38 of In the Works

I winced as soon as I said it. There was no way this gorgeous billionaire wanted to take a single mom on some extravagant date. She’d just come back from Italy for god’s sake. She’d probably dined with models and actresses all week.

Victoria shrugged, licking her lips as a cheeky smile took over her face. “Whatever you’re most comfortable with, Ms. Greenwood. But I’ll admit: I’m more partial to one than the other.”

Fuck. My throat tightened with excitement as my mind struggled through the logistics. Jason wasn’t supposed to have the kids for at least another week.Am I a terrible mother if I leave them with a sitter for a night when I only see them a week at a time?Vic’s proposition was a complicated one.

Splitting custody meant splitting family time too. When the kids were with Jason, they would see his parents and his siblings. When they were with me, they’d spend time with my parents and Zoey.

As I was trying to work through it, Victoria reached her hand across the table, her gaze turning serious. My nerves calmed the instant her palm rested on mine. “Sarah, you are allowed to take time for yourself… if you’d like it.”

I swallowed hard. It wasn’t something I was used to hearing. I took in a deep breath. The air was a shock to my system, fresh from the lake. I let the slight rocking of the dock calm my body.

It would be fun.

After a moment, I nodded. “Okay, a date.”

Victoria smiled. “Perfect. I’ll arrange everything.”

Once she sat back in her chair, two plates of salad came out to the dock. They were beautiful, lush bowls full of fresh vegetables with juicy, baked salmon on top.

Letting my shoulders relax, I smiled. “So, now that we’ve dealt with that, I have some big ideas.”

As we dug in, we got to talking business. I had plenty to report after a full week apart. It felt nice to switch between personal and business so easily.

But when I couldn't take my eyes off of her, my body tensed again.This is about to get complicated.

A few days later, I was standing in my en suite bathroom, tousling my hair until it fell just right. It took a lot more work than seemed fair to get the blonde waves to look both sexyandeffortless.

Part of me wondered if this being explicitly a date made it easier or harder to get ready. Either way, I was a little desperate to wow her. Just the thought of making the enigmatic woman speechless made the hair on my arms stand up with excitement.

Victoria still hadn’t sent me any details about where we were going or what we would get up to. I tried not to let the uncertainty of it all make me anxious as I turned up the ringer on my phone and refocused on the mirror in front of me.

My makeup was simple: some mascara, light eyeliner, and a touch of concealer. I hadn’t done my makeup in years, and wasn’t exactly sure what was popular these days. But I decided to err on the side of caution and keep everything simple. I finished it off with a tinted lip balm, not wanting to discourage Victoria from making a move with heavy lipstick.

Assuming she even wanted to make a move.

I shook my head, immediately checking the thought.Why wouldn’t she?In a dress like this, I was a goddamn prize.

Taking a look in the mirror, I made sure I still liked how it fit. The sun still streamed in through the second floor windows despite it nearing eight o’clock. Just as I’d hoped, the outfit was exactly what I wanted.

It had been at least a decade since I’d dressed this salaciously. I’d had to dig the red dress out of the back of my closet and clear off quite a few cobwebs. Originally, I’d bought itfor a Valentine’s Day date with Jason after Ava was born. But it never managed to make its debut.

The deep cowl neck showed off my cleavage and figure to any curious eyes, but the real star of the show was its fit. It came in tight at my waist, accentuating my hips and ass.

A smirk took over my face as I admired my reflection. It was hard not to feel confident in a dress like this.

I grabbed my bag off the edge of the bed where Bri and I had our tryst just a week ago.I almost felt guilty going on a date with another woman while I was still desperately trying to see Bri. But she had told me to explore the single life. And who was I to tell a charming billionaire shecouldn’ttake me on a date?

Placing my chapstick, mascara, and some powder into the bag, I took a deep breath. I let the air sit in my lungs for a moment before pushing it out of my mouth.

My nerves settled long enough to get me down the stairs. I was still barefoot, not wanting to scuff the hardwood floors with my tall heels. The soft patter of my feet on the stairs wasn’t quite a grand entrance, but Robin noticed nonetheless.

She poked her head out from the living room, her eyes bulging. “Jesus, Sarah.”

My face flushed pink as I tousled my hair. “Is that a good thing?”

Robin nodded, lowering her voice so the kids didn’t hear. “You look hot.”

Rolling my eyes, I took the last step and gave her a light flick on the head. “Why do you sound surprised?”