Page 406 of The Sinner: James

On my way out, I check my dress in the mirror. The soft floral fabric tapers nicely at the waist before flaring at the bottom.

It stops above my knees, closing with a zipper down the back.

“Is it cold outside?” I ask, eyeing a cropped sweater as well.

“No. But take something with you anyway. It might get cold later.”

I snatch it up just in case.

Moments later, I enter the bedroom.

“Ready?” he asks, giving me a quick once over.

“Am I good?” I ask in one breath.

“You’re perfect,” he says, smiling.

Minutes later, we climb into his Ferrari and leave the mansion behind.

He lets me pick the restaurant––a small Italian place with a few tables in the backyard. I used to come here often when Eve was in town.

“They have the best Pizza Napoletana,” I say, taking a seat at a small round table.

“Great. That’s what we’ll have.”

The waitress takes the order and walks away while we stay quiet at the table. The evening paints the sky in dark tones, the sunset fading at the horizon.

A mellow tune drifts through the air when the waitress brings a bottle of red wine and two plates of appetizers to the table.

We taste the delicious food before sipping wine.

“Mmm... I’ve missed this,” I say, chewing on a slice of prosciutto.

“Eating?” he asks jokingly.

I grin.

“Going out with someone.”

“Me, too,” he says, humor lining his voice.

I wag my finger at him.

“You and I are not alike. There’s no point in trying to make me feel better.”

“You can go out with Dahlia,” he says.

“I did go out with her a lot. On the same token, I could go out by myself, but there’s no point in doing that.”

“How’s the book coming along?” he asks, not commenting on my remark.

“Good,” I say, nodding and chewing. “It could be better if my head were there. You have no idea how many times I wanted to give up on it.”

He studies me for a moment.

“You’re too young to lock yourself in a room and spend your life writing,” he says in a lighter voice.

“That’s what I thought,” I joke.

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