Page 42 of Here's to Tomorrow

12

Rae

I have been sick to my stomach all day with nerves. I’m t-minus two hours from my date with Hudson and I have about twelve different outfits—that I didn’t even know I owned—strewn about my room, because I’ve been running in circles for the past hour in an absolute panic over what to wear.

“Pick up, pick up, pick up,” I mumble into my phone. I’ve been alternating between calling my sister and Maura for the last five minutes. Neither are answering because they’re both still at work.

I throw my phone onto my bed and take two steps to resume my pacing when there’s a knock on the door. I wrap my robe a little tighter around me while I pad out into the living room and check the peephole before I open the door.

“Finally! You’re not exactly who I was looking for but you’ll do. Come on,” I say, grabbing Perry and dragging him through the apartment.

“Right. Good to see you as well, Rae. How’s life?”

I glance back to see a cute little grin smeared across his face. “Shush,” I say, directing him to my room and pushing him down onto my bed. “Sit and stay,” I command. “I need help. I have no idea what to wear and I have a date tonight. Help. Please?”

He rolls his eyes and sighs. “Fine. I suck at this shit, but since I love you and owe you a lot for the Jacked Up job, I’ll help. Show me what you have.”

I squeal a bit and start holding up clothes. He shoots down all my dresses and skirts, citing the weather as his reasoning, but I think he’s just being brotherly again. I hold up a few of my more questionable tops to prove my theory, and of course I’m right, but I completely love him for it.

After four of my more modest tops, I’m just as frustrated as I was before he showed up. “You’re no help, Perry! You’re shooting everything down!”

“That’s because you’re showing me complete shit. Everything looks like club outfits so far. You’re not going to a club, are you?”

He’s right. Every outfit I’ve shown him so far has been way more appropriate for a club, not dinner at someone’s apartment. “No, I’m going to his place for dinner.”

“See? You’re going about this all wrong then. If he invited you over for dinner, then he probably wants to do more than just rub all over each other on his couch, which is what wearing those clothes will lead to. Trust me, I’m a guy, and that’s probably the only thing I’d be thinking about if a girl wore that shit to my place.”

“Fine. Help me pick something casual and cute then.”

He gets up and begins flipping through my closet like he owns the place. I’m so lucky this guy loves me like he does because I know there’s no one else he’d do this for.

He walks back over to me, holding out a pair of dark gray skinny jeans and a dark purple short-sleeved top. The top has a lacy overlay and dips low enough in the front to say I’m interested, but nottoointerested.

“I think he’ll appreciate this one.”

“Yeah, I think Hudson will love it.”

“Hudson? As in Jacked Up Hudson? The Hudson whose website I submitted for approval today?” Perry asks, slightly panicked.

I gulp audibly. “Yes…”

“What in the hell, Rae? Why didn’t you tell me that’s who it was? Why didn’t you mention you were dating him when you texted me about the job?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. I didn’t think it was that big a deal.”

“Not a big deal? Of course it is!” he hisses. “He probably thinks I’m too stupid to get work on my own or that I begged you to throw me a bone. Dammit, Rae, I don’t want your charity cases, especially because you’re dating the guy!”

I stand there, just staring at him. Is he insane? Totally out of his fucking mind? That’s not even remotely why I suggested Perry help Hudson out. I wasn’t “throwing him bone”. I was trying to recommend a worthy client to my talented cousin.

But…I understand where he’s coming from. He’s scared, just like I am. He wants to do this on his own, prove to himself that he can do it and not fail. He doesn’t want to have to rely on everyone else like his mother did his entire life. He doesn’t want people to give him handouts or not think for one second he didn’t work his hardest to achieve something on his own. He’s always been that way, and you’d never guess it from the easygoing smile he always wears.

“Perry,” I say gently. I pull him until he’s facing me and place my hands on his shoulders. I look him directly in the eyes, so he knows I’m being serious. “What you just said? It’s not even close to being accurate. You know me, and I would never do that. Ionlyreferred you for your mad design skills. I knew you’d be able to give Jacked Up the makeover it deserves. And Hudson? This is kind of like our first date, because the first one—which was a blind date—didn’t really count. He hasno ideaat all that you’re my cousin, so whatever he said to you, whatever deal you two worked out, it’s all on you and your talent. It hasnothingat all to do with me.” I grab his face between my hands. “Got it?”

He closes his eyes briefly. When he opens them back up, the storm brewing inside them is tamed. Typical Perry.

“Got it.” He winces. “I’m sorry, Rae.” He wraps me up his arms and hugs me tightly. “I didn’t mean to overreact. It’s just…well, you know. I’m sorry.”

I pat his back. “Can’t…breathe…” I manage to choke out. He chuckles and lets me go. “We good?”

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