Page 30 of Halloween Hottie
“I have to find something to wear!” I rush to my bedroom to find the perfect outfit.
With it being November, it’s too cold for a dress or skirt. I pull out a pair of skinny jeans and toss them onto the bed. Now to find the perfect shirt and boots. Clearly, I can’t wear normal fall boots on such an important date. I pull out my knee-high black boots with a killer heel and pointy toe. Digging through my closet, I finally settle on a tight, long-sleeve black shirt that has a plunging neckline. I toss the shirt onto the bed and go for a shower. I need to wash and shaveeverywhere,just in case.
I spend an hour in the shower—washing, shaving, exfoliating. When I get out, I moisturize and blow dry my hair before going back to the bedroom; I take my time curling my hair to perfection and putting on makeup. When everything is done, I get dressed and look myself over. I add a pair of hoop earrings, layer a few necklaces, and add a bracelet and some rings. Adding on the rings draws my attention to my hands, and I have to sit down and give myself a manicure. I remove the old, chipped polish and put on a fresh layer of black. It shines perfectly with a topcoat. It’s going on seven when I finish; I put everything away and add a spray of my favorite perfume. I’m turning the bedroom light out when I hear a knock on the door.
With a smile, I rush to open it. “You’re right on time,” I say, holding it open for him to enter.
Jake steps inside. “I told you I would be.”
“You look nice,” I say, grabbing my coat off the hook by the door. He’s dressed in dark jeans and a navy-blue T-shirt with a black button-up over it—unbuttoned. His hair is styled and his short beard is trimmed, leaving just a shadow on his sharp jaw.
“You look…” His blue eyes look me up and down. “Beautiful,” he finally gets out.
I smile. “Thank you. I’m ready.”
“Okay, this way,” he says, stepping out and holding the door for me. I lock up and follow him out. He has a shiny new truck parked behind my car and he rushes over to the passenger side and opens the door for me.
“Thank you,” I say, climbing inside.
As I’m pulling on my seatbelt, he jogs around the truck and climbs behind the wheel.
“There aren’t many nice places to eat in town, so I thought that we’d just go to the diner if that’s okay with you?”
I laugh. “Of course it’s okay. Calm down, Jake. You’re acting so nervous.”
He chuckles. “I kind of am.”
“Are you telling me you’re more nervous to eat dinner with me than what we did at that party?”
He laugh at himself and nods. “Yeah, I guess I am. I haven’t done this in a really long time.”
“What? Eat dinner?”
“Gone on a first date,” he corrects.
“Oh,” I say quietly. Suddenly, I’m wondering what the point of this dinner is. There I was, prepared to never see him again. I thought that if I did, it may be for another hook-up. Now, suddenly, I realize that this isn’t anI want to hook up againdate. It’s a real date. Now I’m nervous, too.
We get to the diner within minutes of leaving my house and we both climb out of the truck. I open the door and hop out and he’s standing there to close the door after me. Then he takes my hand and leads me into the restaurant. I have to admit, having his hand in mine is making it tingle with excitement. His hand is bigger than mine and it feels tough, strong, callused. I feel safe just being with him and that makes my heart hammer away in my chest.
We find a back corner booth, and within seconds of us sitting down, a waitress comes over. “Hi, Jake. Who’s this you got with you?” the older lady asks.
He lets out a nervous laugh. “This is Elizabeth. We’re sort of on our first date.”
Her eyes widen when she hears that. “Well, you’ll get nothing but the best service from me. It’s nice to meet you, Elizabeth. I’m Vicki. I’ve known Jacob here since he was born. I was good friends with his mama.”
I smile. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”
“Now, what can I get you kids to drink?”
“I’ll just have a chocolate shake, extra whip cream, and a—”
“A cherry on top, I know, dear,” she finishes for him. “And what about you?”
“Um, I think I’ll take the same.”
She smiles and winks Jake’s way. “Coming right up.”
Chapter Sixteen
