Page 37 of Find Me in the Rain
“Wear whatever you’re comfortable in. And I’ll pick you up at eight.” He stands, tossing his cup in the nearby bin.
I follow him to the door, which he holds open for me. “Thank you.”
He turns, walking backward. “I’ll see you tonight, Lu.”
With that, he spins, leaving long-lost butterflies fluttering around, anticipating tonight.
I wish we could pretend, pretend that this was our life, that tonight was just another date. That we could just pretend this didn’t have an inevitable timer, an inevitable end.
“Lu, hurry the fuck up!” Char shouts from her bathroom.
I look at the murder scene of my closet, still indecisive on what I want to wear. I’ve gone through practically every possible combination of my jeans and tops.
Char knocks, coming in without a response. “Lu, it’s seven fifty. Why aren’t you ready ye—oh my fucking God, what happened in here?” Her eyes scan over the piles and piles of clothes strewn on my floor.
I’m sitting on the ground, amid the wreckage. I look up to her with puppy-dog eyes. “Help.”
Char breaks into laughter, and it’s contagious. After a second, I can’t help but join in with her.
I chuck the nearest shirt at her. “Stop it and help me!”
Really looking at her for the first time right now, I realize how freaking great she looks. I lean back on my palms, obnoxiously checking her out. Like her ego needs a boost.
“He-he.” She twirls and strikes a ton of poses. “All right, babe, get up. Let’s find you an outfit.”
She walks over to me and puts her hands out. I take them, and she pulls me up.
With the amount of wardrobe changes she puts me in, we could make a movie montage. After I try almost every shirt on in my closet, Char storms off into her room, coming back with her arms behind her back, the biggest smile on her face.
“Here, this is it. No changing. Let’s go.” She thrusts a midnight-blue top at me and pushes me into the bathroom.
Getting a good look at it for the first time, I realize it is not a top.
I step into the shimmery, deep-cut, long-sleeved deep-blue surplice bodysuit. Zipping my jeans back up after changing, I take the first look into the mirror, and I don’t think Charlotte’s ever getting this back.
The front is draped into a super-low V. This will definitely draw attention. I spin to look at the back, which is sheer and crisscross.
Yeah, she’s not getting this back.
I flip my head down and shake my hair out, fluffing the curls up before walking back out in the room.
Charlotte whistles, cheering me on, “Yes, yes, yes! Let’s go. The boys are outside.”
My heart immediately jumps to my throat. I grab my thigh-high black boots and slide them over my ripped black jeggings, and then I follow Char down the stairs.
We quickly say our goodbyes to Jack and Josh before heading to the door.
My chest is tight and keeps getting tighter with each step we take, and by the time we get to the front door, my lungs are burning.
When the door finally opens and the crisp air fills my lungs, the pressure starts to lift.
I look up, and my gaze instantly locks with Alec’s.
He straightens up and begins striding toward me, wetting his bottom lip. “You look incredible.”
I press my lips together, my eyes dropping to the black T-shirt stretched across his chest. “Thank you. Not so bad yourself.”
He smirks, exposing that damn dimple, and slides his leather jacket down off his shoulders. “Here. It’ll be cold during the ride.”
