Page 41 of Scoreless Nights

I sat down and nodded, too tired and over it, to care what she brought me. She was the friendliest person I had spoken to all day, and even if everything she brought me made me cringe, I was already more comfortable at Sean Lala than I had been all day.

“What’s your name?” She asked, as she pulled a measuring tape from a drawer.

“Lillian. You?”

“Simone.” She reached her hand out to shake and I smiled again, thankful for Simone’s easy nature. She took a few quick measurements around my body, and then disappeared for fifteen minutes. When she came back she was pushing a rack full of more than a dozen outfits, none of which were on the main floor of the shop.

I wonder if all the places are like this? Not that it mattered, because until Simone, no one had offered to help me get that far and I hadn’t been savvy enough to ask for them to bring me some choices.

“Let’s do this girl,” she clapped. “We have to get you ready for the complicated ball tomorrow night.”

She held up several different outfits, all of which I loved. They suited me. It was like she could tell that I wasn’t the kind of girl to wear bright colors and flashy clothes.

After I picked a few of my favorites out, she put me in a dressing room, and then took a seat in the chair I had been in. “I’ll be right here. I want to see them all. Do a fashion show for me.”

For the next hour, I had the best time trying on some of the most gorgeous yet subtle outfits I had ever seen in my life. Simone was more than a sales clerk, she was like having a friend with me. She ooh’d and ahh’d over everything I tried on, but was also honest when something wasn’t working.

By the time we were done, I had the perfect outfit for the ‘dinner party sporting event.’ I also had matching shoes and a new clutch I could carry because according to Simone, my big, bulky bag would cover too much of the expensive fabric.

As she rang everything up at the register, I started bouncing on my heels, worried about how much it would cost. As nice as Simone was, I had been too afraid to ask so I was just going for it and hoped and prayed it wasn’t thousands of dollars. Cruz may have said not to worry about it but I didn’t want him to think that I was taking advantage of him being so kind.

Then another thought crossed my mind.

I pulled the credit card out that Cruz gave me and looked at the name on it.

Sebastian Martin.

I was relieved that it didn’t say Cruz Martin. I knew Cruz was really his mother’s last name and Martin was his father’s last name. He had never gone by Sebastian so the girl shouldn’t know who’s card I really had. Not unless she was a fanatic.

“Your total is $750.84.”

That’s it?It was still more than I could ever afford, but way less than I feared.

I slid her the fancy black card and she looked at it and smiled. “Let me guess, your boyfriend is footing the bill?”

Not really.

“Is it that obvious?”

“Girlfriends are my favorite clients.”

“Well, you’re one of my favorites too, Simone. Thank you for being so nice to me. I wish I had come here first.”

Simone handed me a card and gave me a sincere smile. “Here’s my number if you need anything. Just let me know.”

Before I left, Simone rounded the counter and gave me a hug wishing me a good time. She never got nosy and asked where I was going, and I just kept letting her believe that I really was a girlfriend. Because for the sake of the event, that’s exactly what I was.

I walked a few blocks back to my car feeling like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. I had an outfit, a great time, and I really was looking forward to whatever Friday night held.

ChapterTwenty-Two

Cruz

It was supposed to be a day off, but I had work to do. Which was the main reason I didn’t fight to go shopping with Lil. Not that I loved shopping, but I thought maybe it would be more fun for her if we both went. Had I not had to run through the game plan for Sunday’s game, I would’ve gone with her.

Instead, I spent all afternoon on my iPad and TV, watching old games and footage. I also took some time to call my mom, who was the hardest working woman I knew.

Both of my parents were born and raised in Miami, but my mom had deep Cuban roots and knew how to make the best Cuban food anyone had ever tasted. Cooking was her life. Being a chef and owning a restaurant was her dream.

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