by Sarah Hegger
Friday?
Taking a deep breath, Bella counted the recommended two minutes the article spoke about. Okay, they also said not to use smiley faces or emojis, but she was new to this coy thing. Friday is good for me.
See you then. Her phone buzzed. I’m looking forward to it.
She stamped on the urge to type back me too and settled for another smiley face.
She had a date. With a man who liked her. And he’d sent her flowers. Bella had to sit down to take it all in. Dr. Childers was right: Action equaled positivity and positivity had momentum. Time for a little more action. She picked up her phone and dialed a number she’d been putting off.
“Hey, Matt,” she said when he answered. “Pippa said I should give you a call. I have a renovation project I want to talk to you about.”
* * *
Liz popped by on Wednesday but remained tight-lipped about the talk with her ex. They ended up ordering pizza and watching chick flicks.
Friday rolled around faster than Bella would have expected.
Matt came by the store that morning and she went over her plans for the renovation.
“No problem.” He smiled his great country-boy grin, which hadn’t changed despite the big business he did with his brother Eric. “I’ll send some guys around to take measurements. We’ll work up a plan and then we can talk final numbers.”
“Well, hello, Matt.” Liz breezed into the store, whipping off her sunglasses as she came. Poured into a pair of red jeans, flashing a little midriff, she sashayed over to him.
Bella bit back her irritation as she recognized vintage Liz from before their fledgling friendship had started.
“Liz.” Matt nodded and gathered up his papers. “I’ll call you,” he said to Bella. “And Pippa told me to remind you about Saturday.”
“I’ll be there,” Liz purred.
Matt went a little pale but rallied. “Great.” His voice boomed off the walls. A hasty exit set the bell above the door jangling.
“God.” Liz threw herself on the sofa and dropped her bag beside her. “All those Evans men are seriously hot. I mean haaawt. I would so like to bounce one of them around my bedroom.”
A hot surge of irritation shot through Bella and her mouth puckered up in a way she guessed must look a lot like Nana.
“What?” Liz narrowed her eyes at her. “You’ve got that look on your face.”
“I don’t.” Bella fussed with some flyers on her desk. “What look?”
“Yeah, you do.” Rising to her feet, Liz jabbed a sparkly blue nail at her. “It’s the same one you wore every other time we ran into each other.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Did too.” With a smirk, Liz crossed her arms over her chest. “I know it well.”
Stumped for a comeback, Bella went with airy. “Did you come in for anything specific or just to say hi?”
Liz shrugged. “Just to say hi.”
“Great.” It sounded a little overenthusiastic, so Bella toned it down. “Hi.”
“Tell me what’s with the face.”
Bella went hot and then cold. Her hands shook as she moved a pot of pens over to the right and back again. She didn’t fight because it made her want to throw up, but Liz looked determined with her jaw sticking out like that. She reached deep and hauled out a stronger version of Bella. “You flirted with Matt.”
“And?” Tap, tap, tap went Liz’s dominatrix-type boot on the carpet.
“He’s married.” Why did she even have to explain this?
“So?”
Bella snapped her jaw shut before she caught flies. “You can’t go around flirting with married men.”
“I flirted with him, Tight-butt Bella, I didn’t fuck him.”
The world skewed a little to the left before righting itself. Her hands flew away from her and knocked over her pen holder. “What did you call me?”
“Tight-butt Bella.” Liz stuck out her hip. “Just like you’ve been calling me Headlights.”
“Wh . . . well . . .” Nothing. Not a coherent thought in her brain. “Tight-butt?”
“Yeah.” Liz tossed her head. “Because you always look like you have a stick up your ass. At least that’s how you look when I’m around.”
“I do—”
“You know what?” Liz snatched her bag and tossed it over her shoulder. “This isn’t going to work. You think I’m the town whore and I think you’re the town nun. We don’t like each other.” She adjusted the strap on her shoulder. “We had a bit of fun. No hard feelings. See ya.”
On that, she stormed out the door, setting the bell jangling, but not before Bella caught the hurt hidden behind all that glittering anger.
“Damn.” Legs shaking, she tottered over to the sofa and sat. The heavy musk of Liz’s perfume hung in the air. She did have a look when Liz appeared. At least she used to, until the hanging of the Christmas lights. Nana had that same look when she disapproved of something someone did. In Nana’s case, the look made it onto her face all the time.
Was she that bad?
Bella got up and stood before one of the floor-length mirrors. Her eyes looked too big in her pale face, but it didn’t really echo Nana’s pursed-up face. Dredging up Liz flirting with Matt, she tried again.
Her squeak sounded loud in the empty store. Nana stared back at her. “No.”
* * *
Light shone from Liz’s windows and spilled golden onto her snowy yard as Bella arrived home that night. She’d thought about it all day, and she didn’t want to lose her friendship with Liz. Okay, too soon to call it a friendship, but she liked Liz.
Before she chickened out, she strode up Liz’s walk and rang the doorbell.
Liz yanked open the door and glared at her. “Yes?”
“You left today.”
“Yeah.” Liz sneered. “That’s what I do when I know someone doesn’t want me there.”
“The thing about Tight-butt hurt.”
“Oh, and Headlights is so much better.” Liz crossed her arms, hunching her shoulders up around her ears.
Bella gathered her courage. “You’re right. It’s not a nice thing to call you, but I don’t call you that anymore. Not since I got to know you a bit better.”
“Huh?” Liz looked like she might stay mad for a long time.
“Anyway.” Bella motioned toward her house. “I have to go, but I wanted to say sorry about Headlights.”
She turned and walked back to her house.
Liz’s voice stopped her before she hit her porch. “Going anywhere special?”
“I have a date.” Her nerves started up, saying it aloud.
“With that guy from the bar?”
“Uh . . . yes.” Liz had seemed far too busy with Noel to notice much at the bar.
“He the one who sent you flowers?”
Debbie had a big mouth and must have been exercising it. “Yes.”
Liz took a couple of steps onto her porch. “I don’t call you Tight-butt anymore either.”
Warmth flickered into life inside Bella’s chest. “Good. I’m glad.”
“I still think you’re a bit uptight.” Liz rubbed her arms against the cold. “But you have potential.”
“Thanks; I think.”
Liz grinned. “And I totally overreacted today.” She trotted across the lawn separating their houses. “I just get so mad when I think people are judging me.”
Maybe if Liz toned down the vamp routine people might not judge her so harshly. Then again, maybe if people took the time to get to know Liz, they wouldn’t be so quick to judge. Of course, Bella chickened out of saying any of that and nodded.
“So.” Liz stopped at the bottom of the porch. “What are you wearing tonight?”
A tiny, wavering olive branch but held out to her nonetheless. “I don’t know. Want to help me decide?”
* * *
For a woman who dressed herself like a pole dancer, Liz surprised Bella with her taste. They agreed on a slightly retro slim-fit dress th
at curved in all the right places but didn’t scream desperate. They went understated on the makeup and the hair loose and wavy.
Bella checked herself out. Somehow, they’d achieved the right balance between looking like you took the date seriously and not as if you hadn’t had a date in three years. Not that Bella intended to admit that to anyone. Ever.
Shallow Ghost Falls dating pool aside, Bella took some of the blame for her dating dearth. When you spent your teens fixated on one man to the exclusion of all others—and a man who didn’t share your fixation—you got in the habit of having no man.
On Liz’s advice, she called Wheeler Barrows for a lift.
“If the date goes well, Adam will be driving you home,” Liz said. “But don’t, whatever you do, sleep with him on the first date.”
Bella snorted. “Is that your dating philosophy?”
“Ah, hell no.” Liz scrunched up her face. “But I date to get laid. I’m thinking it’s different for you, so hold on to the poontang.”
Who but Liz said poontang? Still, Bella had no intention of handing over the . . . er . . . poontang.
“And if the date’s a total bust.” Eating her leftover Halloween candy, Liz lounged on her bed. “You get Wheeler to take you home and you don’t have to do the awkward failed-date car ride.”
Wheeler pulled up outside her door in time to stop her joining Liz at the Halloween candy. Nerves hiked up her need for chocolate.
“Wow, Bella.” Wheeler got out and opened the door for her. His cheeks went a little pink. “You look really nice.”
The only Barrows kid who amounted to much, he was saving for college by running the one and only Ghost Falls taxi. Rumor had it that Pippa’s grandmother, the former opera diva Philomene St. Amor, had helped him buy the car. Then again, Philomene had her bejeweled fingers in all sorts of Ghost Falls pies.
Still, he deserved a good tip, and his compliment had given her a little bit of desperately needed confidence.
Adam waited in a small reception area in front of the restaurant. A broad smile on his handsome face, he stood as she came in. “Bella.” He took her hand and kissed it. “You’re well worth the wait.”
The hand-kissing she could have skipped, but the sincere warmth in his brown eyes fizzled through her like moon rock candy on her tongue. “You look nice yourself.”
She meant it. In a dark, beautifully cut suit with a crisp white shirt and understated tie, Adam looked great.
As he guided her through the bar, several women gave him a quick eye strip. “I thought we’d have a drink first and then get some dinner.” He pulled out her barstool for her. “Unless you’re hungry.”
“I’m good with that.” A drink would settle those remaining butterflies.
“Perfect.” He beamed at her. “Shall I order for you?”
“Umm . . .”
“Appletini?”
Not again. She still had that vague notion that something had happened with her dress and Nate that she really needed to remember. “I’ll have a glass of white wine.”
“I was sure you were drinking appletinis when we met.” He looked even more handsome when he frowned.
“I was.” She smiled and decided to skip the explanation. “But I feel like something else tonight.”
“Great.” He smiled, but the crease between his brows lingered. When he turned back from placing their order, Clark Kent was back in place. “So, tell me all about Bella.”
“There’s not much to tell really. Raised in Ghost Falls. Still in Ghost Falls. I took over the family business.”
He raised his eyebrows, which she took as a sign to tell him more.
“It’s a high-end women’s clothing store. Called Bella’s.” Her face heated. She would love to change the name, but that fight she didn’t have the stomach for. One thing for certain: If she ever had a daughter, she wouldn’t be naming her any permutation of Bella. In fact, she wouldn’t be naming her anything vaguely Italian-sounding. With a last name like Erikson, it only led to confusion. “At least I’m making it into a high-end clothing store.”
“What is it now?”
Jo appeared on the other side of the bar with their drinks. “Hey, Bella.”
“Jo.” Bella liked the one Evans sister. It had to have been tough growing up with all those brothers. “You working here now?”
“Yeah.” Jo scrunched up her nose. “Trying to make up shifts to pay for college.” She arranged a coaster beneath Bella’s wine. “I mean, Matt or Eric would totally pay for it, but I want to do this myself.”
Bella knew exactly what she meant. “I think it’s great that you are.”
Jo laughed, a beautiful flash of white teeth and sparkling eyes. “Yeah, just a lot tougher.”
Adam cleared his throat.
“Ah.” Heat crept back over her face. She smiled an apology at Adam. “I’m sorry. Adam, this is Jo Evans. An old friend. Jo, this is Adam . . .”
“Smith.” Adam held his hand out to Jo. “Adam Smith.”
“Seriously?” As she took his hand, Jo grinned.
Adam flushed and rolled his eyes. “Seriously. It’s only one step away from John Smith. Nice to meet you, Jo.”
Adam lifted his scotch and toasted Bella. “To the most beautiful woman in the room.”
“Anyway.” Jo swiped her cloth over the bar. “I don’t want to interrupt. I’d better get back.” She made a vague waving motion toward the other end of the bar.
“Bye, Jo.” Bella fanned her face. Admittedly, she was a blusher, but this beat her all-time record, set at the time she’d had to act as Nate’s wife in drama class.
“Why don’t we move into the restaurant?” Adam cupped her elbow and boosted her off the barstool. “Then I can have you all to myself.”
Chapter Nine
The rest of the evening went so smoothly, Bella had to keep reminding herself they were on a first date.
Adam stayed attentive throughout. He didn’t even peek at Blythe Barrows’s on-display cleavage as she served their meal.
Bella accepted a lift home from him happily.
The ride down the mountain stayed light and fun. Adam drove a brand-new Lexus, as clean inside as the gleaming exterior. Only when he stopped in front of her house did tension ooze into the car. Here it came, the awkward moment. The how-well-did-this-date-really-go moment.
“Thank you for a lovely evening.” Bella squeezed the words out a little breathily. And, seriously, could she have picked anything lamer to say than that? She needed a crash course with Liz on dating repartee. On second thought, she shuddered to think what Liz would blurt out in this situation. All of which kept her from having to think about this moment.
Adam watched her with a slight smile. “You seem uncomfortable.”
“I am.” Bella let out her held breath. “This is always the worst moment.”
“It doesn’t have to be.” Adam turned off the ignition and shifted to face her. “I had a great time tonight, Bella. I’d like to do it again soon.”
“Me too.” Anytime now, the universe could step in with a good line or two.
Leaning closer, Adam cupped her cheek. “I’d really like to kiss you.”
“Okay.”
His lips against hers were firm, nice. He smelled great, woodsy and fresh all at the same time. Adam pulled away slightly. “Relax, Bella, this is as far as my move goes.”
Officially, the most ridiculous woman anyone had dated ever. “It’s not that. I haven’t done this in a while.”
“Dated?”
“Yes.”
“Kissed?”
“Yes.” She needed to stop this before they stumbled over her three-year dry period. A time and place for letting that out of the bag would crop up, but the first date wasn’t it. Bella pressed her mouth to Adam’s.
Adam tasted nice, nice enough to start a small flutter in her belly, nice enough to raise her body temperature. Okay, the earth didn’t move, bells didn’t ring, and her knees stayed firmly where they should. But
nice was good. A good start anyway.
Adam drew back and stroked her cheek. “Good night, my Bella.”
“Good night.”
He came around the car and opened the door for her. His handsome face wore a gentle expression as he kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you soon?”
“Sure.” Bella made it up the walkway and into her house without tripping over her feet. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it. She’d done it. Her first date that didn’t feel like she’d used a stand-in for Nate.
Bella floated into Mugged the next morning and went all out on a double mochaccino with whipped cream. She hesitated over the chocolate croissant and then went for it. Tinker Bell had curves and she rocked them. This being Saturday, she opened a little later than the weekdays.
A bouquet of flowers took up most of the space in front of the door. A seriously large bunch of flowers that she had to hop over to get into the store. Leaving her coffee and croissant on the store counter, she went back to pick them up.
Red roses, rich and velvety, with dark blue irises poking out between them. She pulled the card of the plastic holder.
“I can’t wait to see you again. Adam.”
Lord, Debbie must have had a field day with that over at the florist’s.
* * *
Nate met Daniel at one of the fancy bars where the new rash of tourists hung out. Daniel must have changed one helluva lot to be hanging out in a place like this now.
Jo looked up from behind the bar as he walked in and nodded. She moved down the bar to put two glasses of wine in front of another customer. She’d lost weight in the last couple of months and her jeans now hung low on her hips.
“Hey, Jo-Jo. Didn’t you work last night?” He eased onto a barstool.
Her smile didn’t quite hide the dark smudges under her eyes. “Yup. They’re busier than expected, so I got to pick up a couple of extra shifts.”
“You coming to Pippa and Matt’s thing later?”
She shrugged. “Depends what time I get off shift. I’ll try to show my face later.”
“Do that.” Jo had her fair share of pride. Stiff-necked like the rest of the Evans kids, so Nate chose his next words carefully. “Doesn’t all this work mess with your studying?”