Thirteen
The morning was clear and cool. Nancy stretched as she stepped out of the hotel lobby, lifting her face to the sun, letting it chase away the last remnants of sleep. She was wearing her day one outfit.
Her silk dress was a shade of deep sapphire. It had a classic silhouette, nipped at the waist, structured but with just enough movement to keep from feeling stiff. Nancy, feeling rebellious when she chose it, now felt nervous about how Ari would receive it. She hated that she wanted Ari to like it.
Ari, standing next to the car with her arms crossed, turned. She was wearing an effortlessly elegant midnight-blue midi dress. She looked Nancy up and down. ‘Very nice.’
‘I’ll pass as a fancy person?’
‘Nancy, you’re a very fancy person,’ Ari said with a smile.
Nancy didn’t quite know how to take that. ‘Fine. Wealthy, then.’
‘You look like you were born into it.’ Ari’s gaze flicked over her, assessing. ‘Like you summer on yachts and complain about the temperature of your beluga caviar.’
Nancy scoffed. ‘I don’t even like caviar.’
‘Exactly.’ Ari smirked. ‘The ultimate rich-person move. Being indifferent to expensive things.’
Nancy rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t ignore the way Ari’s approval relaxed her. She didn’t want Ari to feel like Nancy was showing her up.
Ari opened the back door and went to get in. Nancy cleared her throat. Ari laughed. ‘Ah. Of course.’ She shut the door and went to the front passenger side.
‘Try again,’ Nancy said.
Ari’s smile slipped. ‘What?’
‘I was thinking you should drive.’
Ari barked out a laugh, shaking her head. ‘Sure. Or maybe I could sprout wings and fly us there?’
‘You can drive?’ Nancy checked.
Ari raised an eyebrow. ‘Technically.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘It means I got my license. But once I had it, I never used it,’ Ari explained.
‘Then why did you get it?’ Nancy asked.
‘I just wanted to know I could,’ Ari admitted. ‘But why would I…’.
Nancy leaned against the car, spinning the keys on her finger. ‘I need to get in fancy person mode. I can’t do that when I’m driving.’
‘OK…’ Ari said, suspicious.
‘And I could do with a driving break,’ she admitted. ‘My back hurts a bit.’
‘I see,’ Ari replied. ‘Well, since you put it that way…’
Nancy’s grin widened. ‘Yes?’
‘I need to keep my date happy,’ Ari said. ‘But I’m not a chauffeur, remember? If I’m driving, it’ll be on my terms.’
‘Deal.’
Ari smiled faintly. ‘Just remember, whatever happens… This was your idea.’
Nancy’s grin faltered ever so slightly. ‘I mean, how bad could it be?’