2. Reese
CHAPTER 2
Reese
“You look fine,” Morgan promised, patting my chest before grabbing my shoulders and spinning me to face the mirror.
It had been almost a week since Cory called to ask me on a date, and one day less since he texted to let me know he’d be in town during the week so I wouldn’t have to miss work to accommodate his schedule. It was achingly thoughtful, and I’d tried to not think too hard about it, but as soon as I told Morgan, she’d had hearts in her eyes and a scheme in mind.
She’d promptly determined all the clothes I owned—clothes that Cory had already peeled me out of on more than one occasion, I reminded her—weren’t good enough. I’d been dating casually for years and she’d never complained about what I chose to wear, and I hadn’t been able to figure out why she was so concerned now, given my distinct lack of a relationship with Cory.
“I look overdone,” I argued, reaching for my hair. She smacked my hand out of the way before I could mess up whatever style she’d put in place. “I look like I’m trying too hard.”
“It’s the bare minimum,” she promised, flicking off the light and shoving me into the living room.
Of my own apartment.
“What time is he picking you up?” she asked.
“I’m meeting him.”
Cory had put the planning on me, which was…what I preferred. He’d given me a date and a window of time, and I’d done the rest. After thinking about it for too long, I settled on a little place in the valley that told you upon arrival they didn’t serve California rolls. Not that I had anything against California rolls, but if I wanted Cory to enjoy sushi, I needed to give him good sushi. And I did want him to enjoy sushi even though I wasn’t sure why it mattered so much. Maybe it was because it was something he’d wanted to do with me? I tried to not think too hard about it and booked the reservation for two.
“You could have offered to pick him up since you have a car,” Morgan admonished.
“I did offer.”
I smacked her on the outside of her arm, which only earned me a laugh. She flipped me off and grabbed her purse from the couch, rifling through it for her vape.
“Did big daddy boss dom say no?” she teased.
“He’s not… just…whatever, Morgan. He said he’d meet me there.”
“You don’t like when your submissives drive either,” she said, and if looks could kill, my living room would’ve been a crime scene.
“I’m not his submissive.”
“No,” she agreed. “Anyway, what time are you meeting him?”
“Seven.” I tapped my phone to light up the screen and we both looked down at the time. Six-thirty.
“You should get going.”
“ You should get going.”
Morgan slung her purse over her shoulder and batted her eyelashes at me. “I have a date tonight too. In case you were wondering.”
“Who’s the lucky man tonight?” I asked, pushing her toward the door. Morgan was amazing because she was my very best friend in the world, but also because she’d never met a person she didn’t want to go on a date with. She was a slut for dates, and I admired her sense of adventure.
“Men,” she corrected, opening the door and stepping onto the walkway in front of my apartment. “Two boyfriends looking for a girlfriend.”
I sighed. “What are their names?”
“Nick and Andrew.” She smiled and waited for me to lock up, then hooked her arm through mine as we set off for the street to our cars. “Didn’t you used to date a guy named Andrew?”
“Date is a loose word for what he and I did,” I told her.
“I hope it’s a loose word for what we’re going to do too.”
Morgan pulled her keys out of her purse and unlocked her car, silently gloating over the fact she’d snagged a spot right in front of my building.
“Impressive,” I mused.
“I almost want to leave it here so when you get home later you remember how much better than you I am,” she teased.
“I’m only around the block, which is perfectly acceptable, so feel free to drive away.”
She kissed me on the cheek, then walked around to the driver’s side of her car and unlocked the doors. “Be safe tonight.”
I thought about Cory telling me he hadn’t been with anyone besides me. Thought about how he wanted to come inside of me. Thought about how…
“I’m always safe,” I assured my best friend.
“I didn’t mean condoms,” she grumbled, but was in her car with the door closed before I could argue the point with her.
I watched her drive away, then headed around the block to my car. I listened to a random punk playlist as I drove out to the valley, fighting the never-ending traffic until making a quick left and turning into the parking lot for the restaurant.
It was a small place, four tables at most and a bar that sat ten. Walking from the car to the front door, I wondered for the first time If I’d made a bad judgement call with the selection because the cramped seating screamed intimate, and I wasn’t sure if that was something Cory and I were aiming for.
I didn’t have time to think about it, though, because a car pulled up behind me, a door opened and closed, and then a now-familiar voice boldly called out my name.