Chapter Eighteen #2
Dallis was nodding along. “He’s right.” She nudged Jordan. “But don’t forget to have fun, Sam. Enjoy yourself. Enjoy Alex.”
“Yeah, don’t get so in your head about it,” Jordan added.
Sam took a deep, calming breath and bobbed her head in agreement. “Got it. Go on date. Have fun. Enjoy Alex.” She ticked off each on her fingers as she said them, before tilting her head to the side and smiling. “I don’t think enjoying Alex will be a problem.”
“There!” Dallis burst out. “That’s the kind of attitude you need to have going into this.” She winked at Sam.
“You two, there’s still one more thing,” Jordan said, looking solemnly from Dallis to Sam and then back again.
Sam braced herself. “What is it?”
“We have got to find you something else to wear. Sorry, but you cannot go on this date dressed like you were last time.”
“Jordan!” Sam balled up her napkin and threw it at him.
“What?” He looked at Dallis for backup. “Am I wrong?”
Dallis tilted her head side to side before finally looking at Sam. “I’m sorry. He’s not wrong, Sam. It’s time to step up your game.”
Sam let out a big sigh. She shot daggers at both of them with her eyes.
Just a minute ago, they were telling her to enjoy herself.
Now they had her feeling self-conscious about her wardrobe, or rather, the lack thereof.
But she really did want this date with Alex to go well.
Alex had said the place was casual, but that didn’t mean she could get by on the same green sweater she wore last time.
She realized she did want to look good for Alex.
“Fine,” she agreed. “Let’s go shopping, then. ”
Jordan’s face lit up, and he clapped his hands with glee. “Oh, goody! I’ve been wanting to take you shopping for ages. I have so many ideas.”
“Hey, buddy,” Sam warned. “This is a one-time-only thing. Let’s not go overboard.”
Jordan’s eyes gleamed as his face slowly spread into a Cheshire cat grin. “Who, me?” His tone was teasing. “Never.”
Shopping with Jordan and Dallis didn’t turn out to be the disaster Sam had expected.
The two of them worked surprisingly well together, choosing a simple, stylish outfit for the date that would match whatever Alex had planned.
Sam wore a pair of skinny black jeans and a white button-up shirt.
A black satin bomber jacket gave her just enough edge to look dangerous.
Or, as Dallis put it, made her look “hotter than a post-Twilight/pre-gay Kristen Stewart.” Sam took it as high praise.
The new outfit boosted her confidence and eased her nerves about the upcoming date.
Alex was due to pick her up in half an hour, and naturally, Sam was feeling restless.
She found herself pacing back and forth through the house, checking the front window every five minutes.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed loudly on the table, jolting her out of her thoughts.
She frowned and picked up the phone, wondering who could be contacting her so late on a Friday.
She looked down at the screen, and her stomach somersaulted when she saw Stephanie’s name flash across the screen.
“Hey, Stephanie,” she answered, trying to keep her voice light and casual.
“Sam, how’s it going?” Stephanie asked with her usual brusque tone. Not one for pleasantries, she didn’t even wait for Sam to respond. “Look, I’m wondering when you’re planning on wrapping things up back home. It’s been nearly a month.”
Sam exhaled sharply and ran her hand through her hair.
Stephanie was right. She had been in Hicksville for nearly four weeks.
The house was almost ready to sell. Sam couldn’t ask Stephanie or the agency to wait much longer.
“Um,” she stammered, trying to buy time.
“Well, things are wrapping up here. When would you need me there?”
“I’m sorry.” Stephanie seemed to recall why Sam was on leave in the first place.
“I really am not trying to be insensitive. But, well, we have a big pitch coming up in a few weeks,” she explained.
Sam caught the hint of a smile at the last sentence and braced herself.
“And who better to give it than our newest marketing director?”
Sam’s heart skipped a beat as she quickly processed what Stephanie was saying. “Wait,” she said after gathering her thoughts. “You mean me?”
Stephanie laughed. “Who else would I mean, Sam?
“So I got the promotion?” she asked, trying to hide the nervous excitement in her voice.
“Don’t sound so surprised, Sam. You’ve been killing it at the office for years.
The presentation a few weeks ago was just a formality.
The competition wasn’t even close.” Stephanie paused, her voice dropping its usual brisk and businesslike tone.
“And besides, it’s time you got the recognition you deserve. ”
Sam’s mind raced. “I don’t know what to say,” she stammered.
“Say you’ll be here in two weeks.”
“Two weeks,” Sam echoed, her mind was already racing at the opportunities and challenges the promotion presented. “Of course, Stephanie,” she said. “I’ll be there in two weeks.”
She dropped the phone on the table and pushed out a breath. Instead of feeling excited, she felt a sinking in her stomach. Two weeks. She had two weeks to figure this out.