21. Addie
Chapter twenty-one
Addie
A real date. His words are still buzzing through my ears. What would a real date with Hayden Cohen even look like? I keep wondering all and more about Hayden, my childhood crush, who magically re-emerged at the center of my life.
But my thoughts were interrupted with a ring of a doorbell. When I open the front door, I see Sam there with a pile of luggage.
At first, I was caught off guard, thinking someone malicious had broken in, but after I realized it was my dear friend, I relaxed.
But it was still a surprise to see her.
“Sam!” Luna exclaims before jumping into her arms.
“Samantha.” I use her full name for effect. “What on Earth are you doing here?”
I take my turn giving her a hug, and then I wait for her reply.
“What? I just really missed my girls!”
She’s still holding my daughter on one side of her body, and she takes one whiff of her hair and announces that she smells like a pool.
“That would make sense because she was swimming.”
Sam’s eyes bug out. “You’re kidding.” Of course, she knows all about my past issues with water and my reluctance to teach Luna how to swim. “Did you finally sign her up for classes, or what?”
“Not exactly.”
When Luna is down on her own two feet again, I instruct her to go take a shower.
“Yes, Mom.”
Then, Sam and I are left alone, and I drag her into the dining room.
“Care for a glass of whiskey?” I offer.
Sam’s jaw drops. “Seriously?” She then checks her strappy leather watch and says, “It’s only three.”
I shrug. “It’s five o’clock somewhere, right?”
My friend sits down on the couch and leans her arm over the back of it.
“Wow. I like this new Addie.”
Pouring two glasses for both of us, I join her and sip on mine.
“We were at Hayden’s. Just now. That’s where we were, and that’s where Luna was swimming.” I’m saying it in such a way that it feels like I’m confessing to a murder or something.
Sam chuckles. “Well, okay. None of that is a crime, babe.”
I take a deep breath in and out. “I know that. Of course, I know that. It’s just—”
“Just what?”
“He asked me out on a date. A real date.” I’m not sure why I emphasized it the same way he did, but it felt poignant at the moment.
She gasps and puts her glass down on the side table next to the sofa.
“But I haven’t given him an answer yet.”
Her hands reach over and engulf mine. “Addie, why?”
I swallow a mixture of my own spit and liquor. “I don’t know. It’s scary.”
“Well, of course it is. Dating in and of itself is scary. But think of the ultimate pay-off you could get here!”
We both hear the shower upstairs turns on.
“You could all be a family,” she whispers.
Or I could destroy any hope we ever had of becoming that.
All the stress is making me have heart palpitations, and I rub at my chest.
“Come on, Adds. What do you say? It’s just one night. I think it could be fun.”
I look at her out of the corner of my eyes. “Why are you so for this? Like you’ve brought up many times, you don’t know the guy.”
“I don’t need to. Well, yes. Eventually, I’ll need to meet him. Especially if you two boneheads decide to run away and elope in Vegas or something.”
I chuckle. “Vegas? Yeah, right. I’m thinking the Caribbean or something fancy like that might be much more up his alley.”
“Tomato tomahto. But that isn’t the focus here.”
I know she’s right.
“Come on. Just give it a chance. I’ll handle everything here, and I’ll watch Luna.”
My head tilts to the side. “Are you sure?” I can’t even believe I’m considering this.
“Of course. Besides, I told you. I missed my girls. Well, despite the fact that I talk to you on the phone all the time.”
“Okay, okay.” Point taken. I’d be annoyed if I wasn’t so touched that she liked my kid so much. Not that I could blame her. She is pretty freaking cool.
“So, you’ll do it?”
“I—I don’t know. Honestly, I’m not even sure if he was serious about any of it.”
“Only one way to find out!” She takes my phone and swings it back and forth in her hand.
“Give me that.” I snatch it from her and unlock the screen. “What should I say?”
“Well.” She runs her fingers through her long hair. “If I were you, I’d make a bold move and just agree to the date. Kidding or not, where can he go from there? I mean, either than to come pick you up for the most romantic night of your whole entire life?”
“Fine.”
She’s making me feel empowered, perhaps, unreasonably so.
But nevertheless, I type out:
We’re on for dinner tonight. 8:00 p.m.
Before I can second guess myself or change my mind, I hit “send,” and then show her.
“Damn girl!” She collects the fingers of her right hand together and kisses all of them. “I couldn’t have done it better myself.”
But after a few seconds pass, and Hayden is calling me, I start to panic.
It was all good and well when I was being cocky via text. But on the phone? I’m not sure I can pull that off.
“What do I do?”
I try to pass the device over to her, but she treats it like a hot potato and flings it back.
“Answer it!”
“What do I say?”
“That you’re excited about the date! Keep up with this new persona you were working with. It’s hot, and I’m sure he thinks so too.”
To capitalize on her point, she reaches over and honks my tit.
Then, her tongue comes out of her mouth and rests on the side of her upper lip, while her eyebrows dance up and down. “Trust me on this.”
“Ugh!”
My heart is still beating, and my hands are shaking, but I gather all the courage I have in my body and answer.
“Hello?”
“Addie, hey!” His voice sounds optimistic and hopeful. “How—how are you?”
Sam encourages me by spinning her hand.
“I’m good. You?”
He chuckles lightly. “I’m good. So, are we really on for eight tonight?”
I hold the phone away as I gulp, but then say, “Uh-huh. If you still wanted to do that . . . Of course.”
Sam closes her eyes and slumps back dramatically.
“What?” I mouth.
“You have the control here. You!”
Oh, right. “Um, I mean. Yes. Yes, that is what I’d like to do.”
I hear him laugh again. “Okay, weirdo.”
He’s right. I am being unbelievably weird.
I’m about to back out of the whole thing when he says, “How do reservations at Le Petit Paris sound?”
“You’re kidding?” That’s one of the hottest restaurants in town, and I just read somewhere online that the waiting list for a table is like a month’s long.
“No, I’ve got a guy who can hook us up. I’ll plan to pick you up around 7:30, then?”
Oh, no. “No, why don’t I just meet you at the restaurant. That’s easier.”
“Easier, sure. But I meant what I said, Addie. I want this to be the real deal. No more fake Mr. and Mrs. Cohen.”
My stomach fills with butterflies.
Suddenly, I hear the water upstairs turn off.
Luna. “Um, but what about Luna? If she catches even the slightest sight of you, the night is done for.”
“I’m sure it will be fine. But why don’t I come around seven instead. Just to be sure. So, if Luna wants to hang out for a bit, we’ll have plenty of time. Besides, you’ll never hear me complain about getting to spend more time with her.”
Sam is close enough that she can hear his every word. And after that, she pouts and makes a heart with her hands.
After that, I’m truly out of excuses. So, it’s happening. I’m going on a date with Hayden Cohen.
Oh, my God!
***
“Luna, we need to help your mom get ready for tonight,” Sam later explains as she brushes my daughter’s wet hair.
In response, her nose scrunches. “Ready for what?”
My friend looks to me to take charge.
“Um. I’m having dinner with a . . . friend.”
Her eyes then light up. “With Hayden?”
Oh, Lord. I often forget how perceptive she can be.
Since she’s guessed it, I see no reason to hide it. “Yes. I’m going out with Hayden. Is that—is that okay with you?”
Sam stops her brushing while we wait for her response.
“Seriously?”
I’m holding my breath while I wait for what I hope to be a positive reaction.
A smile spreads across her face as she says, “Of course, it’s okay! Hayden’s the best. And he’s very, very handsome, Mom.”
Sam makes a funny face at me, and I giggle like a maniac.
When Luna is all sorted for the night, she wastes little time scurrying from her bathroom and into my bedroom.
“No, no, no,” she says as she sorts through my closet. “None of this is any good. Sam, what’ve you got?”
“Oh, no.” I know for certain that I can’t pull off anything my trendy, cool friend has packed.
But after whispering between the two of them, she goes out and then appears with a blush dress in her hands.
Not to be offensive, but it’s surprisingly classy for her taste. It’s a satin material, and it’s roused up in all the perfect places.
But she’s a bit taller and skinnier than me, so I’m not sure how it will look.
“Just try it.”
Reluctantly, I do, and it manages to fit me like a dang glove.
“What is this, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Dress ?”
Sam shrugs. “I guess so.”
To finish my look off, they sit me down at my vanity, apply a “minimalistic” makeup look, and put my hair up in a classy bun.
As for my jewelry, Luna insists that I wear a pear-shaped necklace.
“Hopefully, she’ll be wearing another one by the end of the night,” Sam jokes.
Fortunately, that flies right over my young daughter’s head.
When they’re finished, they insist that I stand in front of the long mirror.
“You look so beautiful,” Luna says, hugging my side.
“Aw. Thank you, sweetie.”
“You really do,” Sam agrees. As much as my daughter’s compliments touch my heart, my friend’s cut a little deeper. Because I know she doesn’t automatically put me on the same pedestal that Luna does. If I looked like hot trash, Sam would be the first one to tell me—and I love and respect her for that.
Looking at my reflection, I have to admit that I do look pretty good. But I’m still shaking like a leaf.
“You’re going to do great!”
Ugh, I hope so.
Sam is already aware of the plan for Hayden to come a bit early in case Luna gets distracted by his presence. But after hearing the doorbell go off, she scoots my daughter along into the living room and asks if she wants to watch Moana.
Ohhh! A very smart move, indeed. If there’s one thing you can’t pull Luna’s attention away from, it’s that darn movie.
“Have fun!” Sam mumbles before disappearing and leaving me all on my own.