Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
VALERIA
Valeria has been obsessing over her date with Camila; she’s had about thirty chats with the girls in the last few days about what outfit to wear and where to take Camila.
She’s never been the date planner; Brooke sort of always made the decisions for her, which is why it took her so long to ask Camila out. She couldn’t figure out where to take her or how to even begin planning it.
All she wants is to make Camila feel special—to remind her how much Valeria likes her and how lucky she feels. So for the past couple of weeks, the girls have been uploading restaurant suggestions to the Excel sheet Valeria made to help her figure it out.
When one of them wrote in The Loupe Lounge at the Space Needle, Valeria immediately knew that’s where it had to be. A place that feels like a visual representation of everything Camila makes her feel: high and vulnerable, but steady.
She wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to get a reservation, but it was the only place she wanted to take Camila, so she’d been checking their reservation calendar every day for the past week.
When she saw an opening on Saturday at 4 p.m., Valeria booked it and immediately texted Camila to ask her out.
She’d have liked to do it more romantically, to make it perfect for Camila, but the rush of excitement in her chest wouldn’t let her wait.
Their reservation is in three hours, but Valeria is already running around aimlessly. A nervous energy has been buzzing beneath her skin all morning. Thankfully, the girls are at Valeria’s house, doing their best to keep her head from spinning, and also helping her get ready.
“Okay, let’s do makeup,” Alejandra says, sitting Valeria down at her dining table and rummaging through Valeria’s makeup bag.
“You do makeup, I’ll do hair,” Lily says, following closely behind Alejandra with Valeria’s hair straightener in hand.
“I’ve got drinks!” Clara says, heading straight for the kitchen.
“And I guess I’m moral support,” Isabella says, smiling and winking.
“Thank you, guys.” Valeria is teary-eyed at the fact that her friends are rallying around her like this. She’s always known she’s lucky to have them, has never questioned that fact, but it’s especially hard to ignore when they do things like this just because they know she’s a nervous wreck.
“You don’t need to thank us, silly. We are your family, and this is a big day!” Lily says, wrapping her hand around Valeria’s. “We’re more than happy to help you get ready.”
“Still, thank you.” Valeria squeezes Lily’s hand back.
Almost twenty years of friendship, and all of it traces back to a single afternoon when a loud-mouthed Alejandra had dragged a shy Clara behind her and introduced both herself and Clara to everyone—Isabella, Lily, and Valeria.
From then, she’d gather them all up to hang out, as if she’d already decided they were going to be best friends.
A few minutes into Alejandra working on Valeria’s foundation and Lily separating her hair into sections, there’s a loud pounding at the door.
“Are you expecting anyone?” Alejandra asks.
Valeria shakes her head.
“I’ll go look,” Isabella says, like she is preparing for a fight.
None of them says it, but Valeria knows their mind went exactly where hers did . . . Brooke.
Valeria hasn’t heard from her in months, but she’s not naive enough to think that Brooke is above showing up unannounced or that she meant it when she said Valeria would never see her again.
They all stay deathly quiet as Isabella opens the door and steps out.
If Valeria knows them the way she knows she does, she can almost guarantee all of them are trying to hear through the closed door, trying to decipher the muffled sounds.
Valeria would be lying if she didn’t admit she’s doing the same.
Seconds later, Isabella walks in with a massive bouquet and a smirk on her face.
Everyone takes a collective sigh.
“Someone can’t wait to see you,” she says, waving around a card. Isabella clearly opened the envelope to make sure the flowers weren’t from Brooke, but Valeria can’t seem to care. She’s grateful her friends look out for her.
Isabella hands her the envelope, and Valeria’s nerves instantly ease at the thought of Camila. She takes the note from Isabella’s hands and reads it.
Thinking about you. I know I saw you this morning, but I miss you and can’t wait to see your pretty face tonight. - Cam
“Aww,” a voice says from behind Valeria, and when she turns, all four of her friends are standing over her, reading the note alongside her.
“You’re all so nosy,” Valeria laughs, pressing the note against her chest.
“Don’t act like you wouldn’t be doing the same thing if it were any of us.” Alejandra gently swats Valeria’s back, before taking her seat in front of her again and reaching for the mascara.
Valeria doesn’t refute it because it’s a fair point; she absolutely would, and has. Instead, she reaches for her phone and texts Camila.
Valeria 1:26 p.m.:
The flowers are beautiful, thank you! I miss you. I can’t wait to see you.
Camila 1:26 p.m.:
I’m glad you liked them! T-2 hours!
Camila 1:27 p.m.:
Also, Zoe isn’t nearly as good as you at putting outfits together. She has made me try on at least five outfits, and they’ve all been . . . questionable. So if I show up looking a mess, it’s her fault.
Valeria laughs at the thought of Camila looking anything but perfect.
Valeria 1:27 p.m.:
I highly doubt that’s possible.
An hour of makeup, hair styling, and Valeria is finally ready—or at least her hair and makeup are.
Next is changing, and this is the part Valeria is most nervous about.
For the past couple of days, she’s been indecisive about what to wear, struggling between two outfits.
There’s a black form-fitting dress she likes and would usually wear on a date, and there’s a red dress she loves that’s lived in her closet for close to two years and has never been worn because Brooke wouldn’t ever let her walk out the door in it.
Valeria presses both options against herself, trying to decide, trying to imagine Camila’s reaction at seeing her in each, but even imaginary Camila isn’t helpful, because Valeria is pretty sure she could walk out in just about anything. Camila would still make her feel beautiful.
So, Valeria decides to go with the one that gives her confidence, the one that she feels best in for herself, not for anyone else.
When she slips into the dress and zips it up, she knows she made the right choice.
The red dress is sleek and form-fitting, skimming her figure without clinging too tightly.
It’s low-cut, dipping just enough to remain elegant.
Valeria walks out of her closet in matching red kitten heels, and Lily and Alejandra clasp their hands together over their chests.
“You look perfect,” Alejandra says, her eyes glossy. Clara stands behind her and hugs her, her chin resting on her girlfriend’s shoulder.
“You do, Val,” Clara says sweetly.
Isabella nods, and so does Lily, though Lily is wiping tears from her eyes like Valeria is her and Isabella’s child, and she’s off to prom.
“Why are you guys crying?” Valeria says with a half-hearted laugh, as feelings take over.
“We love seeing you happy and taken care of.” Alejandra reaches for Valeria’s hand. “You deserve it, Val, to love big and have it be returned.”
“I think you guys might be a couple of steps ahead,” Valeria says, hiccupping into a laugh. “This is our first date!” Still, the word lingers, echoing in her thoughts, and she feels them settle warmly in her chest.
“Slow, yes, we know. Still, you’re happy, and it’s all we care about,” Lily says.
“Thank you,” Valeria says, opening her arms to hug all four of her best friends. They all lean into her, and they hug for a few seconds before Valeria’s phone pings, and immediately, her heart skips a beat.
Camila texted her over half an hour ago, saying she was on her way, and that must be her.
“She’s here.” Isabella looks down at Valeria’s phone before handing it to her.
Valeria’s palms are already sweating, and her heart is doing a frantic drum solo against her ribs.
“Thanks,” she says, as she replies that she’s on her way.
“Have the best time.” Clara wraps Valeria in a big hug before each one hugs her as she walks out the door, but not before turning to take one last look at herself in the full-length mirror in her living room.
“You look amazing,” Alejandra says, gently pushing her out the door.
“Love you guys.” Valeria waves as she walks out the door.
“Love you! Text us everything ASAP,” Lily says as Valeria turns toward the parking lot and walks out into the slightly chilly September air.
Valeria’s heart is going haywire. The second she sees Camila leaning over her car, the nerves ease into something manageable as her eyes trace all over Camila and the blazer that sits on her shoulders with a cut so low, Valeria can’t help but trace it down, seeing peeks of tattoos poking through.
“Wow,” Camila says, hearts practically coming out of her eyes as Valeria approaches. “You look incredible.”
“That’s all you,” Valeria says, reaching for Camila’s hand and having her twirl. “You clean up nice.”
“Thank you.” Camila pulls Valeria into a gentle kiss, and Valeria lets herself be led to Camila’s lips, melting into her completely. Any worries she had about tonight disappear the second she’s in Camila’s arms.
A sniffle from behind them startles them, and when they turn, it’s both Alejandra and Lily holding hands as their girlfriends hold on to them and shake their heads.
“I will never stop apologizing for them. I hope you’re ready for a lifetime of nosiness.”
“For you, anything.” Camila presses a quick peck to Valeria’s lips before opening the passenger door for her. Once Valeria is inside, Camila closes it gently before circling to the driver’s seat. As she starts her car, they both lift a hand to wave goodbye to the girls, who wave back eagerly.