The Fix (The Carolina Connections, #1)(28)

Determined to get me fired up for the date, Fiona showed up early in the evening with a slew of dresses and heels. Since she and I are nowhere in the neighborhood of the same size, my look of confusion must have been evident.

“So I stopped at a couple boutiques. Suck it!”

I would try to argue with her but there was no stopping Fiona and her credit card. So I let her spend the next hour doing my hair and makeup and dressing me up like a Barbie, except one with actual human dimensions. She spent the majority of the time alternating between reveling in her own genius and filling me in on useless gossip that was both totally frivolous and completely entertaining. As only a best friend would do, she’d offered to babysit Rocco during my date. I would have asked Gavin, but I was starting to feel like I was taking advantage of him a bit and I knew he had his, well, drinking or whatever to do in the evenings. Truthfully, I had no idea what he was up to these days.

“This is definitely the one.” Fiona stood back and admired her work, finger to her lips.

I looked down at the form-fitting pink dress. It was sleeveless with wide straps—because, come on, there was no way on earth I could forego a bra—and a pencil skirt that ended just above the knee. Running down the center of the dress was a pretty little vertical ruffle of sorts. I tugged lightly at the ruffle. “You don’t think this is too much?”

“It adds interest and draws the eye vertically—very slimming,” she said.

I was all for slimming, but still. “You don’t think I look a bit like … a vagina?”

She gasped just as the doorbell rang. “Shoes!” she shouted.

Oh well, too late. I shoved on the torture devices she threw at me and headed out to the living room. I paused as I noted for the umpteenth time this week that the cockeyed board on the hallway floor lay flat where it had once caused countless stubbed toes as if that had been its sole purpose on this earth. Nate had fixed it on Saturday and dammit if I didn’t think of him every time I walked down the hall. Sigh. I forced thoughts of Nate aside and entered the living room where Gavin sat on the couch.

“Doorbell,” he said oh-so-helpfully. Then he looked me up and down. “That's a lot of pink. No offense, but you kind of look like a—”

“You must be Alex!” Fiona opened the front door with a flourish.

I knew it! Crap! Too late now.

Alex stepped inside. Annette hadn’t lied—he was super cute. Short-ish blond hair spiked up in artful disarray, and a thin nose held a pair of cool hipster glasses with black frames. He was taller than me in my heels so that was good, and he had great cheekbones, but no scruff, I noticed. Oh well. He wore a gray short-sleeved button down and black pants. Skinny pants. Huh. How did I feel about that?

Fiona swept to the side like the little hostess she is. She motioned to herself. “I’m Fiona, the best friend. That’s Gavin, the brother.” She spared Gavin the slightest gesture and then motioned to me as if presenting Alex to the queen. “And this … is Laney.” Jesus, was she going to curtsey next?

Alex’s face broke into a smile. “Wow, Laney, you look beautiful. I love pink.”

Cough. Shut up, Gavin!

“Thanks. You look nice too.” Didn't they have those pants in your size? I guess I’d figured out my feelings about the pants after all.

God, stop being a bitch, Laney!

He really did have a great smile—nice, even white teeth. But no dimple. Well that’s okay, not everyone can have an awesome dimple.

Come on, give him a chance!

Fiona looked at me and seemed to be attempting to communicate the same command. Let’s do this! “Well, have fun, kids!” she chirped and ushered us out the door.

The drive to the restaurant went as expected for a first date—some overly long silences and some talking over each other in an attempt to ease the awkwardness. Just normal first date stuff.

“I thought we'd try out this new sushi place,” Alex said.

“Oh, okay.” A bit of a risk for a first date, wasn’t it? Not everybody likes sushi. Shut up! You like sushi just fine. “Sounds great!”

We arrived at the restaurant and he opened my door for me. Gotta love a guy with manners. He kept his hand on the small of my back all the way to our table which, while not prompting the flight of any butterflies, was nice.

After we were comfortably seated and had a chance to look over the menu, we placed our orders with the waitress. I stuck to the basics with California rolls, tuna and the like, but Alex went full out experimental. I couldn’t pronounce most of what he ordered, and I was a bit scared to witness him eating it. Eek.

“So, Annette says you and Rocco just bought your house? That's great. Isn't house hunting fun?” he asked with a smirk. Sarcasm, I like it.

“Yeah, it comes in only a close second to a root canal on my list of favorite activities. But now that it’s done I love it.” I relaxed and sipped my water.

“I had to get a new place last year too. I thought my daughter, Allison, would have a hard time adjusting. Her mom stayed in our old place, you know, and we share custody.”

I nodded understandingly.

“But Allison's been an angel—handling the divorce like a champ. Couldn't ask for a better kid.”

That’s sweet, I thought. I needed to give this guy a chance. “Wow, that's great for you. I've heard that can be really hard so it sounds like you lucked out.” I smiled at him. “There’s not even a divorce involved in my move and I think Rocco is going to need therapy to get over it,” I joked.