In Every Way (15 page)

After Josh’s declaration that he wanted to take me on a real date and do something nice for us, he texts me saying to dress casual. I’m not even sure what that means. Did he think I’d wear a ball gown so he wants me to wear just a normal dress instead? Did he say it because his old girlfriends always dressed too nice? Does he mean jeans and a shirt or workout clothes?

My stomach sinks at the thought. Surely he wouldn’t take me to the gym on our first date? Ugh.

I’ve been racking my brain to remember who he used to date in high school. I’m pretty sure he had a girlfriend or two—all of the popular guys did—but I can’t remember who. Up until I was whacked with a football on Blue Beach a few weeks ago, I never really cared about that group of people. Did his last girlfriend dress nice for dates? Was she beautiful?

I sigh so hard it makes the hair in my face fly around. Of course she was beautiful. Why wouldn’t she be? So why is he dating me?

The world may never know.

I stare at my vanity; at the collection of crappy cosmetics I’ve accumulated over the years. Makeup is so not my thing, but I feel compelled to wear it for tonight. I only have two hours left until he’s coming to get me, so I need to figure out this whole what-to-wear fiasco immediately, that way I can spend every single second getting ready.

Grandma taps on my doorframe. “Are you going somewhere tonight?” she asks after surveying my state of being wrapped in a bathrobe, vanity full of makeup, dejected look on my face.

“Yeah, um, it’s kind of a date actually.”

Grandma lifts an eyebrow, her bright red lipstick puckering up in surprise. “A date?” She lets herself into my room and sits on my bed. “Well, this is exciting. Who’s the lucky boy?”

When I’d told her I was going to a party with a friend last week, I left off his name. Luckily, I don’t have to lie to her now . . . I just won’t tell her this date is with the same “friend” from the barn incident.

“His name is Josh,” I say, dabbing some foundation on my cheeks with my fingers. “He’s one of Maddie’s boyfriend’s friends.”

Grandma brightens. “Oh, that’s nice. I like Colby.”

She’s only met him once when he dropped off Maddie at my house so we could go to the mall, but Grandma pretty much likes everyone. “When are they coming back from their vacation?”

“Soon,” I say. My teeth bite down on my bottom lip as I focus on my makeup application in the mirror. I can’t exactly look at Grandma now, or I know I’ll blush.

Grandma watches me in the reflection of the mirror. “Is he cute?” she asks, her voice all low and conspiratorial.

I shrug, trying to be cool about it. “Yep.”

“Wonderful,” she says, rising from my bed. “I knew Julie’s makeover would give you a lot more confidence. I’m so proud of you, Bess.”

My phone rings, saving me from any further obligation to talk about Josh and his cuteness. “It’s Maddie,” I say, closing the lid on my powder compact.

“I’ll let you chat,” she whispers, and she ducks out of my room, closing the door behind her.

“Hey,” I say, answering the phone.

“BESS!”

“Don’t sound so surprised,” I say with a laugh. “You’re the one who called me.”

“I know, I know, but Bess! Oh my God! I’m so excited for you!”

“What exactly are you excited about?” I ask slowly, figuring I already know what she’ll say.

“Josh just told Colby about your date tonight. I’m so excited for you, Bess. You’re going to be the cutest couple. Josh is a really good guy.”

“You think?” Now my hands are all shaky and nervous and I can’t focus on finishing my makeup.

“He’s really excited to be going out with you,” she says, her voice all swoony. “When we get home in two days, we’ll have to double date. It’ll be awesome.”

“That’s assuming this date tonight goes even slightly well,” I say with a laugh. “I’m still not convinced I won’t find some way to screw it up.”

“No way, he likes you a lot. Just be yourself, Bess.”

I roll my eyes. “That’s the most overused and non-useful advice ever.”

“I know, but it’s true. I know you and Josh, and you’re both great people. It’ll work out, I promise.”

“Hey, what do you think dressing casual means? Jeans and a shirt?”

“Is it for your date tonight?”

“Yeah, Josh texted me saying to dress casual. I have no freaking idea what that means.”

She chuckles. “Anything will work, trust me. Jeans will be fine.”

“Why did you say it like that? Do you know something I don’t?”

“Possibly,” she says in this way that definitely means yes.

“You know where he’s taking me? You have to tell me! It’s girl code!”

“Not when the secret is super adorable, I don’t. Trust me, you’ll be happy.”

I sigh. “Not even one whole date yet and my best friend has abandoned me for her boyfriend’s friend.”

Maddie giggles. “Wait until the date is over and then tell me if you’re still mad I kept the secret. If so, I’ll apologize, but I’m pretty sure you’ll be psyched. Trust me.”

***

“You look beautiful.”

My eyes roll slightly as I wait while Josh opens his passenger door for me. “You already said that.”

“I know, but it needed to be said again.” Josh looks ridiculously hot in a black button up shirt, the sleeves rolled halfway up his forearms, revealing the taut muscles underneath. His jeans fit snugly against his thighs, making his butt look really cute. I never really knew I liked guy’s butts until now. Maybe it’s just Josh’s.

He’s wearing a spritz of cologne tonight, and the scent is even sexier than his normal coconut shampoo smell.

I pause before climbing inside his truck, and lean forward, kissing him quickly. His hand wraps around my waist and tugs me close as he deepens the kiss. I pull away after a few seconds to catch my breath. “If we start this, we might as well cancel the date right now.”

His eyes sparkle in the moonlight. “Now that’s an idea . . .”

I playfully punch him in the chest. “I went through the effort of straightening my hair and putting on lip gloss for this date, so I’m not about to let it get ruined by making out before the date’s even begun.”

He chuckles, and runs a hand through my hair, letting it slide through his fingers. “I’d hate to mess up this pretty hair,” he says, his voice low and gravely. “I’ll wait until the date is over to get it all tangled up.”

Chills prickle down my neck and heat rises in my belly and the mere thought of making out with him later. I take a deep breath and climb into his truck.

“I can’t believe you talked to my grandma that long,” I say, shaking my head as I relive the moment from a few minutes ago. I’d been getting ready, watching the clock, and wondering why Josh was five minutes late. Then I heard Grandma’s big belly laugh and realized he was already here. He’d been chatting with her the whole time.

“She’s cool,” Josh says, his eyes fliting to me while he drives to our mysterious date location. “She really loves you a lot.”

“Don’t most grandmothers love their grandkids?” I say.

He nods. “I guess you’re right. Still, she’s really nice.”

“I think you impressed her,” I say as I watch the road carefully, trying to guess where he’s taking me.

“Think she likes me better than your old boyfriends?”

It’s a simple enough question, but my answer lodges in my throat. Josh looks over at me, frowning. “Bad question?”

I shrug. “No, it’s just. Well, I’ve never really had a boyfriend. Not, you know, technically.”

Heat burns my cheeks at the confession and I am totally sure he’s going to slam on the brakes, turn around, and drop me off at home because dating a virgin loser like me is just too much for him.

Instead, he tilts his head and watches me with an expression I can’t quite place. “That makes me feel really special,” he says after a moment of long, awkward silence.

I smile, and he reaches over and grabs my knee, his hand warm and strong as he squeezes it affectionately. I put my hand on top of his, letting my fingers slide between his until we’re holding hands in this backward kind of way.

“We’re here,” Josh says a few minutes later.

“The beach?” I say, terror filling my veins. He told me to dress casual,
not
to wear a bathing suit. What if he wants to go swimming or something equally horrific?

“Kind of,” he says, pulling into a parking spot and cutting the engine. He wiggles his eyebrows at me in this goofy way because he knows something I don’t. “Let’s go.”

Josh pulls an ice chest and a backpack from the bed of his truck, and we walk toward a part of the beach I’ve never been to. It’s the private end of Blue Beach, where all the beach houses line up along the shore.

When we reach a metal gate separating the public from the private, he punches in a gate code and the metal bars swing open, allowing us access.

Josh leads me down the sand to a beautiful beach house in pastel blue. “This is my parent’s vacation house,” he explains as he unlocks another gate that leads to the house’s back yard, complete with private swimming pool that overlooks the beach.

I gasp as I take in the sight that he’s planned for us, my eyes instantly filling with tears. I blink a few times to make them go away. No need to cry in front of him on our first official date. The back patio is lit up with clear lights strung everywhere, making a canopy of sparkling beauty above us. Candles are lit on the table, which is set for two with gorgeous purple linen and a centerpiece of white roses.

“These are for you,” Josh says, gesturing to the flowers.

I lean forward and smell them, a grin lighting up my whole face. He pulls out one of the chairs for me, so I sit and try not to choke up at how sweet this whole thing is. Josh takes out the contents of his ice chest—dinner from an Italian restaurant and a bottle of wine, and sets up the meal for us.

“I figured since we met on the beach, our first date should be on the beach,” he explains as he sets out two wine glasses and pours the white wine. He grins. “I even brought a football if you want to seek revenge on me after dinner.”

“That won’t be necessary,” I say. “I think you’ve more than made up for that accident.”

We eat dinner, and even though I thought I’d never be able to eat in front of a guy, it’s not so bad, especially since we spend most of our time talking, laughing, and watching the sun set behind the gorgeous ocean view.

“This was really great,” I tell him after dinner, when we’re sitting at the edge of the pool, our feet splashing in the water.

“It’s not over yet.” Josh checks the time on his cell phone. “I have a surprise for you, and it should be here any minute.”

I lift an eyebrow, but he just grins and wraps an arm around my shoulders. 

A few minutes later, the side gate opens and a thin girl with dirty blond hair lets herself in. I recognize her as Abigail, Josh’s little sister. She’s carrying an old fashioned picnic basket, the kind with a little wooden lid on hinges.

“Everything work out okay?” Josh asks as he rushes over to relieve her of the basket. I’m a little confused, because we already ate dinner.

Abigail waves at me over Josh’s shoulder. “Nice to meet you,” she says.

“You too,” I say back, but Josh shushes his sister.

“You have to go before the surprise is ruined,” he says, giving her a quick hug while he holds the basket out to the side. “But thanks, Abigail. I appreciate it.”

“Anything for love,” she says, throwing me a wink before she disappears through the gate.

“We already ate dinner,” I say, standing up and moving away from the pool’s edge.

“This isn’t dinner,” Josh says, his eyes filled with excitement.

“Then what is it?”

He holds the basket out to me. “It’s your surprise.”

This is it, the moment of truth. Bess will either love the surprise or possibly hate me for it. Like I’ve said, I’m not exactly the most romantic guy ever. A candlelit dinner while watching the sun set is romantic though, at least according to my mom and sister who listened to my entire date idea with eager eyes when I told them about it. They said the dinner would be a hit, no doubt. And so far, it has been. Bess and I are a little tipsy on the wine, but not drunk. It was just enough to loosen us up and melt away the awkwardness of a first date.

Now I hope my surprise makes her happy.

I hold out the basket, which wobbles in my hand. Bess eyes it curiously, like maybe it’ll bite her or something.

“Open it,” I say. “I spent hours trying to think of a way to make our first date special and memorable. I really hope you like it.”

“You mean it’s a gift? Not food?” she says, holding the basket out from her side.

I nod. “The basket was Abigail’s idea. The surprise inside it was mine.” The anticipation is killing me. I lean over and kiss her forehead and resist the urge to tell her to hurry up and open the damn thing.

Carefully, with furrowed brows and a look like she doesn’t quite trust me, Bess opens the lid of the basket.

A tiny little six-week old kitten meows up at her.

“Oh my God,”
she says, tears falling instantly. She drops to her knees on the patio, setting the basket down gingerly. The kitten walks to the edge of the basket and puts her paws up on the rim.

“Oh my God, Josh.” Bess covers her mouth with her hands while tears spill over her eyelashes. But underneath it, she’s smiling as she gazes up at me. “You got me a kitten?”

I sit down next to her, a bundle of nerves and anxiety twisting up in my chest. “Do you like her?”

Bess scoops up the little fur ball and holds it close to her chest. The kitten was the prettiest one in the shelter, solid grey with bright blue eyes. It meows and snuggles against her hands.

“I love her,” Bess says. She tilts her lips up to mine and I kiss her, then I move to sit next to her and rest my chin on her shoulder while she plays with the kitten.

“She has toys, food, and water in the basket too,” I say, lifting the other side of the lid. Abigail did an excellent job of packing everything in neatly, and the little water bowl has a lid over it for the journey. I pull off the lid, but I don’t think the kitten will be drinking anytime soon, because she seems very content to be curled up with Bess.

“Thank you,” Bess chokes out. Her voice is all muddled from the happy tears. I brush her hair behind hear ears and wipe off a tear with my thumb.

“I know you missed Missy a lot,” I say, running my finger over the kitten’s fluffy head. “And you said you were too sad to pick out a new kitten, so I thought I’d save you the heartache and bring one to you.”

“She’s perfect,” Bess says, leaning her head against my chest. In the distance, waves crash onto the shore and the sun’s golden rays cast a romantic glow over a wonderful evening.

“She’s had her shots and everything,” I say while Bess continues to cuddle and whisper to the cat. “And I asked your grandma about it and she gave me the okay.”

“You did
what?
” she says, looking up at me with wide eyes.

I shrug. “I didn’t want to get you in trouble.”

She sighs, sinking back against my chest. “You’re the greatest guy ever.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you since the day we met,” I say, and it makes her laugh. “Have you picked out a name?”

Bess holds up the kitten, its gray fur so fluffy it nearly covers her hand completely. “Blue. Because of her eyes, and the beach.”

“Blue,” I say, trying out the name on my tongue. “That’s a perfect name.”

“I love you,” she whispers to the kitten before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. After a few minutes of playing, Blue tires herself out and falls asleep in Bess’s arms. She carefully puts her back onto the pillow at the bottom of the basket, which we move to the inside of the beach house, setting it on the rug in the living room.

I settle on the couch and watch Bess croon over the kitten. When she’s satisfied that Blue will be asleep for a while, she joins me on the couch.

“I can’t think of a better date,” she says, twisting her fingers into mine.

I kiss her, letting my tongue part her lips, gliding across her cupcake flavored lip gloss. “I can,” I whisper against her mouth.

Her eyes flash with this seductive look that turns me on faster than a kiss ever could. She moves onto my lap, straddling me on the couch.

“You sure you wanna make out in front of Blue?” I say against her lips.

“She’s asleep,” she whispers back, her hands roaming down my chest. She grinds against me, sliding her hands around my neck. I groan in pleasure as her perfect boobs press against me while we kiss.

“Well then,” I say, letting my hands grab onto her ass while we make out. “Let’s have some fun.”