Page 37 of Home Is Where You Are

“You’re going to have Gentry eating out of the palm of your hand.” She giggled.

“Don’t even. I’m not wearing this for him. I’m wearing this because I feel good in it and to keep you from throwing a fit because of how good I look in it.” I couldn’t deny this outfit was fire.

“Now shoo and go get the horse stench off you. You should leave your hair natural tonight. That curly hair down is going to make this outfit even hotter than it is right now.”

She went back over to the closet to rummage through it for an outfit for herself, as I left her to it and went and showered. Did she forget how hot it was in Texas? There was no way I’d be able to leave my hair down tonight without it being a frizzy mess as soon as we left the house.

Fifteen minutes later, I walked out of the steam-filled bathroom with a towel wrapped around my body and one in my hair, the outfit Aspen chose clenched in my hand.

Hurriedly, I walked down the hallway into my room and shut the door behind me.

After quickly drying off, I got dressed.

Aspen followed suit. I peered over at her, and my friend was drop-dead gorgeous.

She picked out an outfit like mine, only she was in a fitted tank top instead of a sleeveless shirt. Dylan was going to have a hard time tonight that was for sure.

“We are two beautiful ladies.” She laughed as she styled her hair in an updo.

“Why do you get to put your long hair up, and I have to leave mine down?” I pouted as I began the lengthy process of putting all the product in my hair to hopefully tame the frizz that was sure to come as soon as the humid night air hit it.

“Because you look smokin’ with your naturally curly hair. If I had your curls, my hair would be down too, but my board straight, won’t hold a curl no matter what I do hair does better when it’s up, and it’s not boring this way. Trust me.”

“Well, when I have to put it up five minutes after leaving, you can’t complain. This bar has an outdoor section that we will likely be at, and it’s hot as hell outside.”

“Deal.”

Right before the one-hour mark was up, I was done with diffusing my hair and putting on a minimal amount of makeup I usually wore. Mascara and lip gloss.

Aspen and I checked ourselves in the mirror one more time as a knock sounded at the door.

“You girls ready?” Dylan called from the other side.

He knew better than to just walk in on us. He walked in on me in a towel once, and he never made that mistake again.

Aspen pulled the door open, and I was so glad that I was behind her to take in the look on Dylan’s face.

His eyes looked her up and down, not once but twice. Twice. That man had it bad for our friend.

Dylan gulped before he came to his senses.

“You ladies look beautiful as always,” he said as he briefly looked at me, then his eyes were back on Aspen.

He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She deserved a man like Dylan, and hopefully before long, he’d spill the beans.

Because I knew my friend, and she loved him just as much as he loved her. She just wanted him to make the first move.

Maybe after tonight he would.

The three of us walked down the stairs to make a quick bite to eat.

As we walked into the kitchen, I pointed to the island barstools for Dylan and Aspen to take a seat as I walked over to the fridge to grab the ingredients to make us each a sub with a side of fruit. There was no way I was going out tonight without food in my stomach. Been there, done that. Didn’t want the T-shirt.

Gentry walked into the kitchen just as I placed meat, cheeses, condiments, and a fruit tray on the island.

His steps faltered for just a beat. I looked up at his face, but he masked his features, before he continued making his way over to the island.

“Want some help?” Gentry asked as he stopped right beside me.