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I could woo her. I could make the butterflies in her stomach act the way they were in mine every time I thought about her. I just had to stay confident and stay focused.
For the first time ever, I was nervous about a date. But I was going to push through it anyway.
CHAPTER 19
CAMILLA
“I’ve already changed my outfit three times,” I said, holding the phone between my ear and my shoulder as I dug through the closet. “I’ve lost all control and perspective.”
I’d already been through everything in there several times, yet I still had the compulsion to dig through again as if there was a chance the clothes fairy had stopped by to drop off a couple of new options.
“Just hang tight. I’m on my way. We’re going to find you the perfect look for tonight.”
I thanked Fiona and hung up, tossing my phone onto the bed behind me so I could keep looking. As much time as I spent thinking about the date with Alex throughout the week, I hadn’t gotten so far as to plan my outfit. I was far more focused on spending time with him than I was on what I was going to wear, and now that I was an hour from him picking me up, I was wishing I’d put more thought into the preparation aspect.
When Fiona got to the apartment, I went to the door in a skirt, a bra, one shoe, and a look of desperation.
“I would not go with this particular outfit,” she said, coming in and closing the door behind her.
“I’ll take that into consideration,” I said, reaching down to take the shoe off so I could head back to my bedroom.
She fell into step behind me and walked right to my closet when she got in the room. She let out a sigh as she looked at the options hanging in front of her.
“Where are the rest of your clothes?” she asked.
“What do you mean where are the rest of them? That’s it.”
She looked over her shoulder at me. “Seriously?”
“I didn’t exactly prioritize my wardrobe when I was trying to get away from Doug and start over,” I said.
Fiona glared at me. “You’re going to pull that card?”
“Desperate times,” I said.
She looked back at the closet. “I would agree with that. Alright. Let’s see what we’re working with.”
“Well, what would you wear?” I asked. “If it was your first date with Gus all over again, what would you put on?”
“Lipstick and lotion,” she said, flashing me a mischievous grin.
“Alright, so I’m going to go with a few more layers than that,” I said.
She shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
It took her a few minutes to come up with an outfit, but when I put it on, I knew it was exactly the right thing to wear. The dark blue skirt was part of one of my interview outfits, but when paired with the gauzy blouse from another outfit and a pair of heels, it looked elegant with just the slightest hint of sexy.
That was what I was going for, not wanting to come out of the gate too intense. I wanted to look good, but it wasn’t my style to look like I was offering up more than just my dinner company on the first date. That was especially important that night. This was the first real date I’d had in many years. I was just emerging from the horror of my last relationship and discovering myself again. No matter how attracted to Alex I was and how much he turned me on, I didn’t want to rush into anything I might regret. Taking things slow would give me the chance to get to know him and find out who I was in this new stage of my life.
I just hoped he felt the same way.
When I was dressed, Fiona helped me with my makeup. It felt a little like I was getting ready for prom, but I liked having her there with me. I knew she was happy for me and had been waiting for me to come alive again. There was never any question in her mind that I was worth far more than what I had with Doug and that someday I would find someone who would prove that to me.
I wasn’t ready to take the leap yet to say I’d absolutely found that in Alex, but it was a start. I was grateful for Fiona, our friendship, and the support she gave me. When I was ready, just minutes before Alex was supposed to arrive, she gave me a hug. She pulled back, holding my upper arms and looking at me with a soft smile in her eyes.
“Have fun,” she said. “Like, seriously. Have fun. Don’t think about anything or anyone else. Just enjoy yourself. You deserve it.”
