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Footsteps sound from inside, and I glance up as Lucy opens the door. I grin when I see her. She’s wearing a pair of yoga pants with several holes here and there, and an old t-shirt that’s been washed so many times that it’s threadbare and see-through in some spots. Her hair is piled up on her head, a few dark strands falling around her face and neck.
With no makeup, no filters, and no bullshit, I can confidently say that she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I might like this look more than the cute outfit she had on yesterday.
“You look gorgeous,” I say with a smile, meaning every word. “Are you ready to go to dinner?”
Lucy scowls at me and I know she was hoping for a different reaction. I anticipated something like this. I figured that I was either going to show up to the wrong house or she was going to try to dress down in an attempt to drive me away or make me lose interest in her.
“Yep,” she sighs, stepping out onto the porch with me and closing the door behind her. At any point, she could tell me to go away. She could have slammed the door in my face and sent me home. Not that I would have left that easily, but my point is, Lucy is here. With me. She might not think we’re connected, but we are. I know my woman wants this as much as I do.
I take Lucy’s hand in mine as I lead her over to the truck. Her hand is soft and clammy in mine, and I wonder if she’s nervous about our date.
That has to be a good sign, right?
I help her into the truck and she settles in the seat as I climb behind the wheel. Resisting the urge to rest my hand on her thigh, I start the car before looking over at her again. She has her arms crossed over her chest in a defensive stance, much like Noah during our Saturday session.
Who hurt you, sweet girl?
I can’t dwell on that thought right now, however. I might let my mind wander into dark places, imagining all the ways I’d make those responsible pay.
“I thought we would grab dinner for starters. Is there anything you’re hungry for?” I ask as I back out of her driveway.
“Whatever you want is fine,” she says, staring out the passenger window.
“How was your day? What did you do?” I ask, trying to get to know her better.
“I just did some work.”
“What do you do for work?”
“I’m a freelance website designer.”
“That’s cool. You must be pretty good with computers then.”
“I’m proficient enough,” she says, but I get the feeling she’s being modest.
We head toward downtown and I search for a good restaurant option. I barely remember half of these restaurants and I’m guessing they opened while I was gone. We never had a lot of money when I was growing up, so we rarely ate out. Even if they had been around for a few decades, the chances that I’ve eaten there are slim to none.
Downtown is still pretty busy with couples and families milling around. I park outside of an ice cream shop and we hop out.
“We can walk and see what sounds good,” I say, reaching for her hand as I help her out of my truck.
She half-heartedly tries to pull away from me but I squeeze her hand and she sighs, leaving our hands intertwined.
We only make it a few steps when I spot a familiar face in the crowd.
“Remington!” Asher Mayson calls as he waves and heads our way.
“Hey, man. It’s good to see you again,” I tell him, shaking his hand with my free hand. “Asher, this is my Lucy. Lucy, this is Asher Mayson.”
“Nice to meet you,” Asher tells Lucy, and she smiles, tugging on the hem of her shirt. I wrap my arm around her shoulders, tucking her into my side. I don’t want her to be embarrassed about her outfit choice when meeting someone new. It was for my benefit, after all.
“You too.”
“When did you get back? How was your time in the military?” Asher asks me. “Are you out for good?”
“Yup. I got out a few months ago but I just got back to town a couple of weeks ago,” I tell him.
“We’ll have to catch up soon,” he says, and I nod.
