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Jay smirked knowingly. “Let’s cut to the chase. Right now, I bet there are two people in Shelby who know what you and Lawson got up to last night. Well—maybe three. Let’s face it, the odds that Mitzi hasn’t told Steele yet are slim to none. Anyway, while Evie and I eat dinner, you’re gonna go get dolled up for the most anticipated date of the century; and by tomorrow mornin’, the whole town’s going to be whisperin’ about the Christmas miracle that is you and my brother.”
“Lawson—Lawson’s comin’ here?” Nora muttered dumbly.
Jay reached out and tenderly took hold of Nora’s shoulders. “The way he told it, last night, the magnetic effect y’all have been resistin’ for years beat the both of you. But tonight, he’s gonna treat you like the lady you are. Now, go get ready. I’ve got Evie,” she insisted, turning Nora toward her bedroom.
A gentle shove had Nora stumbling down the hallway mutely. Upon crossing the threshold of her room, she took one look at her bed and the thought of a night out with Lawson felt like the lesser of two evils. She couldn’t decide if she was ready to see him again or not. She hadn’t had the time to properly process the night before or that very morning—but it seemed she wasn’t going to get the chance. Though, given the option between a night out with Lawson and a night out with Creed, she knew who she would choose.
Lawson. It was always Lawson.
“Chop, chop, mama!” hollered Jay playfully.
“What’s mommy doin’?”
“She’s gettin’ ready for a date.”
“Mommy has a date? Like Auntie Belle and Dedective Steele?”
“Wow, you knowwaymore about romance than I thought. But, uh, yeah—just like that.”
Nora glanced over her shoulder, staring down the vacant hallway as she continued to listen to their exchange.
“Will she put on lipstick like Auntie Belle? I’ve never seen mommy wear lipstick.”
“I don’t know, kiddo. We’ll have to wait and see. You want ketchup?”
“Yes, please.”
Nora-Jean frowned as she thought about Evie’s comment. She knew her daughter was a sponge who had an uncanny ability to soak up everything that was happening around her. While it was true, Nora hadn’t been on anything even resembling a date since Evie had been born, she never thought that was something her daughter might notice. In that moment, it hit her for the first time that if she never put herself out there in pursuit of love, Evie would never have a clear example of what it was supposed to look like. Nora-Jean had exerted so much effort trying to shield Evie from anything that came even close to the life Earlene had subjected her to, she didn’t realize she was robbing her of a full picture of what it meant to be a woman.
Before she tumbled down the rabbit hole of areas where she was failing as a parent, she closed herself in her bedroom, suddenly determined to show Evie what it looked like when mommy went on a date.
She continued toward her closet, certain it would take a miracle to be ready in only forty-five minutes. Seeing as she’d tossed her wet hair in a bun that morning, she knew she wasn’tgoing to be able to salvage that mess without a co-wash, at least. It would take her thirty minutes alone to dry and style it. Seeing as she wasn’t like Mitzi and hardly ever wore a full face of makeup—post or pre Lawson—it was her hair she relied on to truly dress up an outfit.
Nora didn’t bother sorting through items at the front of her closet. She knew anything date worthy would have been shoved in the very back and nearly forgotten. When her fingers found a solid black, long-sleeved, calf-length, ribbed bodycon sweater dress, she didn’t second guess herself. She grabbed it, along with a burgundy, corduroy jacket, and a pair of black ankle booties—all of which she discarded on the bed before she raced for the shower.
She was in and out in record time. Wrapped in a towel, she immediately set out to dry her hair. Nora was so focused on getting ready as quickly as she could manage, she didn’t have time to overthink what she was getting readyfor. As she’d predicted, it took twenty minutes before her chestnut tresses were dry enough to style.
She thanked her experience as a single mother for her ability to wield a curling iron and apply eyeliner then mascara simultaneously. With her hair curled and her eyes done up, she made quick work of slathering herself in lotion before donning a matching thong and bra set and then slipping into her dress. Her shoes went on next before she returned to the bathroom mirror, where she softened her curls by running her fingers through them. Once she was happy with the voluminous look, she searched for a tube of lip gloss and applied a generous amount upon finding it.
When she was finished, she sighed as she took in her reflection. She wasn’t the girl she’d been at twenty-four years old—but at thirty-one, she was nothing to scoff at. Certain this wasas good as it got, she hit the bathroom light and returned to the bed to put on her jacket.
She heard the movie pause as soon as she opened her bedroom door.
“I think mommy’s ready,” said Jay in an excited stage-whisper.
Evie gasped as she announced, “I wanna see.”
Nora wasn’t halfway down the hall before Evie was at the mouth of it, her little hand reaching for the overhead light’s switch. Evie grinned at the sight of her mother, then was quick to close the distance between them. As soon as she was within reach, Nora bent down and scooped her daughter into her arms.
Wrapping her limbs tightly around her mother, Evie murmured, “You look so pretty.”
“Thanks, mini-me.”
“I ate all my broccoli, and we started watchin’Encanto. Mr. Lawson is watchin’, too, but Miss Jay said he’s gonna take you on a date as soon as you’re ready. Are you ready?”
The nerves in Nora’s belly tightened at the mention of Lawson, and her attention shot toward the living room as he stepped into view. He looked as handsome as he ever was, maybe even more so. His age was an accessory he wore extraordinarily well. He was dressed in boots, dark jeans, and a white, button-up shirt beneath the brown leather jacket she’d handed him that morning. His hair was as long as it had ever been, the ends draped over his collar.
“She looks ready to me,” he said softly.
