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This is going to be a weird first date for whatever schmuck Melissa is bringing, the poor guy.
“Yes, ma’am, part of your party is already here, right this way.” She guided me through the dining room, turning the corner into a little alcove with our own candlelit table.
Jon stood. “Wren, you made it.” He beamed, looking me up and down, approving of my outfit choice before kissing my cheek and pulling out the chair next to him. I wore strappy heels and a fitted black sleeveless dress that had a high neckline. It stopped about mid-thigh. Classy enough to wear to whatever event Jon wanted to drag me to, and it also wasn’t so revealing that I was crawling out of my skin.
I took time getting ready today, doing an everything shower and putting an ungodly amount of product into my hair to combat the frizz before straightening it, which I rarely ever did.
Alex had liked it curly.
But Alex was dead, and Jon liked it straight.
I was here with Jon and would stay focused on him tonight.
I knew Jon had been waiting for me. He had been waiting for me every day for the last five years.
And Alex would want me with Jon. Alex trusted Jon and would be happy for me in whatever choice I made.
“Can I interest you in wine?” The waitress went to fill my glass, but I stopped her before a drop could spill.
“No, thank you, just water.”
She smiled politely and set the bottle back down on the table. “Would you like to order anything, or are you waiting for your other guests?”
“We will wait for the guests, thank you,” Jon answered before turning to me. He slung an arm over the back of the chair, and I tried to keep myself from bowing away from his touch on my upper back.
Jon is not a threat. Jon is a friend.
Breathe.
“You look amazing. Those workout classes have done wonders for you.”
My body had filled out. I gone from having nofood to a habit of munching and snacking. I was always eating something. I didn’t have the self-control to stop. I also didn’t think I needed to stop. I had loved the way I looked seven years ago. I wasn’t all sharp edges and bruises. Now that I spent three days a week at the gym, I had thinned out. I was trim but muscled.
Now, I could take down any full-grown man that dared to see me as his next victim.
I loved my body then, and I loved it now.
“Thank you.” Jon wasn’t a threat to me; he had done so much to help me, and I was eternally grateful to him, but there would always be a small part of me that felt like I was betraying Alex. “How’s work?”
Jon went into a long speech about the court system and whatever case he was working on. I did my best to keep up, but I kept looking around the room, people-watching. Listening to a lawyer talk just reminded me of the hell I’d experienced for the first year after Alex’s arrest.
Jon couldn’t be Alex’s lawyer at the time but got him someone he said would do what he could to keep Alex from getting a life sentence.
All my letters were sent back. My requests for visitation were denied.
Then Gloria got sick.
I’d had more imperative things to worry about then. I mentally shook my head, clearing my thoughts and blinking away the tears that threatened to fall.
Right then, Melissa rounded the corner wearing a beautiful maroon dress that was fitted and had a high slit. Jon and I stood, hugging and greeting her.
“Where’s this date?” Jon asked, looking behind her.
“He’s parking the car; it started raining so he dropped me off out front.” Her eyes went wide as she looked at me. “Oh my god—he is hotter in person! The tattoos were a little shocking, but I could get used to them on a man like that.”
I laughed; Melissa was a serial dater. She was hellbent onfinding a husband in the next year. “Well hopefully he’s a good one.” She sat across from Jon and the hostess poured wine for her. She immediately snatched it up, taking a huge swallow. “I think no matter how this ends tonight, I’m taking him home.”
“Oh really?” I didn’t conceal my laughter, leaning back in the chair. “Please do tell.”
