Comfy, Casual At It's Finest.

The rest of Monday was spent with a few tears and a lot of cleaning. I scrubbed my kitchen, dining room and living room top to bottom. Then vacuumed all the rugs in the house and scrubbed both bathrooms. I don’t know if I was just eager to get everything cleaned on my day off, especially with the nice weather, or if I was more into cleaning everything in my house because I was sad and looking for a fresh start. Whatever the reason was, my house was spotless, which was great considering Cole would be picking me up for our date tonight, and my family would be coming to stay this weekend. And if I knew my dad he would be the first one to say something about how a cleaning lady obviously hasn’t come over or how he hates cooking in a dirty kitchen so we were all going out to eat instead.

Anyways, no time for stress about my dad coming to visit, I was mentally preparing my outfit and makeup choices for my date tonight while I served coffees and freshly baked pastries at work. Sky was meeting me at my house with clothes from her closet that I could borrow if need be, and to help me calm my nerves while I got ready. Thank god for that.

At one I decided to take a lunch break. I grabbed half a Panini and made a mango smoothie then headed outside to eat at one of the tables in front. I was almost done with my sandwich when my eyes caught Andrews across the street. Are you kidding me! I gave him a stern look of warning, begging him from across the street to stay over there and not come over. Not only did I not want to being my personal problems inside of my work place but I also didn’t want my problems with Andrew to ruin my afternoon and make me blah for my evening with Cole. That wouldn’t be fair to him and it’s not fair to me either.

I should have known the look wouldn’t work, because before I knew it he was making his way over to me and I was making my way back into the café for cover. I hoped he would get the hint seeing me walk away from him, but of course he didn’t. I dashed behind the counter, turning my back to the door and cleaning up my plate and cup while Danielle, the college girl Maureen hired to work a few days a week rang customers out. I was thankful that I wasn’t here alone and that maybe ignoring him would be easier. Again plan back fired. Andrew waited in line behind four other people, then specifically asked Danielle to get me. I zoned in on my cup, trying to ignore the two of them and get rid of the goose bumps that had taken over my whole body upon hearing my name come out of Andrew’s mouth.

“Jessica, he’s asking for you...” I heard Danielle say twice before asking Andrew to step and wait at the second register so she could continue to help the people in line.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes, and pulled myself together before turning around to face him. I sighed a little as his eyes caught mine when I turned, “what…” I asked softly, hopeful he would realize how much this all was affecting me and would just leave. Damn, I didn’t think seeing him again was going to be so hard.

“I don’t want to give up on you Jess,” he whispered leaning over the counter a little so no one else could hear him talking to me. “Please just give me a chance to explain.” He asked, looking hopeful that I would say yes. His eyes burning into me, silently begging for my forgiveness.

My hands covered my face as I took a deep breath, trying to figure out what to say and what to do. I shrugged a little, smiling weakly, knowing if I opened my mouth I would probably cry.

“I hate seeing what this is doing to you. What I’m doing to you. I want to make it right...” He whispered. “Please.”

I wiped at my eyes, “fine.” I said softly and weakly, the word just barely escaping my mouth. “But I can’t tonight.” I added, trying to avoid eye contact.

“Oh…” he said in a disappointed voice, sounding slightly surprised that I had plans and couldn’t just come coming back to him.

“How does Thurday at noon sound? I get out of here at 12 and I can meet you for lunch somewhere?” I suggested, figuring if we meet on mutual grounds it would be easier to get up and leave if need be. Also, if I’m in public maybe I won’t completely lose my mind and cry like a baby in front of him. And Friday was a few days away, so maybe I could come up with something to say.

“Sounds good, I’ll cancel my afternoon appointments and text you around 1230 and we can figure out a place?” He said, smiling now. Role model man for perfect teeth, holy cow.

“Yes, good…” I said, looking at him, wondering why he wasn’t leaving. Yes he was nice to look at but it was crushing me even more having to stare at something I knew I couldn’t have.

After Andrew left I finished up my shift then headed home around 4 to prepare for my night with Cole, who would be picking me up at 7.

I ran a hot bath and poured myself a glass of wine to try and unwind and get all the Andrew drama out of my head. I grabbed a book from my bookcase, then sank down into the tub, sighing as I relaxed back and let the warm water engulf me. I set my book down on the floor and sipped my wine then sank down even further so only my head was showing now, leaning my head back and closing my eyes.

Before I knew it, it was 5 and time to start getting ready. I grabbed my razor and shaved my legs and armpits while the tub started to drain, then stood up and turned on the shower, rinsing off and washing my hair. After relaxing under the water for a few minutes too long my fingers began to prune, and I climbed out of the shower, wrapping a towel tightly around me and then grabbed another towel to dry my hair a little.

I padded through the house and set up at my makeup desk, grabbing my phone and smiled seeing a text from Cole. “I am looking forward to tonight. I can’t wait to see you. Casual comfy clothes are perfect. J”

I headed towards the closet then, casual clothes definitely were not what I had in mind for our first date, but I could figure it out. Just as I was reaching for a pair of dark jean shorts I heard Sky yelling hello from the mudroom. “Upstairs!” I yelled back, tossing the shorts onto the bed as Sky and Daisy came bounding up the stairs into my room.

“I hope that’s what you’re wearing tonight” Sky said laughing as she looked over at me in my robe with my hair up in a towel. Yes I know, natural fashionista.

“this is not what I am wearing, fortunate enough for the public eye, BUT I don’t know what I’m wearing because Cole just texted me and told me to dress ‘causal comfy’” I said turning back to her, “so I’m thinking those jean shorts,” I add pointing to them on the bed, “with a cute shirt, which I can’t decide on, and then maybe converse?” I say sighing in defeat, “I literally have no clue what to wear..!”

Sky walked over and stood next to me, peering into my closet, “hmmm” she said scanning through my large collection of clothes which explain the reason I’m always so poor. “What about this?” she said reaching and grabbing a white tube top off the hanger, “with the jean shorts and boat shoes?” she added bending over to grab a pair of boat shoes from the floor of my closet, “causal, cute and comfy.” She said triumphantly.

“I like it,” I say tossing the top and shoes onto the bed then walked over and sat at my makeup desk to get ready quickly before getting changed.

I brushed on a light tan color eye shadow, putting eye liner on only the top and bottom outer corner of my eyes, then loaded up on mascara. Hellooooo luscious long eye lashes! After feeling satisfied with my eyes I rubbed on some concealer and a bit of bronzer then a very thin coat of nude lip stick.

“Want me to do your hair?” sky offered as I ran a brush through it quickly untangling it.

“Yes please!” I say turning and smiling at her over my shoulder. For a girl with years of experience, I never was good at my hair.

I shook my head a little, tossing my hair as she walked over and ran her fingers through my damp hair then quickly started to blow dry it. After a few minutes she turned the dryer off and plugged in my hair curler, brushing my hair as it heated up.

 “So Andrew came to my work today…” I said softly as she sectioned off my hair to do it. Not moving and staring at me waiting for an explanation.

“I don’t know what else there is to say. He just showed up and wouldn’t leave until I spoke to him. Then he kept asking to meet up so we could talk, that way he could explain himself.” I said, leaving it there for now, staring down at my hands as she began curling pieces of my hair.

 “I told him I could see him Friday…” I said pausing to see her reaction, “but before you freak out, it’s just a quick lunch, and anyway, I don’t want to talk about him when I’m about to go out with Cole.” I said, my voice begging for her to drop the subject. I know I shouldn’t have brought it up if I didn’t want to talk about it but I couldn’t help myself. I needed to get it off my chest and I trusted her to not judge.

She stood in silence, fixing and finishing up with my hair, big loose wavy beachy curls hanging down then placed the curler down, “all set,” she said smiling, “now get dressed, Cole will be here soon!”

I sighed, relieved that she had dropped the Andrew subject and smiled back at her in the mirror, “thank you,” I said motioning to my hair, although I think we both knew it was for letting Andrew go for the moment.

I stood and changed quickly, pulling on a nude thong and strapless bra then pulling on the top, adjusting it over my bra and slipping on my jean shorts and tucked my shirt into it then buttoned them. I turned and examined myself in the mirror, smiling at what I saw. Just as I was slipping into my shoes I heard a knock at the door. “oh my god its him!” I said turning to Sky, suddenly so nervous. “How do I look?”

“Great, now go let him in before he starts to sweat! Its humid out there,” she said laughing, “ill clean this up, you have fun!” She added motioning to the mess from getting ready.

“Thank you!” I said hugging her the grabbing my black cross body purse and headed down the stairs, “I owe you one” I said as I turned the corner is headed for the front door. I paused reaching it, taking a deep breath and then opened the door, smiling as I saw Cole, looking better than ever. “Hello..”