Waiting For August

Part 61 ~ Dinner with frenemies

"Please tell me that's not what you're wearing."

I looked down at my suit. Hannah was looking at me expectantly.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Nothing, nothing," she said quietly. "It's just, it's a dinner party, August. Not a funeral."

"Since when is a suit not acceptable for a dinner party?" It wasn't like I was wearing black and white. My suit was navy, my shirt beneath, a medium blue. Did I really need to change?

Hannah sighed. "Of course it's acceptable. It's just that you wear a suit and tie to work every day. Don't you have a sweater or something that you can switch it up with?"

I did. Back at the hotel. "Not here." I mumbled.

"We have time." She said looking at her phone. "I want to go pick up some bon-bons from this little confectionary that I found. I don't think we should show up empty handed."

She was probably right. "I was thinking of bringing flowers."

"That's perfect." She was beaming at me.

Ever since my assault, the ice wall that had grown between us had melted. She'd been so worried about me that when I walked into work on Wednesday, she'd almost knocked me over in her haste to give me a hug. She'd shown up early to work prepared to cancel my day, but so had I. I'd left the hotel soon after Caleb had. Another fight with him had left me feeling hollow. Frustrated. Drained. When she'd thrown her arms around me so enthusiastically, I'm afraid that I'd let her. In that moment, I'd needed that hug.

"Let's divide and conquer. You head back to the hotel and change into something a bit less stiff looking, and I'll go pick up some flowers for you to bring."

I raised my eyebrow. "I look stiff?"

"You're a young guy, August. But you dress like Henry. You look all business all the time. Tonight, let's go for business casual." She crinkled her brow at me as if suddenly considering. "You don't have a decent pair of jeans, do you?"

"Urm... I might, actually."

"Good." She stood up and began herding me hastily towards the door. "Keep the dress shirt, loose the suit, add a sweater and jeans and voila, you'll look perfect."

We pulled up outside Miranda Tremblay's place just before eight, but we weren't alone. Not only had I parked behind a familiar looking mini cooper, but as we gathered on the front porch, we met up with her extremely handsome next-door neighbour as well.

Caleb looked just as surprised to see us as we were to see him.

"Hey," he greeted me with a warm smile. He looked good. All that remained of his encounter with Zeke was a small purple bruise over his left cheekbone. Last night it had been a nasty gash and by tomorrow it would be completely gone. "Fancy meeting you here."

He looked nice. Breathtaking, really. He looked casually comfortable in black jeans and an oatmeal Henley, over which he'd thrown a navy, fair isle cardigan. The blue brought out the colour of his eyes and the weight of the sweater was perfect for fall.

"Hey yourself. I wasn't expecting to see you."

I offered him my hand, only to have him pull me in close for a warm hug. He smelt good. Like, really, really good. Not only of patchouli and forest, but of aftershave or cologne too. It made me not want to let go, and I struggled to do so, hoping that I had not stayed in his arms longer than I should have for such a casual greeting.