LOSE ME OR LOSE HER

7. FIRST DATE

Chapter 7

📍MADRID, SPAIN 🇪🇸

~Tory's POV~

Just another day in Madrid... GUESS WHAT?! Today is Friday, and I have a date with Jude. I'm nervous but excited at the same time. My agenda is packed today, as usual. It's 9:30 AM now, and I have a shoot at 11 AM. The shoot will run until 1 PM, and after that, I've got a fitting for the upcoming Marc Jacobs runway show.

THEN, I'm meeting my dad for coffee. Lately, I've been so caught up in my career that I haven't had much time to spend with my family, so this coffee date feels special. And after all that? I have my date with Jude.

Honestly, I couldn't focus during yesterday's shoot—I kept thinking about Jude and our conversation. I even forgot I was meeting the famous photographer! That was definitely a bad first impression, but luckily, I get to meet her again at the Marc Jacobs studio before the show. Anyway, right now, I'm on my way to the ZARA shoot. I didn't bother trying to look good since I knew they'd be doing my hair and makeup.

As I stepped out of the Uber and entered the studio, I was greeted by a staff member who makes sure everything ran smoothly. Once my makeup and hair were done, I slipped into some ZARA denim jeans for the shoot. After wrapping up, I realized I had some time before the fitting, so I decided to grab coffee with my dad.

We met at a cute café, and with the scorching heat of Madrid, we both ordered iced coffees. It felt good to give my dad a long hug, and we spent the next hour catching up on life. By the time we left, it was 3 PM, so I took an Uber to the Marc Jacobs studio for my fitting.

**AND GUYS, I KNOW I NEED TO GET A DRIVER'S LICENSE!!**😭

When I arrived at the studio, I was greeted by another cast member, and she escorted me to the dressing rooms where two other models were already trying on their outfits. I tried on three different looks, complete with accessories and shoes. The dresses fit perfectly, hugging all the right curves, making me feel like a million bucks. After the fitting, I headed home to start getting ready for the date. By the time I got home, it was just past 6 PM. With two hours until the date, I had plenty of time to unwind.

I called Camilla on FaceTime while I hopped into the shower. I scrubbed down with a vanilla body scrub and shower gel, and I could already tell I was going to smell absolutely delicious. While doing my makeup afterward, I decided to keep it simple with a "no makeup" makeup look.

Camilla was on the other end of the call, hyped about the game on Sunday. I swear she's been dying to see me in a Bellingham shirt, but honestly, I'm just trying to survive tonight's date! Suddenly, a text came through from an unknown number.

Unknown

Hey, it's Jude. Are you almost ready?

Hey! Yeah, I'm ready. You can come over.

Alright, see you in 15 minutes.

see you soon.
read*

Just as Camilla had to hang up for a meeting with
her manager, I slipped into my black Oh Polly dress and YSL heels. I threw a few essentials into a small bag—my cards, some cash, and a pair of flats for when the heels inevitably become unbearable. Before I knew it, Jude was calling to say he was downstairs. I took a deep breath, grabbed my things, and headed out of my apartment.

When I got downstairs, I saw him waiting by the car. He got out, opened the door for me, and pulled me into a warm hug. We stood there for a moment, the tension between us building but still comfortable. Then, we were off.

He drove us to this charming, secluded little restaurant. It was intimate but fancy enough to feel special. Jude had made reservations, so everything was already arranged. As we settled in, he asked with a casual smile, "How was your day?"

I smiled back, feeling my nerves start to melt away. "Busy as always. I had a shoot, a fitting, and even squeezed in some time with my dad. What about you?"

He laughed softly. "Sounds like your day was way more eventful than mine. I just had practice and a few meetings."

Curiosity got the better of me, and before I could think twice, I asked, "What do you like about me?" The second the question left my mouth, I regretted it. It felt awkward, like I shouldn't have said it. But it was too late to take it back.

Without missing a beat, he answered, still holding eye contact . "You're beautiful, mature, and funny all at once. You know how to talk about your feelings, and you've achieved a lot for your age."

The way he said it, calmly and with such confidence, made me blush. I just stared at him, a little flustered, caught in the warmth of his brown eyes.

"Hey, are you alright?" he asked, his tone soft and kind. I snapped out of my thoughts, realizing I had been staring.

"Yeah, I'm alright," I replied, just as our food arrived. We started eating, and from there, the conversation flowed easily. It felt like we'd known each other for years. We talked about our jobs, his game on Sunday, and life in general. He admitted he was feeling nervous, that the pressure was getting to him. I reassured him, telling him it would all work out.

When we finished eating, I motioned for the waiter to bring the bill. I wanted to pay, but he insisted on covering it. I handed my card to the waiter, only for him to take it back and give his own instead. Such a gentleman.

Afterward, he drove me home. As we sat in the car, I wasn't quite ready to say goodbye. "Do you want to take a quick walk?" I asked, feeling spontaneous. He smiled and parked the car. We ended up walking for about 15 minutes before I gave up on my heels and decided to go barefoot. He laughed at me, and I couldn't help but laugh too—at least my toes looked good.

Then, casually, he slipped his hand into mine. We walked together, hand in hand, talking about nothing in particular.

After about 30 minutes, we headed back to my place. We hugged goodbye, and he stayed by his car, watching as I walked upstairs. I was too tired to fill Camilla in on the details, so I decided to catch her up tomorrow.

I slipped out of my dress, washed off my makeup, and climbed into bed, feeling content as the day came to an end.

A/N: I think I'm getting better at this! We're getting close to the drama, and I can't wait for you all to read what's coming next. I'll try to publish more regularly, so stick with me!