Stone In Love

Chapter 9

I hadn't gone on a legit date in three years, and this reality hit me as I stood in front of my closet. Since moving to New York, I had adopted three personas; consummate professional, club slut, and bum around the house. I knew it was possible to pull off a decent look for date night with the items I wore for work. Vincent probably wouldn't notice the difference. But I wanted him to notice, and I rifled through my collection determined to make an impression on Mr. Pragmatic. 

When I had exhausted myself and my wardrobe, I decided the situation required something more. I needed to go shopping. So, with my parent's splurge Visa in hand, I took the subway to one of my favorite boutiques and began the hunt. Despite growing up in a two-income household, Mom and Dad taught me the value of a clearance sale, and when I tried on a luscious salmon-colored silk dress marked down to seventy dollars, I did a fist pump as I made a model turn in the dressing room mirror. The color complimented my pale skin and the scoop neck covered most of my cleavage. I wanted to approach this date differently than I approached my fuck buddies, and that meant not distracting Vincent with my boobs.

When I arrived home with my oversized, environmentally unfriendly boutique bag, I texted Sylvie to fill her in.

Going on my first real date in three years. Wish me luck.

Less than thirty seconds later, I received Sylvie's enthusiastic response.

Call the president! Reese has a legit date. Who is it? I'm dying over here.

Vincent Valentino. His persistence broke me down. Not sure if I can thaw his cold heart though. He's an enigma.

I spent the next few minutes scouring my shoe collection, finally locating the leather espadrilles from last season, and Sylvie's text arrived as I posed in front of the mirror.

OMG! I looked him up. He's a fine MF. If you don't defile that, I'm coming up there to smack some sense into you.

Defiling is not on my agenda tonight. I'm trying to be a good girl. We'll see how far this new tactic gets me. I'll keep you posted.

You better.

At six fifty-five, I locked the door to my apartment and headed downstairs. I had initially hedged about wearing perfume, given Colin's reaction to my white musk, but I never catered to anyone but myself, so a dabbed a bit behind each ear and left it at that. As I waited in the foyer for Vincent's Bentley to arrive, Lilly from 1A stuck her head out her door.

"Hey, Reese. You look nice." She walked out to join me wearing a see-through tank with no bra and hip-hugging sweats. "You're dressed like you're going on a date."

I knew she was fishing for something. She let Vincent into the building last night, which meant she had seen exactly which apartment he ended up at.

"I am."

"Who's the lucky guy?"

"Vincent Valentino." I tried not to look smug. I really wasn't into inciting envy, but Lilly was someone I had already pegged as a boyfriend stealer. And, sure enough, her penciled eyebrows rose as she grinned knowingly. 

"I had a feeling that's who it was. How did you manage to snag that sexy ass bachelor?"

How did I manage to...? Was she insinuating I couldn't attract a man like Vincent? "We met on a photo shoot last weekend."

And that's all you're getting out of me, bitch.

Through the foyer window, I noticed Vincent's car pull up, and I made a hasty exit. "Well, my date is here. I'll see you around, Lilly."