When it Rains | Daniel Ricciardo

Chapter 41 - Toil & Trouble

The room looked as if a bomb had gone off. I was very thankful for the fact that I have two friends who were very willing and eager to dress me for my date tonight, but how the hell am I supposed to get everything packed up before I leave? Also getting into bed might be an issue.. If you go to bed...

I thought about how Dan's hand had grasped my dress earlier. Honestly, I would have taken him upstairs right then and there if he asked me, but we had decided to wait and respect the process. When I jumped in the shower I let my mind over what I had seen between him and Jen earlier. I want to trust him, he's given me no reason not to in the past and Jen would have said something, wouldn't she? Had they slept together and not told me about it? I had caused them to spend an excessive amount of time together these last few months, fuck! Happy thoughts!

My dress for the night was hungover my cupboard. It's a jersey dress so it didn't need to be hung, 'it needs to be hung, Lexi! Tonight is special!' they said...Whatever! So we hung the damn thing. It was a long-sleeve, nude, ribbed bodycon with a twisty strap that goes across the middle of my otherwise very low, very open back. I left my hair down after I took the towel off and liked the way it dried so I decided to leave it. I went a little too heavy on the eyeliner, but it started to grow on me. So we'd be daring and mysterious tonight. Whatever!

I was strapping on my matching nude heels when I got a text from Daniel saying that he was on his way and would meet me downstairs. "Just in time," I muttered to myself as I closed my door behind me. Jamie had come home at some stage, but I couldn't be bothered right now. "I'm leaving! See you later. Don't wait up!"

"Wait! Lex, you going on your date now?" He asked as if this was new news. "Yes? He's waiting downstairs, I have to go." I replied halfway out the front door. "Okay, tell him that-" I closed the door, my bad, but seriously not the time. Just send him a message or call him and tell him yourself. I rushed into the elevator and began to check my appearance, god, why am I so stressed. It's just... and there he was

"Daniel." I smiled as the elevator dinged open.

He was standing right outside the elevator doors. Black pants, his dark green bomber jacket and a huge smile. "Wow!" He said as he offered his hand to me to step out of the elevator. I wanted to reply or at least thank him, but all I could muster was a deep exhale and a full-blown/ eat shit smile that lasted all night.

When we made it to the car I decided it was probably time to say something. I looked at him and was instantly confused by his choice of outfit. "Have I overdressed?" Giving him a once-off once again.

"Oh," he laughed. "My mom forgot the load she did in the washing machine and it was too late to dry it when I got back from the walk, so this is all I had. I don't look bad do I?" The tone of his voice changed to concern and there was a flicker in his eyes that told me he was doubting himself. "No babe. You look sexy AF!" I winked at him and got into the seat. "Ha! That's what I thought!" He laughed.

When we headed away from the restaurant strip I became intrigued. I remember how he had set up a picnic for the two of us on the beach in Spain. I smiled at how carefree we were back then. Would it be the same? Have we fucked up what made us, us by making this a thing? I looked over at Daniel and he was smiling at me. No, this is exactly where we were supposed to be, who we were supposed to be. "Where are we going?" I asked as he made a sharp turn.

"It's called Jardin Exotique de Monaco. It means-" I cut him off accidentally, I didn't mean to, but the excitement of where we had just arrived was bubbling out of me. "The exotic gardens of Monaco!. Oh my god! I've been dying to come here!" He laughed at the way I was jumping in my seat. "Well, then it's a good thing I rented out the place for a couple of hours, huh?"