It was real.
The loft speakers started playing Lizzo’s “Juice” and Kara danced back into the living room with dresses dangling from both hands.
“Start with the red one,” Kara said, tossing it at Sabine.
Sabine caught the silky dress and laughed.
Her soul exhaled pure joy.
She jumped up and began stripping.
She had adateto prepare for.
CHAPTERTWENTY
AT LEAST FOR NOW
DAVE
About a year ago, Max had taken Dave with him to buy what he called, “Adult man clothes.”
Dave humored him because it was Max. And there wasn’t much Dave wouldn’t do if Max asked him to. Mostly because Max never asked.
Which was how Dave owned the Tom Ford charcoal three piece suit he was wearing. He’d forgone the tie and decided to leave his white button up shirt mostly open so the sunshine tattoo on the center of his throat served as a focal point.
He loved all (most) of his tattoos, but that one was his favorite.
And for the first time in maybe his entire life, he was not only on time, but early.
He spun the long stem rose in his fingers as the elevator doors opened.
For as nervous as he had been during the asking portion of this date, he wasn’t nervous anymore.
Because it was Sabine.
And when he was with Sabine, everything just made sense.
Tonight he was going to tell her all of it.
His vow of celibacy, how he felt, and what he was hoping for, about the binders.
You know, or maybe not. Maybe they’d just have dinner and see where it led.
Deep breath.
Okay, maybe he was alittlenervous.
He knocked on the door.
After a few minutes it opened and his smile dissolved.
“Are you crying?” he asked, taking in her glossy eyes and the red splotches on her cheeks.
“Oh, Dave,” she said, putting a hand to her head. “I’m not ready. I’m so sorry.”
He stepped through the door and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Seeing her cry made his stomach turn inside out and his heart queasy. “It’s fine. What happened?” He cupped her face with a hand and looked into her eyes as more tears spilled over and ran down her face.
She swiped at them. “It’s nothing. I just need a minute and I’ll be ready.” She spun away but he caught her hand.