by Magan Vernon
Jay's face turned from a look of confusion to a slight smile before he nodded. "Okay. I can understand that one."
Dad came over, patting Jay's back. "Come. You sit with me in the dining room. We'll get the paper and the women will bring us espresso."
"I can probably get my own espresso," Jay replied.
Ma held up her coffee mug, flaring her nostrils. "What did I say? Out of my kitchen."
"Okay. Okay." Jay put his hands up.
"Sorry," I mouthed and he winked in my direction.
Mom whipped up the espresso as I got the eggs out of the fridge.
Before I could even grease the frying pan, Ma handed me two steaming cups. "Here, go take these to the boys and then yell for Sonny to get up. The snow's melting and we need to get into the restaurant."
"Okay."
"And Lia?"
I turned back toward Ma. "Yeah?"
Ma smiled. "Jay's a good boy. I just thought you should know that."
"I know he is, Ma. That's why I'm hoping he'll keep me around."
She shook her head. "It's not about him keeping you. You know you hold the power here and the way that boy looks at you, he's not going anywhere for a while."
I felt the blush creep back up my cheeks so I turned toward the dining room where Dad and Jay were in some sort of heated debate. I held my breath, afraid of an all-out angry Sicilian man, but then my dad laughed, patting Jay on the back. "Oh, Jay, my boy, you're a funny man."
"Am I interrupting?" I set the cups down in front of each of them then sat down next to Jay.
Dad shook his head and blew on the steaming mug before he took a sip. "Not at all, Rosalia. Just talking to Jay about the trials of dating a Sicilian woman."
I nodded, my eyes roaming toward Jay who took a sip of his cup then set it down, his face twisting into a scowl. "That's espresso?"
My eyes widened. "Did Ma make it too strong?"
He shook his head rapidly. "I don't know. Whatever it is, sorry, but I'm not a fan."
Dad laughed. "You have to sip on it. It'll put hair on your chest."
"I'd have to shave it off even if it grew there."
Dad practically choked on his espresso and my eyes widened.
Could things get any more awkward?
"Hello? Is anyone home? Oh do I smell bacon?"
I winced, hearing Dana's voice carrying through the room.
Not only did Dana appear in the doorway but my brother Nicky stood behind her, his face skewing into a half-scowl, half-smirk when he saw Jay.
Nicky was a big guy. Like over three-hundred pounds. With his gravelly voice, he could intimidate anyone who crossed him, or just looked at him funny.
"Ey, who is the medigan over for breakfast? Did we get new neighbors?"
Dana elbowed Nicky. "That's Lia's boyfriend."
Jay stood up, putting his hand out to Nicky. "Jay Morningstar."
Nicky shook his hand, his eyes narrowing. "Good to meet you. Nick Conti."
I couldn't breathe, looking between my oldest brother and the guy who was currently making my heart beat rapidly.
Jay sat back down. Nicky and Dana took the seat across from him.
Nicky looked over at Dad. "So, we're just letting Lia have boys spend the night now?"
"Nick!" Dana smacked his stomach.
Ma came into the dining room, carrying a tray of espressos that she sat down at the table before giving Dana and Nicky each a kiss on the cheek. "Nicky! Dana! What are you doing here? You shouldn't be driving in this weather!"
"Don't worry about it, Ma. The roads are all clear. It's in the 50s out there and we'll probably have a lake in the yard soon," Nicky said before grabbing a mug.
"I guess since the roads are clear, I should head out." Jay began to stand but Ma was over at his side, putting her hand on his shoulder.
"Don't let my pain in the ass son scare you off. Sit. Mongiat."
"I, uh, should probably get back and practice."
"You don't like my cooking, is that the problem?" Ma asked, putting her hands on her hips.
Nicky raised his eyebrows. "You probably shouldn't insult my mother and her cooking if you plan on spending the night with my sister again."
"Nicky, stop it!" My voice came out whinier than I intended.
"What? I'm just speaking the truth," Nicky said.
Ma smacked him in the back of the head, going back toward the kitchen. "Lia, I'll finish breakfast. You make sure your brother doesn't scare him off."
I was surprised Jay wasn't already running for the hills, or maybe just the lake. There wasn't much for hills in north Texas.
"Wait. I know yous." Nicky pointed at Jay, kind of squinting. "You're that swimmer. Aren't you supposed to be training in California or something?"
Jay licked his lips, fiddling with the handle on the coffee cup. "I'm staying here to train with my coach. He has a place off FM 6, but I'll be back in California for my sister's wedding next month."
Dana squealed like a little girl. "Ashley Morningstar's wedding? The one that’s supposed to be the wedding of the year?"
I winced, but Jay smiled. "Yeah. That's the one."
"Do you have a date?" Dana asked.
Nicky looked at her open-mouthed. "Are you trying to hit on Lia's man now?"
Dana rolled her eyes. "No, I was trying to give him the hint to ask Lia, stupido."
"Actually I already did ask her. She was just waiting to ask permission," Jay said, looking up from his mug.
I held my breath, looking between Dana and Dad.
Dad slowly sipped on his coffee then set it down, wiping his mouth before he yelled, "Tonietta!"
"What?" Ma yelled.
"Come here!"
"Do you want my corniettos to burn?"
"Just come here!"
Ma groaned and came into the room with her hands on her hips. "What's the matter with you?"
Dad smirked. "Jay Morningstar wants to take our daughter to California for a wedding next month. Dana seems to think it's the wedding of the year. Do you think we should let her go?"
If I kept holding my breath, I was sure to turn purple and pass out.
"Will she miss school?" Ma asked.
Everyone's eyes went to Jay.
Jay cleared his throat. "We can make it a weekend trip so she wouldn't miss school. I have to be back anyway to train then head to a meet in Charlotte."
Ma shrugged. "I don't see a problem."
Dad nodded. "Okay. Then I guess Lia is going to California. This means you're picking up some more shifts, Dana."
I let out a breath, my eyes widened as I looked between everyone. Jay had the ghost of a smile on his lips as he squeezed my knee slightly.
I couldn't believe it. I was sure they'd say 'no'. I don't even know why in the hell they agreed to let me go. I guess with Jay sitting there they couldn't turn him down.
Now I had to go through with it too.
This was real.
This was really real.
Dana reached across the table and grabbed my arm. "Oh My God, we have to go shopping! You need something to wear and we have a free afternoon!"
I raised an eyebrow. "You aren't serious are you?"
"Why not? You're not working tonight and your lover boy said it himself that he needs to practice."
My cheeks flamed to a million degrees. I couldn't think of anything else to say, so I just took a big sip of my espresso and then sucked in a breath, looking at Jay. "You're right. This does need some sugar."
He laughed. "I told you."
"Lia never could handle her coffee," Nicky added.
And just like that, the subject was off mine and Jay's relationship and I was able to survive breakfast.
***
Jay left right after eating breakfast to practice, which meant that I didn't have any other excuses not to go shopping with Dana.
I hated driving Dallas. I also hated driving Dallas with Dana because she had crazy road rage and drove at least twenty over the spe
ed limit on the crazy freeways. I wondered if that might go away when she had a kid with her in the car. Or at least prayed it did.
We ended up at Firewheel Town Center in Garland. Mainly because it was a lot closer than driving all the way to Dallas and Dana had to pee so bad I was afraid she was going to do it on the side of I-30.
After stopping at the restroom at Starbucks, we walked down the sidewalk through the square. Firewheel was a large plaza of a variety of shops and in the center they had a park with a kid’s train that traveled along the cobblestone path.
"So where are we going first? Should we start with Dillard’s?" Dana asked.
"Um, we could do Charlotte Russe?"
Dana scoffed. "You’re not going to an A list wedding wearing some polyester piece from the clearance rack. I know you have tip money stashed away, we're going all out."
The money I’d been stashing was for my move to California. I'd been saving since my senior year of high school and didn’t have a ton saved up, but was hoping it would be a fall back if scholarships didn’t come in for USC.
"So...Old Navy?"
Dana rolled her eyes and dragged me into some store that had the same name as a fruit.
The place was filled with dresses and other clothes that could only be described as stuff that girls who were half my size would wear to the club.
I wondered briefly if these short bodycon dresses even came in my size or what they would look like on a girl with a rack.
A petite girl with bottled blonde hair and way too orange of a tan approached us. "Hey, y'all, anything special you're looking for today?"
Dana smiled, pushing me toward the girl. "My sister-in-law is looking for a dress to wear to a wedding in California."
"Oh, California! Awesome. Anything in particular you're looking for?" The girl asked.
I shrugged. "Something that doesn't make me look like a whale?"
The girl laughed nervously. "What size? Any color? Style?"
"Black, definitely black," Dana chimed in.
"It's a wedding, not a funeral," I muttered.
"But a little black dress is always chic," Dana said, throwing her hands in the air.
I sucked in a deep breath and followed the salesgirl and Dana as they thumbed through sales racks, throwing different black garments at me before I took the heaping pile behind a curtained wall.
I tried on everything from poufy-looking things with too much sparkle to tiny slip dresses that weren't much bigger than my underwear and sports bra.
There was only one dress left in the pile. I was exhausted. Mainly mentally. I hated shopping. Nothing ever looked right on me. I was short with very full hips, a tiny waist, and a D cup. I looked like an awkward hourglass.
The last dress was one that I didn't even remember Dana or the salesgirl putting in the pile. It was long sleeve and short with a very low back. There was no way in hell I was going to be able to wear any of my bras with it.
"Well, here goes nothing," I muttered and tossed off my sports bra.
Slowly I slipped into the dress that went easily over my thighs then put my arms in the sleeves.
Holy. Crap.
It actually looked good.
I mean good for me at least.
I ran my hands over the smooth material of the dress and then finally turned, stepping out of the dressing room.
Dana had been staring at her phone and the sales girl was nowhere to be found.
I cleared my throat and Dana did a double take then nodded appreciatively, a big smile on her face. "Yes! Are we saying yes to the dress?"
"I, um, I think so? As long as we can stop by Victoria Secret on the way out because there’s no way any of my bras are going to work with this."
Dana laughed. "Okay. We just won't tell your brother."
***
I bought the dress and we headed over to Victoria's Secret.
I'd never actually worn a strapless bra or one that plunged in the front and had a very low back.
I did a 360 turn and then stared at myself in the full-length mirror.
I could have been sexy in some kind of distorted way. Or maybe I just felt sexy being in a silky little bra.
Pulling my phone out of my purse, I pouted my lips and snapped a picture in the mirror.
This wasn't me. This wasn't something I normally did, but I had to admit that I felt good. Something about putting on something silky made me feel, I guess, sexier.
Without even thinking about it, I sent the picture to Jay.
Then immediately regretted it.
Crap.
What if he thought it was weird I was sending him pictures from a dressing room? What if he thought the bra was weird? Or I was weird.
All these scenarios ran through my head then my phone vibrated in my hand with a simple text.
Come over right now and wear that.
I smiled, looking at the text, feeling the heat rise to my face. Biting down on my bottom lip, I thought of a coy response before I typed back.
I have to buy it first.
Well then buy it and get over here. I'll be waiting.
***
I left the mall with Dana and two bags in my hand. Instead of going straight for the highway she veered off in the other direction toward Dallas.
"Um, Dana, I'm done shopping and don't you have to get to work?"
I was trying not to seem eager, but I was. I wanted to see Jay. I didn't exactly plan on doing more than over the panties action, but seeing his face instead of just reading his thoughts in a text, could change my ideas.
"We have one more stop." Dana smiled, pulling into a strip mall in Wylie.
"Are we going to see the family accountant?" I raised an eyebrow.
Dana rolled her eyes, parking in front of an eye care center.
"Um, is this a coup d’état to get rid of my glasses?"
"Lia, you've been hiding behind those things for years. The last time I saw you wear contacts was my wedding and I had to practically beg you to wear them for one day. That one pair is probably dried up somewhere under the space heater in the garage."
"They are not," I scoffed.
"Anyway," Dana continued. "I know you don't like wearing contacts because you have dry eyes or whatever, but I just thought you might want to try something new. You'll be in California soon and you'll need trendy sunglasses when you're spending all day studying on the beach or whatever you'll be doing."
I blinked, staring full-on at my sister-in-law. "You're not going to argue about me going to USC?"
Dana smiled. "Lia, if I could get out of Texas, I would. But your brother and I are here to stay. You're still young and you have a lot of life to live, so why not get out and explore?"
"Think you can get my parents to think that way?"
Dana squeezed my hand. "They'll come around. They always do. And if they don't, at least you'll have one long weekend in the sunshine state and some new contacts to go with it."
Chapter 14
I wasn't used to having peripheral vision or wearing something so silky underneath my t-shirt and jeans.
They were small changes, but I felt like a new woman. A new, more confident woman.
Usually I brought Jay a pizza for his post-swim meal, but I wanted to try something different, so I stepped into the Forever Sweet bakery next door to the restaurant before heading out.
Brad and Penny used to work behind the counter. Brad may have been the sexiest man I'd ever seen, aside from Jay, and Penny looked like an Armenian princess.
But they had recently left. I guess it was just some sort of an internship and now there was a new girl standing behind the white pallet counter, Abbey.
Abbey one of the BFF's of Christy Quinn.
Her long body looked awkward behind the counter with the bright red apron and her long brown hair in a messy bun. She blinked once then twice before forcing a smile. "Hey, Lia, are you here to pick up the order for Conti's?"
"Um, no, I'm actually here to pick up somethi
ng for my...boyfriend..."
The word sounded foreign on my tongue and I spit it out like I couldn't wait to get it out of there. I couldn't remember the last time I actually called someone my boyfriend. Maybe a fake boyfriend on the internet, but now I was really dating him.
Abbey blinked those big green eyes. "Oh, does that swimmer you were with know that you have a boyfriend?"
I smiled, letting out a slight laugh. "Jay Morningstar is my boyfriend."
Abbey dropped her pen and stared at me wide-eyed with her mouth open. She stood like that for an entire ten seconds before she picked up her pen and shook her head. "Oh, um, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you two were actually a thing. Wow. That was rude of me. Sorry, I'm kind of awkward and I really don't know what I'm saying or doing."
"It's okay. You're not the first or probably the last that will wonder what a guy like him is doing with a girl like me."
Abbey shook her head and waved her hands. "No, that's not what I was saying at all."
I licked my lips and tossed my hair over my shoulder. Even with the new contacts, mascara, and new lingerie, I couldn't hide the awkward Sicilian girl. "I get it. He's a famous athlete and a and I'm just a waitress with strict parents. Maybe I'm just some fling for him, but whatever this is, I'm going to take it. I'm going to keep seeing him because he makes me happy and I think I make him happy, even if it's just for bringing him cupcakes."
A smile softened Abbey's face. "Well, I was going to say that he's probably checking out your amazing rack, but what do I know about guys?"
I finally laughed and relaxed for what seemed like the first time all day. Maybe Abbey wasn't out to judge me and maybe I needed to stop being so hard on myself.
Maybe.
***
I pulled into the long driveway and looked at myself one last time in the rearview mirror.
What the hell was I doing?
I was a virgin, about to walk into a very hot man's house, wearing lingerie, contacts, and mascara that cost more than ten dollars.
This was serious.
I sucked in a deep breath and let it out, then grabbed the box of two perfect red velvet cupcakes, and got out of the car.
