Page 26 of Counting His heartbeats

"Do you own sweats, Zurmani?" Jawaan asks in a gentle tone.

Shaking my head, I smirked before realizing Jawaan couldn't see me, nor could he hear my nod, forcing me to reply verbally.

"No, I don't, actually."

"Then there's your answer, love."

The Next Evening

Oh God, why am I so nervous? I've been on many first dates before. Breathe Zurmani.

Biting my lips, I pace in my walk-in closet while my eyes bounce around the many clothing items I have. Despite Jawaan confirming for me not to wear sweats, I have no clue what I needto put on. My hands begin to sweat and shake with each circle my feet take.

"I know this is your house and all, but why are you stomping around this closet booty hole naked?" Jamaica's voice causes me to stop moving and turn toward her while glowering.

"Whoa. Uh, I know we're friends and everything, but we don't need to see you in all your splendor, girl," Evie joins in, frowning.

Rolling my eyes, I leave the closet to grab my robe since I'm no longer alone, although it doesn't relieve my dilemma.

"What's wrong with you?" Evie questions when I yank my robe from the bed.

Frowning, I wordlessly push my arms through the sleeves before tying the belt to shield my body from my friends.

"I don't know what to wear, but I've been told that it's not a sweatpants and t-shirt kind of date," I inform them.

"You don't own any, so why is that important?" Evie asks, smirking.

"Better yet, what's this energy coming off you? You were excited about this date when we talked yesterday. What's changed today?" Jamaica quizzes, sitting on my bed.

I don't know what to expect, and I like this guy which has me overthinking the specifics.

Hunching my shoulders, I stare at Jamaica before shifting my gaze to Evie, who enters my closet before speaking loud enough for Jamaica and me to hear.

"All these clothes in here and you're stressing for nothing. Ooh, this could work for whatever thug-a-boo has planned for the evening," Evie suggests, causing me to walk to the closet to see what she's talking about.

On the hanger is a brown cardigan, white shirt, and stone-washed jeans I hadn't considered when perusing the many items I have at my disposal.

"Oh yeah, that's cute. You can pair it with those thigh-high brown suede boots and that leopard print clutch," Jamaica adds while co-signing the outfit choice Evie is holding.

The changing temperatures in Ohio make the selection perfect for keeping me comfortable and warm.

"Jeans for a first date, though," I ponder, grabbing the hanger from Evie, who holds it out for me to take.

"Mhm. Without knowing what he has planned, this will be appropriate for whatever," Jamaica insists.

"Besides, this outfit will accentuate your assets and give him something to think about all night," Evie adds.

"Okay. Let me get my hair together and get dressed. I'll be down once I'm ready."

The reminder of Jawaan loving my natural curls motivates me to ensure my hair is full of bounce. With that thought in mind, I smile while closing my bedroom door when Evie and Jamaica leave. Moving to my vanity, I focus on making my curls pop before quickly applying a light beat to my face. Once I'm done, I get dressed, put on some footies, then slip my feet into the boots that complement the outfit. Finally, I put a few necessities in the small handbag, spritz on some perfume, and leave my room.

Ding. Dong.

Looks like I timed that perfectly.

Hearing my doorbell sound when I hit the bottom level, I close my eyes and take a couple of breaths. My chest is pounding, my lips feel dry despite the lip balm I'm wearing, and knots are twisting my stomach like a washing machine. I slightly jump when I feel hands resting on both of my shoulders.

"Breathe," Evie whispers.

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