Page 30 of Cursed Luck
Vanessa nodded and smiled. “Thanks, I’ll look into it. Edward, you didn’t come here to talk to me about my shop.”
He sighed and shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks. “I needed help about Mia. You seem to know her, and well, you’ll give me less crap, unlike the others.”
Her face glowed with a smile. “I’dloveto help!”
“I’m picking her up for dinner tonight, and it came to my attention that the steak house wouldn’t be a good choice. Now I need to figure out where a good choice to take her actually is.”
Vanessa nodded. “I would agree on the steak house not being a good choice for Mia. She’s very down to earth and doesn’t need to be impressed—not that Carter needed to impress me when he took me there, but I love steak.” She laughed. “For Mia?” She made a thoughtful sound and raised a finger in the air. “Oh! I know. There is this bistro on Ninth Street. It serves sandwiches, soups, and comfort food. Damn it, I can’t remember the name.”
The door in the back swung open, and Georgia stepped through, her eyes flashing at the sight of Edward. He wasn’t sure what stick was up her ass, but he hoped she found a way to remove it.
“Georgia! What’s the name of the bistro on Ninth?” Vanessa called.
“You mean Midnight Comfort?” Georgia asked.
She bounced on the balls of her feet. “Yes! Midnight Comfort. Take her there, and I’d wear nice jeans and one of your dress shirts untucked. Still nice but not stuffy.”
He raised a brow and glanced down his front. “Are you calling my suit stuffy?”
Vanessa giggled. “Not for your job, no; but you don’t need to wear that for Mia. She’s the epitome of down-to-earth. I guess opposites attract,” she muttered to herself.
Edward laughed. “Why, because I’m wound as tight as a top and she’s floating through life?”
Vanessa blushed. “Sorry, I…”
He bent down and kissed her cheek. “Forget about it. Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it.”
Her answering grin was contagious. “Thanks for trusting me enough to help. Now go get your girl!”
He gave Georgia a polite wave good-bye, hoping the woman would appreciate it, before heading out. Each step he took was lighter as he moved toward his car. He now knew where to take Mia and what to wear for their first date, two things he apparently was oblivious about.
Chapter 14
Mia stood in her closet and did slow circles. She did not have the faintest idea of what to wear or where they were going. It was unlike her to worry so much about her looks, and she hated it. After fifteen minutes of debating, she groaned deep in her throat and threw her hands in the air.
“Forget it, I’m just going to wear one of my pretty sundresses, and if that’s not enough for him, then screw him. Mate or not, I’m not going to turn into one of those women who try to fit in with a businessman.”
The yellow spaghetti-strap dress made her smile, as it reminded her of sunshine. It was exactly what she needed to brighten her mood. The broderie anglaise material was formfitting against her torso, then loosened around her hips. A three-inch section exposed the skin below her breasts in a sexy peek-a-boo fashion she hoped would drive Edward a little crazy.
She preferred being barefoot but owned a wide range of wedges and strappy sandals in her closet. It only took her a second to know which ones she was in the mood to wear. She slid her feet into the strappy wedges and wiggled her toes.
Mia did a quick spin in her outfit and grinned. “Comfy!”
In the bathroom, she lathered on lotion and spritzed a floral fragrance onto her wrists and behind her ears. Her curls wanted to be on their own in a natural fashion, and she loved how they fell around her face. Wild and free, just like her spirit.
A knock on her door made her jump. She checked the time, and her stomach flipped around. Mia grabbed her small wallet and phone before sliding them into the pocket of her dress. She grabbed her keys but removed the apartment key from the ring before tucking it into her bra. No way did she trust a single key in her pocket.
She hurried to the door and smiled. He wore a button-up, striped dress shirt, untucked, with a pair of dark jeans. Loafers peeked out from the bottom of his jeans, and in his hand was a bottle of soda.
“I’ve only seen you drink soda, so I didn’t want to buy a bottle of wine and it go to waste. Flowers aren’t exactly an option either,” he said, nervous energy swirling around him.
“Thank you! I do drink but not often. This will definitely be used,” she told him and set it just inside her door.
Edward lowered his face and captured her lips in a sweet kiss. All breath escaped her lungs at the tenderness, and for a moment, she debated pulling him into the apartment and forgetting dinner all together.
“You look beautiful,” he whispered against her lips before straightening.
“Thanks! I wasn’t sure what to wear since I didn’t know where you were taking me—”
