Page 36 of The Playboy and the Waitress

“I like these pants, but I think the black sweater I had on a minute ago would look better.”

“Ok, there you go then… Do you want to try on some shoes? I saw some super cute baby heels over there.”

I shrug. He motions the clerk over and gives her my size. I try to add up what this outfit is going to cost me in my head. I’m not sure I even have enough on my credit card to cover these pants, let alone the shoes.

When the clerk brings me three different pairs to try on. I immediately turn them over to see what pair is cheaper.

“Jenna, stop it. What pair would have been your first choice?”

I pick up a black, low heeled pair with sparkles on the straps. “These.”

“Do they fit?”

I lace up the sides and stand-up twirling around to see them in the mirror. “Yeah, they are super cute.”

“Ok, that’s all I needed to hear.”

He calls the clerk back over just as I start to take the heels off. “Ma’am, would you please remove the tags from the clothes she has chosen and these heels also? She will be wearing them out of here.”

“No problem Mr. Hart, and ma’am, if you need to freshen up…cosmetics and hair products are available in the back. You are welcome to use whatever you need.”

Dage gets up out of his chair and kisses me on the forehead. “Jenna, go ahead and finish getting ready. I’ll wait for you up front.”

I start to reach down for my purse. “Here let me give you my card to pay for these.”

He actually growls at me when I start to hand him my card. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”

He walks off without another word leaving me standing here with my mouth open. This is a six-hundred-dollar outfit. Six hundred dollars, which I really could have used for a better cause than a birthday party. At least this time they won’t be able to say I'm out of style. I stand in front of the mirror looking at my reflection. I have this beautiful black sweater on that drapes over one shoulder. A pair of pale gray slacks that are cut slim but tasteful. These super cute heels are just high enough to keep the hem of these pants off the ground, and my hair is arranged stylishly over my shoulder.

I look like I'm playing dress up. It’s not that it looks bad on me, but I think I'm cuter in a pair of skinny jeans and an old t-shirt. I take a deep breath and walk to the back to touch up my lipstick and powder.

When I come back up front, Dage is putting on a new sports jacket. I walk up to him, straightening up the collar. “You sure clean up well, Playboy.”

“You don’t clean up so bad yourself, county girl. You ready to head out?”

“This is as good as it’s going to get, so yea I reckon.”

“Sweetheart, I will be right beside you all evening. I promise this will be nothing like the last event.”

I smile back at him as we walk out the door. He opens the car door for me and as he walks around, I tell myself to quit worrying. For the next few hours, we laugh so much that my jaws are hurting as he sings every song on the radio wrong, one lyric after another. The weather channel interrupts the radio a few times the further north we go, talking about a late spring lake effect snowstorm brewing up in the area, but Dage doesn’t act like it is anything to worry about. We pull up to this… this building. It’s a damn mansion, turrets, and all. And I know I look like a tourist as I strain to see the top of them. “Wow, what a beautiful place to have a party. I can’t imagine what a place like this would cost for an evening. This home is practically fairytale material.”

“This old thing, yeah… This is home.”

“Do…you, did you live here?”

When he nods his head yes. I panic. “Hells damn fire, Dage. You need to make your excuses right now and turn this car around. What size is this damn place anyway, a million square feet? Shit, I knew this was going to be a mistake.”

He grabs me by my cheeks making me look at him. “Listen to me right now. This place is just stone and mortar. There is no life or warmth in it. I have very few happy memories here, and I was hoping… That I could possibly make one here with you in it. All I ask of you is to stand by my side. I'm not asking you to change who you are.”

“You could have forewarned me. Shown me a picture or something. I didn’t think people lived in places like this, Dage.”

“No one really lives here, Jenna. They have never allowed themselves to. Come on, we are already fashionably late.”

The door opens seconds before we reach it and a guy standing there in a crisp black suit greets us. “Master Hart it’s nice to see you home, your mother and her guest are on the veranda, would you like me to announce you.”

“Nice to see you too, Bentley, and no, we are planning on sneaking in. Can you have my rooms made ready for this evening?”

“Alice has already prepared them for you, per your mother's orders.”

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