21. Josie

21

JOSIE

Wyatt: Wear something comfortable and warm.

I checked Wyatt's text for the hundredth time in the last half hour. When I woke up an hour ago, the text was already waiting for me. I texted him back asking what he had planned for our date today, but the man was tight lipped about it.

What the hell does warm and comfortable even mean?

This was our first date, so obviously I wanted to look nice, which was hard to do with little-to-no information on what we were doing. Although, I had to admit I was excited to see what he was so secretive about.

Needing help with an outfit, I wasted no time grabbing my phone and Face Timing Tasha. The phone only rang twice before her face popped up on the screen.

"I need help," I said before Tasha could even utter a word.

"Hello to you too."

"Wyatt is taking me out on a date in an hour and I have no clue what to wear."

"Did he tell you what you guys are doing?"

"He sent me a text that said to wear something comfortable and warm. Like that's any help." I moved to prop my phone up on my vanity, so it was facing my closet.

"No other hint?"

"None."

"That's actually kinda cute. He has a whole thing planned."

I glanced over to find Tasha grinning through the phone. I could tell she was walking, and she sounded a little out of breath.

"Where are you?"

"Just left hot yoga."

"Oh shit! I totally forgot!" The two of us had made plans to try out a new hot yoga class this morning. Of course, the only reason Tasha got me to agree to go was the promise that we'd hit the bakery around the corner afterwards. They had the best cinnamon rolls. But I'd completely forgotten between last night's game and my mental breakdown about my first date with Wyatt.

"You're all good." Tasha waved me off. Her blonde ponytail swinging behind her. "You got a hot date to get ready for. Did he ask you last night?"

"He walked me to my door and then asked me." I'd replayed that moment in my head a dozen times since last night…and the kiss. Even now, just thinking about it had my toes curling in my carpet. It was without a doubt the best kiss I'd had in my entire life.

"What's the dreamy look for?" Tasha teased, and I felt my cheeks flush at having been caught daydreaming.

"Nothing," I mumbled, turning away from the camera.

"You don't get to play Miss Nonchalant. Spill." Her gray eyes pierced through the screen. There was no stopping the smile that swept over my face.

Tasha gasped before she broke out in a smile of her own.

"He kissed you! I knew it! The sexual tension between the two of you was insane last night."

My cheeks flamed as Tasha continued. "Was it good? He looks like the type of guy who knows how to kiss."

"You could say that…" I teased. I'd forgotten what it was like to have a man in your life to talk about. My last ‘relationship' was so fleeting. A small blimp in my life. So, to actually be squealing with my best friend over a kiss felt good. Normal.

"Was it the kind of kiss that made you wet?" she asked.

"Tasha!" I pretended to be shocked to hide the fact she was right on the mark.

"What? As your best friend, I'm allowed to ask that."

"It was a good kiss. Like, really good."

"I'm not surprised. I was only with the two of you for a few minutes and I could cut the attraction between you with a knife. It's a wonder nothing happened in the elevator when you guys got stuck."

I smiled. It was validating to know that the attraction I felt between Wyatt and myself wasn't just in my head.

"I'm thrilled you're going on a date," Tasha said.

"That is if I can find an outfit in time," I grumbled.

"Lucky for you, I know your closet inside and out." She wasted no time in listing off outfit options for me to wear and within the span of three minutes, I had three outfit choices.

This is why I called her.

"Was everything okay last night?" I asked as I slid out of my pajama bottoms. Tasha and I had lived together and seen each other half naked enough times to not be fazed undressing in front of one another.

When Tasha said it was a work emergency, I knew what it was. Her parents.

"My parents wanted to have some late dinner thing; you know how it is."

That I did. Tasha's parents are…something. I've only met them a few times, despite being friends with Tasha for years now. On the outside they seemed cordial, but in conversation they had this talent for making digs about you while making it sound like they were being friendly.

Tasha's parents were two of the most sought after attorneys in Toronto. Their law-firm was the biggest in the city and their clientele were all over the world.

As ‘members of high society', they enjoyed showing off that they gave back to the community, so every year they held a gala for all the rich people to attend. Make them feel like they were doing good when it really was just to show off.

The one time I went with Tasha to the gala, they repeatedly made comments about my lower-class status, and that Tasha should have brought someone that wouldn't make them look bad. I was fine with the comments, but when they voiced their disappointment in Tasha multiple times it took everything I had not to snap at them.

I haven't seen them since that night. I don't know how Tasha turned out to be such an amazing person with parents like that. Knowing she didn't want to talk about them, I changed the subject.

"You know Trevor was asking about you last night." I peeked in her direction as I pulled on a soft gray sweater.

"Oh?"

"He seemed curious about you."

"There's a lot to be curious about," Tasha flashed me a grin that was all teeth.

Tasha is gorgeous. With long, dirty blonde hair that she's dyed a million times, and steel-gray eyes that caught you off guard. A dimple on one cheek always got men's attention, so too did the smattering of freckles that graced her nose and cheeks when she'd spent too much time in the sun.

At Uni, whenever we passed guys on our way to a lecture, almost every single one would stop and stare at her strutting past. I'd lost count how many times guys hit on her whenever we went out for drinks or clubbing.

"He's kind of your type," I prompted.

The look that passed over her face was one I was all too familiar with. I knew how she was with guys. Tasha was the chew-them-up-and-spit-them-out type. Most were lucky to last a few weeks. Then again, Trevor seemed like that type too. Them getting to know each other could either be a total disaster, or the best thing that had happened to either of them.

"Mmm, we'll see. Besides, we're not here to talk about my love life, though. Now twirl," she instructed as she wagged her finger at me through the camera.

Leaving my phone propped up, I stepped back until Tasha could see me in profile. I'd settled on simplicity and comfort, pairing a cute pair of jeans with a gray sweater. I figured it was practical, given that I had no idea what Wyatt had planned, but the jeans also made my ass look great.

"Perfect. You should wear those nice, heeled boots you have, too."

"Good idea," I replied, as I disappeared from her view.

It took me a minute of rummaging in the back of my closet to find said boots, too distracted by thoughts of seeing Wyatt. As the clock ticked closer to noon, the more nervous I felt. It was more excitement than anything. A nervous excitement. I wanted to spend more time with him. I'd gotten a good sense of who he was outside of hockey, and I liked what I saw.

Tasha stayed on FaceTime with me while I finished getting ready. She knew me well enough to know when I was nervous, and I appreciated that she was doing her best to keep my mind off of it. Even if that meant proceeding to tell me all about the hot yoga class, even though we both knew I had no interest in it.

"Seriously, Josie, you should have seen it. This older lady kept cursing because she claimed someone had stolen her mat. Then there was this other girl that made these strange moaning noises with every change of position."

"I thought yoga was supposed to be a calming experience?" I laughed.

By the time I'd finished curling my hair and applying some light makeup, I felt calmer.

"You look great, Jo."

"Thanks for helping me get ready." I shot her a grateful smile.

"Any time," she said with a wink before her voice took on a more serious tone. "Have fun today. If Wyatt wants to spoil you, let him do it. You deserve to go out and have some fun."

I nodded thoughtfully. It'd been a rough year and for so long I'd felt like I couldn't go out and have fun. Without Tasha and Lydia coaxing me out to do things, I'd probably become a hermit in my apartment.

"Remember our code word?" Tasha asked.

"Anchovies." The two of us shared a grin. We came up with our code word in Uni—something weird that we could say to get each other's attention during some social gathering when one of us didn't feel comfortable or just wanted to get away. Needless to say, the conversation took place in our dorm room while eating pizza, and anchovies just stuck.

"Call or text me and I'll drop everything to come get you."

"I love you, T."

"I love you too, Jo."

Right on cue, I heard a knock at my front door.

He's early.

"Have fun and call me later." With an encouraging smile, Tasha ended the call.

Grabbing my phone, I hurried to the door as I did my best to calm the fluttering butterflies in my stomach. As my hand gripped the doorknob, I paused, forcing myself to take a deep breath before I opened the door. At the sight of Wyatt, I swallowed thickly, the butterflies in my stomach swarming.

How is it possible that he looks even hotter than he did last night?

My gaze ran over him, taking in the fitted light blue sweater that brought out his eyes, and the slim-fit, dark jeans that showed off his muscular legs. He literally looked like a model.

No wonder he's named one of hockey's hottest players.

"Hey," I breathed, forcing myself to look him in the eye.

"Hey back. You look great," he said. I loved the way he didn't hide the fact he was checking me out.

"Thanks. You do too."

As he brought his gaze back up to meet mine, his mischievous half-smile made me a little weak in the knees.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Sure am. Just let me grab my purse really quick."

Not wanting to make him wait, I quickly walked into the living room and grabbed my handbag off the counter.

Stepping into the hall, I locked my door and turned to Wyatt, my nerves and excitement rising in equal parts.

"Feel like chancing the elevator again?" Wyatt asked, extending his hand.

"I'm game if you are." I placed my hand in his and let him lead me towards the elevator. His hand was firm and solid, his callouses pressed against the soft palm of my own. I gave it a little squeeze as I tilted my head back slightly to look at him. "Lead the way."