later with shoes and dress in hand and little Alexa distracted in front of the television set, Bridget sat back against the bed. She leaned her head against Jeneva’s shoulder as her friend draped a comforting arm around her shoulders.
“I’m too old for this, Jay.”
The other woman laughed. “No, you’re not. Thirty-eight is hardly old. Things happen for a reason and obviously this is your time. Stop worrying about it and go have some fun.”
“But…”
“But nothing,” Jeneva interrupted. “Darwin is a great guy! You like him and he likes you. You won’t know how far the relationship will go until both of you actually go through the motions of moving it someplace. So, go get pretty and just think about having a good time.”
Bridget nodded. “Were you this nervous with Mecan?”
“You remember how anxious I was,” Jeneva said with a light chuckle. “If you and Roshawn hadn’t been there to help me get ready I’d probably still be trying to figure out what to wear.”
“You did look good.”
“It was the scarf.”
The two women laughed.
“Okay,” Bridget said, moving to peer into the other room to check that Alexa was still planted in front of the cartoon station. She sat back down, drawing her legs up beneath her buttocks.
“What about sex?” she whispered. “I mean…you know…” She paused, taking a deep breath.
Jeneva smiled, shifting herself back against a pillow. “When you know it’s right there won’t be anything to worry about. You’ll know exactly what to do, and how to do it, and it will be the most amazing experience. Just trust your instincts.”
“But it’s been so long.”
“It hasn’t been fourteen years. I had a fourteen-year dry spell to make up for, remember?”
“Maybe, but the last time I was with a man was what? A year ago? And you remember how badly that turned out. That brother fumbled like it was his first time. I barely got a wham and a bam before it was all over. Instead of thanking me he should have been apologizing and begging for my forgiveness. That’s the last time I bother with anyone from the D.A.’s office.”
Both women suddenly burst out laughing at the memory. Jeneva clutched her chest, tears swelling in her eyes. “Okay…okay…” she sputtered as she sucked in air. “Okay, you have a point there.”
Bridget wiped her own eyes, tears of laughter misting her cheeks. “Exactly. What if it’s that bad?”
“It won’t be. It’s Darwin and he’s related to Mecan, and my Mac…well, you get the idea,” she said with a wide grin.
Bridget rolled her eyes.
“It’s not Darwin I’m worried about. What if I do something to turn him off? I might take my clothes off and he sees that I have cellulite on my thighs, or my breasts are too small, or…”
“Give it a rest!” Jeneva exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. “Darwin likes you. If and when you two ever get naked with each other he will love everything about you. Trust that. Now go get dressed or you’re going to be late. And hurry up so I can see you before I have to take the girl home so her daddy can spoil her some before her bedtime.”
Bridget heaved another deep sigh and reached for her dress. “If you say so.”
As she headed toward the adjoining bathroom she turned back toward her friend and smiled. “Thanks, Jay. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Chapter 6
Bridget maneuvered her car through downtown Seattle toward the district of Madronas where Darwin lived. His directions were precise, right down to the mileage. She took the left and right turns onto Aurora and Denny Way, crossing over to Boren and Pike Streets until she pulled in front of his condominium unit.
The buildings were new Craftsman-styled townhomes with lots of curb appeal. The neighborhood was immaculate and decidedly upscale. There was an abundance of neighbor-friendly activity in the area and Bridget noted the couples and families out for an evening’s stroll or headed toward the quaint shopping district.
Easing out of her car, she hesitated for just a quick minute, pausing to adjust the back of her mint-green, A-line shift neatly against the length of her body. Her nerves had kicked into high gear somewhere around the intersection of 15th Avenue and Union Street. She felt nauseous, her stomach twisting in one hundred different directions. Good sense told her she was being foolish, but in that moment, anxiety was prevailing.
She hesitated one last time just before pushing the doorbell with a freshly manicured index finger. Darwin and the cutest Maltese puppy greeted her. Both seemed overly excited to see her and the minute Darwin smiled, her name floating over his lips, she felt at ease.
“Bridget, welcome,” the man gushed, the small dog squirming anxiously in his arms. “Come on in.” Darwin leaned to press a quick kiss on her cheek and Bridget suddenly thought about Alexa.
“Thank you. Who is this?” she asked, reaching to take the animal out of his grip. Pulling the bundle of fur to her chest, she hugged it easily, the dog’s exuberance igniting her own.
“That’s my guard dog. Her name’s Biscuit.”
“Hi, Biscuit. Aren’t you too cute!”
Biscuit yipped, delighted by the attention.
“I didn’t know if you liked pets or not. I was just about to lock her in my bedroom.”
“Don’t you dare! I love dogs. If I had the time to care for them I’d have two or three myself. I’m not partial to cats though,” she said, making a face.
Darwin found the gesture amusing and he chuckled, leading her into a tastefully decorated family room that was situated adjacent to an open kitchen area. Taking a quick glance around the space, Bridget was impressed with the custom cherry cabinets, stainless steel appliances and solid granite counters. Shiny, copper-bottomed pots hung from an intricate rack on the ceiling. They gleamed beneath the warm lighting, looking as if they’d never been used. The rich color of the Brazilian cherry floors also made a nice impression, and Darwin’s tastes were very simple, an eclectic mix of artifacts from his travels around the world.
Her eye was drawn to the painting over his fireplace and as she stood staring at it, the puppy cuddling comfortably against her chest, she could only shake her head.
“Why didn’t you tell me you collected Holston? That’s a wonderful piece!” she exclaimed, turning to stare at the man.
Darwin shrugged. “I wanted to surprise you. In fact, I actually tried to buy the one you have in your living room. You beat me to it. I ended up getting the one that’s in my bedroom instead. I’ll give you a tour later on so you can see it.”
She nodded as he gestured toward a plush recliner in the corner of the room. Just as Bridget moved to take a seat he stopped her. “That’s Biscuit’s favorite spot. Just drop her there.”
Bridget laughed. “Okay,” she said as she placed the dog on top of a pillow and watched as she settled herself comfortably down.
Darwin gave her a quick wink. “You can’t get comfortable yet. We have a meal to make. So, as soon as you wash your hands we can get started. I’m hungry.”
Bridget looked surprised, her mouth open slightly as she stood staring at him. “What happened to you cooking me dinner?”
The man’s warm laughter made her smile, a wide grin filling her face.
“I am cooking. You’re just going to help.” He pointed to the sink. “There’s plenty of soap in that dispenser,” he quipped, moving to wash his own hands.