Chapter 467: Scott Brownstone

Tuesday, February 14th, Evening

After lunch at Katz Deli, she returned to the Hell's Kitchen Brownstone. After stripping off her coat, scarf, hat, and sunglasses, she went upstairs to her bedroom. In the bedroom, she kicked off her boots, pulled off her jeans, and crashed on the bed. Curling up on the bed, she closed her eyes for a nap.

Her smartphone went off, and Ellie sat up, grabbing her phone. Looking at the phone, she shut off the alarm. Bietio sent her a text about when he would be picking her up. Ellie smiled, looked at the phone, and started making plans to get ready for her date.

Ellie got up and walked over to her closet and started looking through it for what she wanted to wear. Collecting her underwear shoes and looked over her dresses. Ellie eventually found one she thought was perfect and pulled it off the rack.

Everything sorted, she laid it out on the bed. Ellie stripped out of the remainder of her clothes and walked into her ensuite. Starting the shower, warm water was soon hitting her body. After washing herself and her hair, she stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself.

Ellie stared at herself in the mirror and started to dry her hair. She missed her long hair, but it fell out when she was in high school. It was about shoulder length now, and she could style it a bit, but she did miss her formerly long hair. Once it was dried, she styled it with a slight natural-looking curl.

Next, Ellie did her makeup, slight, tasteful to enhance her blue eyes. Ellie was one of only two of her siblings who looked like their mom; Sawyer was the other. Ellie got her dad's blue eyes instead of her mom's green, like Keith and Sawyer.

Once finished, Ellie walked over to the bed. Ellie carefully pulled on her underwear, and once she finished, she walked over to a full-length dressing mirror. Studying herself, Ellie smiled. She saw her Tarheel tattoo sticking out from her waistband and reviewed the tattoo on her left rib.

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

After letting out a deep sigh, Ellie nodded. She put on her shoes, nice strappy stiletto heels, and looked at herself in the mirror, again. Ellie approved of what the heels did and removed the heels. Better for getting ready.

Slipping on her dress, she studied herself in the mirror. Ellie smiled and made sure everything was properly in place. Once she liked what she saw, she went to the makeup table, which was once her mom's. Reaching it, she quickly touched her makeup out of nerves.

Ellie got up and went into the closet. After unlocking the safe, she removed a small jewel box. Ellie returned to the makeup table. She was going through the box; she picked out a lovely bracelet, necklace, and three sets of earrings. Putting them all in or on, Ellie looked at herself in the mirror again and smiled. Once finished, she put the jewel box away and locked the safe.

The next thing Ellie did was collect the things she would need and put them in the bag she would bring with her tonight. Once finished, she gathered her purse and shoes and headed down to the parlor floor.

On the parlor floor, she walked over to where her leather jacket hung. Ellie ran her hand over it and felt the material.

"Not tonight, old friend," Ellie said and took down a long posh coat.

Ellie draped the posh coat over the back of a chair. She sat down on the sofa and pulled her heels on. Taking out her smartphone, Ellie started looking over her notes and smiled.

Slowly, Ellie played with her nails. This is the hard part, the waiting. Ellie was never one to keep a guy waiting, no matter how many times her mom and Aunt Brooke told her to do it, to build anticipation.

Ellie did miss dating out of Leighton. Her mom would stop by her room and comment on things but always help when it would be needed. Her dad would wait downstairs when she came down; he was always amazed at how she looked. Ellie was always overlooked because Kay always demanded is time. It always felt nice that her dad would look at her and compliment her.

Ellie knew that Kay was the most like their dad of all the kids. Keith was probably the most like their mom. Yet Ellie felt that sometimes she's more her dad's daughter than her mom's. Maybe, it was because she was a daughter and took emotional cues from their dad. Ellie remembered overhearing her dad talk to her Uncle Nathan right after LK was born.

"Treat Haley how you want boys to treat Lydia. Your daughter will normalize that's how a man is to treat a woman," Lucas said.

Ellie smiled; her dad always treated all his girls well. Maybe that was because he was a jerk when he was younger. Maybe he wanted to make amends.

The smartphone chimed; Ellie picked it up and looked it over.

Bietio: Coming down, Ninth, now be there in five.

Ellie: Okay.

Ellie smiled and put her smartphone in her bag; she collected her stuff and set them on the coffee table. Ellie looked over the wall-mounted mirror.

"Calm, Ellie," she said, "Anticipation is all that matters; let the tension build."

Ellie closed her eyes and tried to breathe. She had no clue why she was nervous; she's been on dates with Bietio before. Maybe, because it's Valentine's Day, Ellie couldn't imagine why.

The doorbell chimed; Ellie stood up and ran her hands down her dress, straightening it. Ellie carefully walked over to the front door. After taking a deep breath and letting it out, she opened the door.

Ellie's eyes grew wide when she saw Bietio standing at the door. Bietio always wore a suit most of the times she saw him, but now he was wearing a SUIT. Ellie studied him; the suit was undoubtedly tailored, and the color perfectly complimented him. His long coat and scarf helped complete the image, an innocent image, especially with him holding a bouquet.

Bietio, on the other hand, had a command himself to breathe. Ellie always looked beautiful in his eyes, but tonight she looked stunning. He could see in her blue eyes she was impressed with how he was dressed as well.

"Hi, Libby," Bietio said, giving her a silly grin.

"Bietio," Ellie said, in a husky voice, "Are those for me?"

Bietio nodded, "Yeah," he said and handed her the flowers.

"Come in; I'll put these in some water," Ellie said.

"Okay," Bietio said.

Ellie showed him in. Bietio stood in the foyer while Ellie went downstairs to put the flowers in a vase. Once she finished, Ellie came back to the parlor.

Collecting her coat and bag, she returned to Bietio in the foyer. Bietio still had that silly grin on his face.

"Let me help you with that," Bietio said.

"Help with what?" Ellie asked.

"Your coat," Bietio said.

"Oh!" Ellie said, put her bag down, and handed Bietio her coat.

Bietio held up the coat, and Ellie slipped into it. Once it was set in place, Ellie picked her bag up.

"Thanks," Ellie said.

"You're welcome," Bietio said.

They left the brownstone, which Ellie ensured was locked, and headed down the steps. They got to the Uber, and Bietio held the door for her.

After he got in, he looked at her, "I think you're going to like the restaurant," Bietio said.

Ellie nodded and kissed Bietio's cheek. She paused, then pulled back and gave him a wicked smile.