"Oh, Ana. He's so funny and cute. He's exactly my type. I gave him my number." Kate gushes to Ana about Elliot in the car on the way home.
"Kate, I love hearing you so… smitten about someone, but what about Zach? I thought you liked him?" Ana worries that her roommate isn't thinking and is just attracted to Elliot because of his looks. Ana doesn't want Kate to get hurt like she did.
"I think we fizzled out. He hasn't called me in the last couple of weeks as often as he used to and we both were bored on our last date. I think we're just better friends." Kate explains.
"So did you guys break up?" Normally Kate tells Ana everything, frequently more than Ana wants to know. Therefore, she's concerned Kate is just mentioning this to her now.
"Not in so many words but it's inevitable." Kate shrugs indifferently.
"Well, I just don't want you to get hurt. What if you break things off with Zach and Elliot turns out to be a creep?"
Kate laughs, "Ana, you are such a sweetheart but, trust me, I wouldn't let him hurt me. I know what I want and deserve and if he will not give that to me then he can take a hike." Kate motions backward with her thumb. "Speaking of which, how are you feeling that Christian was at the party?"
"Ugh, it was so awkward. But he apologized to me and said I was "accidentally" blocked on his phone and that's why he couldn't see I called or texted him." Ana explains to Kate.
"How the hell do you accidentally block someone on your phone?" Kate is bewildered. She's heard some lame excuses, but that really takes the cake. Ana just shrugs and says nothing. She seems a little preoccupied with something and she's not entirely listening to Kate. "Oh, Ana. I hate that he used you like that. You're too sweet and trusting."
"How am I too sweet and trusting? Just because I don't date much doesn't mean I'm too sweet and trusting." Ana is irritated that Kate treats her like a child sometimes. The sole reason Ana hasn't dated a lot is because she's particular about the kind of man she wants to be in a relationship.
"Ana, I don't mean that in a bad way. Being trusting and sweet are wonderful qualities. There needs to be more people like you in this world. I just worry that someone will take advantage of you - that's all." Ana has known Kate long enough to know she is being sincere and her statement comes from a good place. Sometimes Kate can be a little overbearing; luckily, Ana is pretty easy going. So they complement each other well.
"You can be assured I will let no one take advantage of me like that again. I am taking things slowly with Blake." Ana informs Kate matter-of-factly.
"Ana, Mia wants you and Blake to come to her place for dinner this weekend. She said she wants to have a dinner party." Kate informs Ana as they are looking through the mail.
"That sounds like fun. I'll have to see if Blake is free." Ana excitedly tells her friend.
"He's been pretty busy with baseball season starting, hasn't he?" Kate asks. She's noticed that Ana hasn't gotten to see Blake as much as she'd like.
"Yeah, it kind of sucks. But I don't want to say anything because it's his career and we haven't been dating that long. So, I take it Elliot will be there as well?" Ana teases Kate. After the party Zach and Kate both decided they are better off friends and had an amicable split which is convenient considering Elliot called her the following day to ask her out on a date.
That Saturday, Ana is getting dressed for the dinner party. Kate assured her that it won't be fancy - just dinner so everyone can meet the new guy Mia is seeing. Kate and Mia have become close recently and Ana feels grateful that the two sweetest people she knows are such a prominent part of her life.
She walks out to the living room to get approval on her outfit from Kate. She's wearing white, high-waisted, cropped, raw-hem skinny jeans designed with a visible button fly. She's accented the jeans with a blue and red, mixed print, boho-looking, cropped top styled with a swingy tassel-tie neck and three-quarter bowtie sleeves. She keeps her look fresh and casual with her Dolce Vita blue, knotted slide sandal with beaded trim with a stacked wedge heel. Somehow the entire ensemble makes her legs look even longer and lithe but still shows off her curves. It looks like the outfit was made specifically for her.
Kate is wearing a copper with white dot mini dress with cascading ruffles, a daring neckline and a low v-back. If sunshine was a person, Ana imagines that it would look exactly like Kate does now. Kate's sparkling green eyes and perfect coloring make her look like the vibrant and cheerful woman she is. Elliot would be a fool to not love the way she looks.
"Kate! You look amazing! Elliot will flip when he sees you." Ana gushes over her friend. Kate responds with a shy smile - something very unusual compared to her normal confident and outgoing personality.
"Ana, so do you. It sucks Blake can't come along." Kate pouts at her best friend.
"I know, but the Mariners are playing so he has to work. I feel like I hardly get to see him. How will we get to know each other better if we never see each other?" Ana confides to Kate. Ana seems to have the worst luck with men. Maybe she should have just stuck to reading books and being single. Life was a lot less complicated when the only drama she had was inside of a Jane Austen novel.
Elliot called Christian earlier in the day to tell him Mia is dating some guy who is coming to their parents' house for dinner. Ever the over-protective brother, Christian decides he's going to drop by to see his mom - and check out this douche Mia is supposedly dating.
Even though it's Saturday, he spent most of the day working except for his break to take a long run on the Burke-Gilman Trail. Lately, running and working out are the only ways Christian can let off steam. Some days it works, others, not so much.
After a refreshing shower, Christian dresses in jeans and a black t-shirt which is a little tight on his arms so this guy can see Christian is not someone to be messed with. Elliot doesn't like Mia dating either, but he's more of a lover, not a fighter type of guy. So it leaves Christian to do the dirty work. And quite frankly, he doesn't mind. He never really lost that angry streak he had as a teenager, especially with everything he's been dealing with lately. Christian resolves to not think about his drama for the rest of the evening so he can focus all his attention on Mia and her date.
Grace opens the front door and is pleasantly surprised to see her son, Christian standing there. He never stops over unexpectedly, but she's happy to see him. "Christian! How wonderful to see you here! To what do we owe this distinct pleasure?" Christian grimaces a little at how his mom is acting, like he never stops over to visit. Maybe he should stop by more often.
"Well, it's a nice day so and I haven't seen you for a little while so I thought you'd like a visit. Are you busy, Mother?"
Grace's face lights up with a joyous smile immediately answering his question. "Christian, I am never too busy for you. Come in. Do you want something to drink? Some tea or coffee?" she politely offers him as if he didn't live under that roof for fifteen years. Christian cranes his neck to figure out where Mia and this date of hers is. They better not be upstairs in her room or he will really go crazy.
All too soon, he gets his answer. "Oh my God! Is that Christian's voice I hear?" Mia yells, her heels clacking on the wooden floor as she runs. Suddenly, a tornado of Mia crashes into him to give him a big hug. Mia is the only person Christian allows to hug him. For everyone else, this is an exclusion zone. Before he can respond Mia asks him if he wants to join them for dinner.
Thinking Mia means her and their parents, he agrees and is quite surprised when he enters the dining room to see Ana sitting at the table laughing. She catches his eye when he walks in and immediately blushes and looks away.
Christian glares at Elliot who is smirking at him basking in his rouse. "Christian, this is Ryan. He's on the rowing team at UW." Mia gushes to her brother hoping the common sport will make Christian a little friendlier to Ryan.
'Just act calm and cool. Don't show your hand.' Christian tells himself as he takes the remaining seat at the table which is conveniently next to Ana. On the outside, you would think he is as calm as can be, but on the inside, his mind is going a mile a minute. Mia is rambling on and on with some story about her and Ryan and all Christian can think about is how wonderful Ana smells and how gorgeous she looks.
Christian's plan to see his little sister's new friend is proving to be more than he bargained for. And, he isn't yet sure whether it's good or bad.