“Tomorrow night I have a work function,” he says.
Well, shit, looks like we won’t be fucking anytime soon after all.
“Would you like to join me?” Quinn asks. “It’s a charity gala my brothers and I are invited to every year. Cooper and Gavin can’t make it, so I could use some company.”
My stomach drops. Didn’t see that coming.
“I’d love to.” I don’t think I have anything to wear, but now isn’t the time to worry about it.
“Wonderful. I’ll pick you up at eight.”
“Okay, perfect.” At that moment, I look out the window and see Erica sitting in the sandbox with her tongue out, slowly raising a handful of sand to her mouth. “Quinn? I gotta run. This little she-devil is about to eat dirt.”
“Go save the day,” he says with a chuckle. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
I tell Quinn good-bye and grab the baby monitor before running out the back door to stop Erica. My decision to stop her from eating sand sends her into a full-blown meltdown, just in time for baby Ben to wake up and start screaming in his crib.
I spend the next two hours playing zone defense, trying to calm both kids down long enough for their mom to get home.
• • •
By the time I finally make it home around eight o’clock that night, I make myself a sad ham-and-cheese sandwich and try not to think about the evening I missed out on.
I can’t believe I had to cancel my date with Quinn tonight. Lorraine can be flaky, but of all the times for her to be late, this was definitely the worst.
Sandwich in hand, I make my way to my closet and push clothes around, looking for a dress fancy enough for a gala. Based on the suits Quinn wears to work, I suspect this event will be black tie.
Just when I resign myself to the fact that I’ll need to go to the mall and get a fancy dress tomorrow, my doorbell rings. I frown and try to peek out my window to see who’s at the door, but the angle isn’t quite right for me to tell.
After setting my sandwich down on the table, I go to the door and open it to find a small man standing there with a large rectangular box in his hands.
“Delivery for Alessandra,” the man says, holding the box out to me.
Hesitantly, I take it from him, and he promptly turns and walks back to his car.
“Thank you!” I call after him and turn to figure out what the heck is going on. I take the box into the kitchen, where I use a pair of scissors to cut the ribbon across the top.
I open the box to find a note from Quinn sitting on top of something wrapped in off-white tissue paper.
Bellissima Alessandra,
Something for tomorrow night almost as beautiful as you.
Yours, Quinn
Intrigued, I rip through the tissue paper to find a gorgeous satin gown neatly folded in the box. I gasp and gently lift it out of the cardboard, relishing in the weight and silkiness of the fabric. The dress has thin straps and a small train, and an intricately beaded bodice.
As I gingerly hold the dress in my hands, excitement builds within me. No one has ever done anything like this for me before, so sweet and thoughtful. I lay the dress carefully over the chair in the corner of my room, afraid that my cheap hangers will hurt it.
Inside the box, beneath the dress is the most exquisite pair of heels, in my size, that match perfectly with the dress. I can’t help but slip my feet into them and parade around my bedroom.
I can tell already that my date with Quinn tomorrow will be one of the most special nights of my life.