'It just doesn't feel like it would be right.'
'What would be wrong with it?'
Silence and a resigned shrug met his question.
'It's a date then.'
'Goody! Maccas!'
'No not Mc Donald's. Somewhere grownup I think, Chloe.'
Crestfallen Chloe quickly lost interest in the idea of dinner. By the look in Ethan's eyes his interest hadn't waned. The blush that crept up Felicity's neck meant she was far from disinterested as well.
And so it was a date.
A date! He called it a date! But it wasn't a date Felicity repeated mantra like all afternoon as she was resting in her room. Supposed to be anyway, she mumbled under her breath as she again paced the length of the room. It's just dinner. So why was she so nervous like a debutant before her coming out ball? Anybody would have thought it was a first. Well it felt like it. At least she realized she didn't have to agonise over what to wear. A little black dress was the only item apart from the ubiquitous underwear and swimming gear that she had kept from the contraband that had appeared in her wardrobe, the rest bundled up and returned without Ethan or Darlene knowing. Getting good at this behind their back stuff she thought grimly.
Deciding to pamper herself and calm down as well Felicity decided to soak in a hot deep spa with some added bath salts. If the blurb on the bottle was to be believed then serenity was hers to absorb and breathe in. Let's hope so, she prayed.
The bath did the trick. Maybe not serene but definitely less edgy was Felicity's self assessment upon reluctantly leaving the cooling water. Layers of scent followed with the soap, lotion and the cologne all the same fragrance.
I definitely don't smell like air freshener, she thought a tad unkindly. But what if she was still overpoweringly 'smelly'? Too late now. Ethan had nominated 5.30pm as the time to leave as he didn't want Chloe out too late. Sitting at the dressing table Felicity debated her level of makeup. None would be unacceptable since she was sure that Ethan's idea of grownup restaurant would be classy and she looked too young for Ethan anyway. A lot of makeup would suggest that she saw this as a date despite the presence of his daughter. There was probably a fine line between the two. On a sigh Felicity settled for some kohl, mascara and sheer lip gloss. She left her skin bare as it was lightly tanned and her bruises had faded.
Her hair was easy. A quick blow dry to leave it in gentle waves down her back. Come to think of she questioned herself, had Ethan ever seen her hair down and dry as opposed to messy, wet or up in a pony tail?