Page 16 of Ruby’s Outback Love

Renée gazed my way. “Really?” she mouthed.

I nodded and she bounced up and down.

Lifting one half of my sandwich, I pondered why they were so excited about me going out with them. I mean, I was no one special. Maybe they thought I was lonely and they felt sorry for me. I shrugged before returning to people watching and enjoying my lunch.

***

Janeen arrived at the door to my apartment a little before seven. When she knocked, I swung the door open and smiled.

“I’m ready, I’ll just grab my bag.”

“You look gorgeous, Ruby. It’s the first time I’ve seen you dolled up in a dress with makeup.”

“Thanks.” I’d spent the afternoon shopping for something nice to wear, I hadn’t owned a dress, normally I lived in jeans and shirts.

The dress I wore was dark blue with an embroidered pale blue yoke. It had a satin underlay, floaty chiffon overlay. The way it draped over my body made me appear smaller than my size 18 frame. I’d paired it with dark blue stiletto type heels and hoped I didn’t break my fool neck.

My hair was swept up in a high ponytail, curls cascaded down my back and loose, wispy tendrils framed my face. Being dark skinned, makeup was in earthy tones, a clear gloss applied to my lips. I felt pretty and feminine.

Janeen, a pretty girl originally from China, looked great. She was slender and the red, figure hugging dress she wore accentuated her delicate curves. Red high heels matched the dress perfectly. Her short black hair shone, even in the dim light and her chocolate brown eyes sparkled.

I locked the front door, tossed the key into my bag and holding each other’s hands, we carefully descended the stairs.

Renée was waiting out front in her apple green Mazda car. She greeted me as I slid into the back. Janeen climbed into the front passenger seat. After starting the motor, Renée swivelled to face us.

“Fratelli Paradiso for dinner? It’s close to the club and the food is delicious.”

Janeen and I glanced at each other and after she nodded, I answered for both of us.

“Sounds good, I’ll book us a table.”

Renée turned back in her seat, shifted the car into gear and negotiated traffic as we headed for the restaurant. While they brought me up to date on their love lives, I pulled up the restaurant app on my phone and booked a table for three. The request was quickly confirmed and I joined the conversation, describing a hunky new intern who had recently started at the hospital.

“You should ask him out.” Janeen urged and Renée agreed.

I burst into laughter. “I have a feeling his husband might not like it if I did.”

“Damn, why is it the cute, sexy guys are so often gay?” Janeen pouted.

“I’m not looking so it doesn’t matter.” I still had a long way to go before I could think of Phil without tears burning my eyes.

Janeen swivelled in her seat to face me. In the light generated by headlamps of oncoming vehicles, I glimpsed her frown.

“What?” I knew she was busting to say something.

“You know, what. It’s past time you got back out there, met yourself a man and had some fun. I’m not telling you to fall in love and marry, just start living again. I’m sure Phil isn’t sitting around moping.”

“I agree.” Renée stated as she steered the car into the restaurant parking lot and slipped into an empty space. “You’re gorgeous, Rubes, don’t hide yourself away because of one jerkoff. You’re intelligent and look smokin’ hot when you get all dolled up like you have tonight. Men will be drooling over you, wait and see.”

I laughed. “We’ll see.”

We climbed from the car and headed to the restaurant door. Once we stepped inside, I noted how Renée looked. The woman was drop dead gorgeous; men would have to be jealous as hell when they found out she played for the other side.

The very tall, blonde haired, blue eyed bombshell represented her Scandinavian heritage. Her skin was creamy white, unblemished. The black dress she’d poured herself into gave a whole new meaning to ‘little black dress’, the emphasis was definitely on little in this case. It fitted her slender figure like a glove and was short. As in short, short. I hoped she didn’t need to bend over for any reason. It showed off her shapely legs which I swear finished somewhere in her armpits. And, as if she wasn’t tall enough, she wore six inch heels. It was like being out with a giant! Her waist length hair hung down her back in soft waves.

A few people, mainly men, seated in curved booths, gave us the once over when we entered. Their eyes skimmed Janeen and I but it was our friend who they stuck to. If only they’d known, they didn’t stand a chance.

I smiled to myself when more heads turned as we were led to a booth with tan leather seating. We certainly made an interesting looking trio.