Page 15 of January (New Orleans #1)

“I don’t have date clothes,” she noted.

“You weren’t planning on going on dates here,” Jolie replied, staring down at the clothing options Kyle had laid out all over the bed. “You have that button-down.”

“It’s black.”

“So?”

“So, is black really the best for a first date?”

“It’s short-sleeved, and you can toss this cardigan over it,” Jolie said, lifting a gray cardigan Kyle wasn’t sure was hers.

“Isn’t that yours?”

“It is , but I’m gifting it to you for this date. I do expect it back eventually. It’s light-gray, which will lighten up the black. And wear your nicest jeans. I can’t believe you didn’t bring any other shoes.”

“I know. I’m regretting that now,” she said, taking the sweater from Jolie.

“If we were the same size, I’d leave you a pair of mine, but you’d bust out of them.”

Kyle laughed and said, “Should I go buy some? I have time.”

“You’d risk blisters. How much walking will you be doing?”

“I have no idea.”

“Well, what have you planned so far?”

“She just said yes last night. I was up for hours, trying to think of something to do, but she’s probably done literally everything here.”

“Have you tried asking her what she wants to do?”

“No, I wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Okay. Well, I’m sure you’re right, and she’s done just about everything and led a tour about it, too.”

“So, what am I supposed to do? ”

“Ky, don’t put too much pressure on yourself here. It’s a first date. Just chill. Have dinner somewhere. Make it nice. Talk to the woman. Kiss her goodnight if she lets you, and ask her out again if you want.”

“I’m wearing my stupid tennis shoes,” she replied. “I can’t take her anywhere nice. They wouldn’t let me in.”

“You’ll figure something out. You always do. Now, take care of my sweater. I’ve got to get to the airport.”

“Do you have to fly out today? Are you sure you can’t wait until after my date?”

“What if you bring her back here, or you go back to her place? I’d be sitting here, thinking about you having sex. No, thank you,” Jolie replied. “Besides, they let me book this flight with no change fee, so I’m going to take advantage.”

“I’d drive you, but…”

“You don’t have a car here,” Jolie finished. “I’ve already ordered one, and it should be here in a few minutes. Are you sure you’ll be okay here by yourself?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“I’m not talking about the grandma stuff. I mean dating a woman. It’s been a while.”

“You’re hilarious,” Kyle replied, playfully shoving her sister away. “Go. Catch your ride.”

“Text me when it’s all over so I know how it went.”

“I will. I love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Minutes later, Kyle watched the car drive her sister away toward the airport. Then, as she looked around the house, she realized that she was now alone for the first time. It was true that Jolie hadn’t always been here when she’d been here, but she’d always been a phone call and quick walk or ride away. Soon, though, Jolie would be back home, and Kyle would be here dealing with all of this on her own. It was what she’d wanted, but it would also be hard. On top of that, in just a few short hours, she’d be picking up Melinda for a first date, and she had no idea what to do or where to take her.

◆◆ ◆

Kyle walked into the office and looked around for any signs of Melinda. She knew the woman’s apartment had to have a door all its own, but she had no idea where it was or how to get to it without going through the office first.

“Kyle?” Jill asked.

“Yeah, hey,” she said. “Um… Is Melinda here?”

“No. She’s probably at home, though.”

“Right. I’m supposed to pick her up, but she took me through the office before, so I–”

“You don’t know how to get up there without going through here. Got it,” Jill said. “Come on. I’ll show you up.”

Jill motioned for Kyle to follow her outside, and when she turned instantly to the right, there was a very skinny alley, which she led Kyle down. Then, they turned left, and there was a courtyard and a metal staircase.

“She’s up there,” Jill told her. “I think she forgets that most people don’t have keys to the office, so if we’re closed or they can’t get behind the counter to her door, they can’t find her.”

“Thanks,” Kyle replied.

“Flowers?” Jill looked down at the small bouquet in Kyle’s hands.

“Oh, yeah. Just from the grocery store. Too much? Too little?”

“Too cute,” Jill said with a wink. “Have fun.”

“Thanks,” she replied and waited for Jill to walk back down the alley.

When Kyle heard something a few seconds later, she looked up, finding Melinda standing on the small balcony.

“I’m picking up on a real Romeo and Juliet vibe right now,” Kyle pointed out.

Melinda smiled down at her and said, “Juliet and Juliet.”

“I doubt Shakespeare ever thought there’d be a Juliet with another Juliet.”

“Oh, please. All those actors were guys. I think he got the idea,” Melinda said, walking down the stairs. “And I can invite you in, if you want, but I don’t know what we’re doing, so I thought I’d meet you at the office. You beat me there, though, and now you’re here.” Melinda stood in front of Kyle now. “And I’m nervous, so I sound like an idiot.”

“No, you don’t,” she replied. “You sound great. And you look great.” Kyle took in the blue dress, that was tight in the bodice but had a flowing skirt under a white sweater, and the short heels that matched. “And I said great twice, so now, I ’m definitely sounding like an idiot. I promise, I know more adjectives than that.”

Melinda laughed and asked, “Are those for me?”

“No, they’re for Jill. I just forgot to give them to her. Can we go back into the office real quick so I can–”

Melinda laughed, cutting her off, and said, “I can put them in water.”

Kyle handed the flowers to her and said, “I picked them up at the grocery store. I didn’t want to show up empty-handed. It’s just a mixed bouquet.”

“They’re nice. You’re sweet, Kyle. Let me take these inside and get them in water, and we can go. Come up.”

“Actually, I think I have a solution for that, if you don’t mind carrying them for a bit.”

“That’s ominous,” Melinda said, chuckling. “Just where are we going, exactly?”

“Where do you take the tour guide who’s seen everything?”

“I don’t know. Out of town?”

“I probably should’ve thought of that, but I don’t have a car here and didn’t want to take some shared-ride driver far from home, so I went a different direction. Do you think you could go with me on this?”

“Yeah, sounds like fun, actually.”

Kyle reached out her hand and asked, “Where do you stand on PDA?”

“I think I stand on the side of it,” Melinda replied, took her hand, and entwined their fingers. “Lead the way. ”

“Can you walk in those heels?”

“Yes, that’s why I wore the short ones.”

“Sorry, I had to wear tennis shoes. I didn’t bring anything else.”

“I like your tennis shoes. They’re cute. And they’re still surprisingly white, which is a miracle around here, with all the people in the Quarter, who will step on them, or all the mud you should have all over them.”

“I’ve been watching where I step,” she replied, squeezing Melinda’s hand.

They walked for a while, and Melinda caught up Kyle on the wedding she’d gone to with Bridgette and how she’d had some fun there but had been thinking about Kyle a lot. Feeling pretty good about that, Kyle pulled Melinda against her side when they stopped at a light outside of the Quarter, where the cars met the pedestrian area, and she wrapped her arm around her. When Melinda leaned into her and had her own arm around Kyle’s waist, Kyle wasn’t sure she wanted to move. She considered standing there forever, just holding Melinda while they waited for the walk signal to appear opposite them, but when it did finally show, they were off, and Melinda took her hand once more.

“I think I know where we’re going,” Melinda said.

“I thought you might figure it out about here,” Kyle replied.

“Have you been inside yet?”

“Jolie and I went in the other day and looked around, yes. It’s been fine as a rental, but there are a few things that need some work, so that’s part of the reason I’m sticking around. I thought we could maybe have dinner in the garden out back since the weather is so nice.”

“Really?” Melinda asked as they crossed the street.

“Is that okay? I figured it might be the only place in the city you haven’t been.”

“Yes, it’s okay. I’ve never been inside a Greek Revival house like this. I’ve only ever done a few tours inside the vacant homes when they open them up for that. ”

“Yeah? Good. I was hoping it would be something different.”

Kyle was proud of herself. The thought had hit her after she’d looked up a list of things to do in New Orleans, followed by the best restaurants for locals in the city, and found nothing that really stood out to her. For whatever reason, she’d then thought about Abita and the grocery store, and that gave her the idea of cooking for Melinda. She’d looked around her grandmother’s modest home, and the other property entered her mind. Suddenly, she’d had the idea, and she was smiling now, happy that it had been a good one.

“Are you sure it’s okay that I’m here?” Melinda asked. “I’d be happy going anywhere. It doesn’t have to be a place I’ve never been.”

“I’m sure. I’ve spent some time in this house, and it’s clear that she didn’t really live here. I also read in one of her journals that my great-grandfather bought it from a family friend back in the forties when their son didn’t come back from the war and they wanted to leave the city. It was a much longer story than that, but he took it off their hands, and my grandmother was born here. They lived here until they died and left it to her.”

“And now, she left it to you,” Melinda said when they walked up the stairs.

“And Jolie.”

“True, but Jolie doesn’t seem to care as much as you do, so I’m saying it’s yours.”

“She cares, but we talked before she left. It’s kind of my mystery to solve.” Kyle unlocked the door with her key and pushed it open. “Straight ahead.”

“Wow,” Melinda let out, looking up as she walked in. “It’s massive.”

“The foyer is ornate, huh?”

“That chandelier…” Melinda pointed. “Original?”

“I think so, yeah,” Kyle replied and looked up at her before she closed the door behind them and locked it. “Most of it is, I believe, which makes it trickier to update. ”

“You have to be careful to preserve it but also make it modern enough that people still want to live or stay here, I guess. Is that the plan? Rent it out? Or are you selling it?”

“Jolie and I talked and agreed to sell it, but I don’t know. I might change my mind after I have a contractor take a look.”

Melinda looked at her then and asked, “So, you’d keep it?”

“Maybe. Rent it out, if that’s the case.”

“But you’d still own it?”

“Yes. Why?” she asked, laughing a little.

“Because if you own at least one property here, it means you might come back more.”

Kyle nodded and said, “I don’t need a property to come back, Mel. I love this city. I didn’t think I would, honestly – I came here for family stuff – but I love this place. It feels like life is happening all around me here. I don’t have that back home. Back there, it feels, I don’t know, foggy or dusty around me all that time. I can’t really explain it well. I went to Jackson Square earlier, after Jolie left, and I sat there, just watching people walk and talk and buy art. I saw this guy, who had some routine with a rope and fire, make money by putting on a great performance. There’s history here, and it’s beautiful.”

Melinda smiled softly and said, “It is, yes. So is this house. Can I see more of it?”

“I’ll give you the tour, but first, let me start dinner. I need to get it in the oven.”

“You’re cooking?”

“How else did you think we’d be eating?”

“I thought you’d make some sandwiches or something. It’s a picnic in the garden.”

Kyle smiled and said, “Let me show you the garden. I think it’ll be easier to understand that this isn’t just a picnic on the blanket then.”

She took Melinda’s hand and walked them through the house to the French glass doors that she pulled open to let Melinda walk through first. The doors led to a large, enclosed garden with flowers that survived this climate, and the colors were bright and inviting. The greens of the grass and the one large willow tree that hung over half of the garden had Kyle never wanting to leave this spot.

“It’s gorgeous,” Melinda noted.

Kyle nodded over to the large table that would easily fit eight people and the umbrella over it, keeping the table protected from the sun. There was a rolling wet bar against the wall, with nothing inside the containers, but it looked antique and beautiful. The porch that they stood on was old stone that had been cleaned often, so it likely looked just how it did the day it had been put in.

“It might be my favorite spot in the city,” she shared. “It’s so quiet here.”

“God, it is. That’s what it is: it’s quiet.” Melinda moved into Kyle, placing her head on her shoulder. “It’s beautiful, Kyle.”

“I was thinking we’d eat at the table, so sandwiches wouldn’t really work, would they?”

“If not sandwiches, what are you making?”

“Barbecue shrimp.”

“ You make barbecue shrimp?”

“I can read the recipe. I bought the ingredients today.”

“You are surprising,” Melinda said, kissing Kyle’s cheek.

“And I was thinking that if you could get us to the front of the line, we could maybe have beignets when I walk you home.”

“Beignets, huh?”

“Is that okay?”

“That’s a lot of powdered sugar all over that sexy black shirt you’re wearing,” Melinda pointed out.

“You think it’s sexy?”

“Oh, definitely.” Melinda pulled back and winked. “And you’re on for those beignets, but only if I can help you cook.”

“I actually had this vision of you sitting out in the garden with a book or something, reading under the moonlight and lanterns, and then, we eat. ”

“You did?”

“Yes. And it was pretty specific, so I think we should try to do that.”

“I didn’t bring a book. I only have flowers.” Melinda held them up.

“I’ll get those in water. Also, there are bookshelves filled with random books in the library. Go pick one out. I’ll join you in a few minutes.”

“Kyle?”

Kyle took the flowers from her.

“Yeah?”

“This is an amazing first date.” Melinda kissed her on the cheek again.