“The Facebook pictures don’t do his body justice,” Paula said. “He really does look like a Viking dressed in sweats.”

“Right?” Victoria asked excitedly. “I’ve seen him in jeans, dress slacks, but the sweatpants might be a game changer.”

Regina’s jaw fell. “I’ve never heard you say anything sexual about a dude, much less openly objectify one... How big is it?”

She shook her head. “A lady doesn’t kiss and tell.”

“Suck and tell, you mean?” Paula asked.

Victoria burst into laughter. “Okay then, suck and tell.”

Wide-eyed and visibly shook, Regina clutched her heart and rolled her eyes upward. “Jesus Christ, Vicki. You have to tell us everything.”

Maybe she didn’t need the dress to catch John’s attention, but wearing it made her feel sexy enough to let her hair down in front of her friends. Today, she didn’t feel like Prim Victoria, too polite to talk about sex with the girls. This new Victoria was just a little more reckless and exciting. “Where to start...” she mused at her reflection.

“Preferably at the beginning,” Paula said. “Let me get a pen. This could end up in my next book.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

Victoria woke up on Sunday morning, feeling excited and nervous about her first real date with John. As she pulled into his driveway, she examined the bungalows that lined the quiet suburban cul-de-sac. While many of them were already decorated for Halloween, John’s home was not. He didn’t even have a festive autumn wreath on the front door. The only evidence that John was in a fall mood were the dead leaves he’d forgotten to sweep from his porch. Victoria chewed on her lip as she parked her car, wondering if he wasn’t a fan of Halloween. What if her planned activities weren’t interesting enough? Get out of your head, Victoria! John wasn’t the kind of person who nitpicked over her work.

As she made her way to the front door, she pulled her red checkered flannel shirt down her waist and ran her tongue over her teeth. Her nerves were getting the best of her, making her second-guess her appearance. After yesterday’s freakum dress—that she had definitely bought—she wondered if jeans and a comfy flannel would make an impression. Get out of your head, Victoria! He’d liked her well enough when she wore a Golden Girls T-shirt to the library. She flung her braids over her shoulder, took a deep breath, and knocked on his door. After a minute, the door swung open to reveal John dressed in a nearly identical outfit.

Victoria laughed as soon as they exchanged looks. John broke into a grin. “What?” he asked.

“Twinsies,” she said, gesturing between the two of them. “You look like a sexy lumberjack.”

“As do you,” he said, holding his hand out. “Come in.”