Roman's POV
"You should have are something else." I tease Naomi as we walked down the street, "They wasn't enough to get anyone full."
"My salad was delicious, thank you." She protested, "Plus, I wasn't about to eat anything greasy like you did."
"My burger was delicious, thank you." I mocked her with a laugh, "And it wasn't greasy, which is why I ate it."
"I didn't take you for one to actually eat a hamburger like a regular person." She teased while pushing me slightly.
"I eat like a regular person." I say while rolling my eyes, "I ate cereal yesterday morning."
"What kind?" She asked me.
"Cheerios." I respond to her, "It was either that or Trix... I have those for Jojo I swear."
"Sure you do." She said with a laugh and I rolled my eyes again, "Stop rolling your eyes or they'll get stuck."
"What?" I asked her and couldn't help but laugh.
She groaned, "You've never heard of that? First time I said it to Jimmy, he said the same thing. It's something my parents and grandparents use to say to us."
"Why would they get stuck?" I asked her.
She shrugged, "Maybe they get like, stuck or something. I wouldn't know."
I laughed again, "I highly doubt that they'll get stuck."
"It was just a warning, man." She said with a laugh while holding up her hand.
I smiled slightly as we continued to walk down the strangely peaceful sidewalk.
Lunch had went rather well, there not even being an awkward moment during the mist of it like I thought there was going to be.
She talked about Jimmy some and I didn't get jealous or anything. Maybe I was finally getting over these feelings and was just seeing her as more of a really good friend...
'Keep lying to yourself.' I thought to myself with a small sigh. I hadn't gotten over anything. She still had captured my full interest and that definitely wasn't changing for a long while.
"Oh my God!" She shouted suddenly and I jump at the noise.
"What?" I asked and she immediately ran over to the window of a store we had almost passed.
"This is it!" She shouted as she pointed to a white dress, "This is it! This is the one I want. Oh my God, it's perfect!"
I raise an eyebrow and walk over to her where she was slightly bouncing up and down.
I took in the sight of the wedding dress. It was nice, a typical princess themed wedding dress, but I didn't seem like the one for her.
I shrugged, "I think a body fitting dress would look better on you-"
"No!" She shouted, "That one! I gotta go see is they have any."
"Wait wait wait." I say to her, "I agreed to take you out to lunch, not dress shopping."
"Roman, please." She whined, "I need to see. It won't be long, I promise. Please? I owe you, but please?"
I thought a minute before sighing, "Fine. But make this quick."
She squealed and grabbed my wrist l, pulling me into the store, "Thank you!"
I rolled my eyes but found myself smiling as we walked over to the woman at the front desk.
"Hi." Naomi said as we made it to the desk.
"Hello." The woman said to us, a thick Russian accent lacing her voice, "How may I help you?"
"That dress that's on display in the window," Naomi asked her, "Are there any of those still available."
"Ah," the women said, "That dress, very popular. I see if there any left."
"Thank you... Um," she said, unsure of what to refer to her as.
The woman smiled, "Excuse my manners. My name is Lana."
Naomi smiled, "Thank you Lana. Mine is Naomi."
Lana smiled before returning to her computer and typing away.
"You sure about this dress?" I asked her and she nodded.
"I'm not just going to freak out over any dress." She said to me, "I need that one."
"Well alright." I say to her, unsure of why women got so caught up with weddings.
"Ah," Lana said, "You are in luck. We have one dress in this particular kind left. We can have you fitted for it if you like."
"Today?" I asked Lana and she nodded before I looked to Naomi, "Is that going to take long."
"Not at all." Lana answered for Naomi, "No more than 15 minutes."
"See?" Naomi said, "15 minutes isn't long. Please, Roman?"
He groaned, "Fine. Go try it on."
"We have a sitting area back here if you would like to sit down." Lana said and I nodded as I followed her.
As soon as I sit down in the chair and Naomi goes off with Lana, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I take it out to see a text from my daughter.
Joelle: mom wants to know if I can come stay with for a few days some time this week.
I sighed before replying.
Roman: why?
Joelle: is that a no?
Roman: I just need to know why?
Joelle: idk, she has to go somewhere or something.
Roman: yes, you can come stay with me.
Joelle: yay,
Roman: you sound so excited.
Joelle: you sound thrilled as well.
Roman: I am.
Joelle: nice... Have you talked to Naomi lately.
Roman: with her now. She's looking for a wedding dress.
Joelle: ooooooo.... question? Like. Can she get, unengaged? Is that a thing? Can you do that?
"Oh how I wish she would." I mumbled aloud to myself before replying.
Roman: don't know. Why?
Joelle: because you act better around her... Minus the restaurant incident.
Roman: still don't know what your talking about.
Joelle: DAD, get over it! I saw you! Dusty biscuit you are.
Roman: what? 😂
Joelle: YOU USED A EMOJI!!
Roman: yeah, Naomi taught me how to use them..
Joelle: .... I sooooo gotta figure out how to get her unengaged.
Roman: that's none of your business. She's happy with your uncle.
Joelle: and your happy with her. Don't try to lie. I know you pretty well, I mean, I am your pride and joy."
Roman: minus the last part.
Joelle: annnnnnnnd I hate you.
Roman: you know I love you.
Joelle: and sadly I love you too. SEND ME PICTURES OF HER DRESS.
I smiled slightly before setting my phone down, just as Lana walked towards me with a smile.
"So how is she?" I asked her.
"She just tried it on." She said with a beaming smile, "She looks beautiful. Perfect fit. You sir, are a lucky groom."
"Oh I'm not the groom. I'm her future cousin." I explain to her, "She's marrying my cousin."
"Huh," she said, "You don't look at her like cousin. You seem interested in her, vice versa."
I shrug, "It's complicated I guess."
She nodded, "Understandable. But I warn you. Seeing her in this won't help make things less complicated."
"What do you mean?" I asked her, but she only smiled.
"It's perfect, I feel like I'm about to freaking cry. Childish, I know, but it's perfect." I heard Naomi's voice say and seconds later, I was trying to keep my jaw from dropping.
She looked stunning. More than stunning.
Forget what I said about a tight fitting dress, this one was perfect on her.
At the top, it hugged close to her breasts and stomach, but around the waists, the perfect white cloud color flared out. It wasn't as poofy as the one on the display, and it looked absolutely breathtaking on her.
"Well?" She asked with a small laugh, "You like? Does it look good."
"Um..." I say, still trying to find words, "I think Jimmy will like it.."
Naomi gave me a small smile, "Yeah, but what about you? I mean, like, your here with me, I need your opinion."
"Well, uh," I stuttered, "I think it looks good."
"Really?" She asked me and I nodded.
I really did like the dress- no, I just liked her being in the dress. And looking at me.
"Um," I say, "Joelle wanted me to take a picture."
"I can take it for you." Lana said, "Go stand next to her."
I nodded and handed the blond woman my phone before going to stand next to Naomi.
"You really do look nice." I say to her quietly as I wrap her arm around her waist, while Lana lifted my phone and she smiled.
"Ok," Lana said, "Three, two, one. Got it."
"Let me see." Naomi said while walking over to look at my phone, "Ugh, this dress does wonders, I look so good."
'You look good regardless...' I thought to myself.
"Well let's go get you out of this." Lana said while handing me my phone back, "Then we can head back to the cash register."
"Lana." I say to her just as Naomi walked out and she turned around.
"Yes?" She asked me.
I dug in my back pocket and pulled out my credit card, "Take care of the cost."
She smiled before nodding and walking back out of the room.
I sighed, then glanced down at the picture and smiled to myself.
I quickly send it to Joelle before returning to just staring at the photo. Seconds later, my phone buzzing with messages from my daughter.
Joelle: AWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Joelle: SHE LOOKS BEAUTIFUL
Joelle: AND LOOK AT YOU SMILING, I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU HAD TEETH!! YOU ALWAYS FROWN
Joelle: LOOK AT MY DAD.... And I'm still working out the plans to make her my mom, so be patience with me.
Joelle: ugh, my feelz.