Free Love Is a Battlefield by Annalisa Daughety

last time I was there.”
    Good idea. Kristy pulled the shoes out of the closet and slipped them on. Perfect. Her red toes were a good contrast to the metallic of the shoe, and the spray tan looked pretty natural. And only streaky in a couple of places. Not bad considering the unscheduled marathon.
    â€œI was thinking of short sleeves, but I’ll take something to wear over it in case the restaurant is cold. Maybe a cardigan?” Kristy picked up a black cardigan out of her closet and threw it on the bed.
    â€œNo, Grandma. Not a cardigan. Take your brown leather jacket. And definitely wear a blue top. It will bring out your eyes.”
    She grabbed a light blue top with capped sleeves and a square neckline. Perfect. Hopefully no one could tell she didn’t have to pick out “real” clothes to wear very often. She spent most of her time in a green and gray polyester uniform and sometimes wondered if her fashion sense was a little skewed as a result. “Hey. You’re off speaker now, and I’m officially dressed. I just have to fix my hair and I’m all set with time to spare.” Kristy click-clacked down the hallway to the bathroom, which was still in disarray thanks to her rapid departure earlier. She hoped Robert wouldn’t need to use the facilities.
    â€œOkay. I’m sure it will go fine. Don’t worry.” Vickie hesitated, and Kristy sensed a pep talk coming on. “You’re smart, funny, and beautiful. You are moving on with your life. Leaving the past behind. Your future starts today.”
    Vickie meant well, but she sounded a bit like one of those motivational speakers who speaks to high school assemblies.
    Kristy grimaced. “Thanks for that daily affirmation.”
    Vickie laughed. “Well, all those things are true, and it doesn’t hurt for someone to say them out loud to you.”
    â€œI appreciate it. And thanks for talking me through the fashion portion of my date. I’ll call you later.”
    Good-byes said, Kristy faced the mirror. Once the Velcro roller was out of her hair, she turned her head upside down for a quick brush. The roller gave the top layer of her blonde hair instant body, and with just a touch of spray, it was done. Her hair looked pretty good, but not like she tried too hard. Just the effect she’d been going for.
    â€œVickie is right. You will be fine. It’s time to move on.” Kristy hoped talking to herself in the mirror didn’t constitute some kind of crazy. A glance at her watch told her it was almost time. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves.

CHAPTER 12
    Kristy had opted not to tell her mother she had accepted Robert’s dinner invitation. Sure, she’d be a little mad when she found out, but Kristy didn’t need anyone else overanalyzing her social life. She did fine with that all on her own, and Ainsley and Vickie were glad to help when needed. Besides, Robert seemed pleasant enough last Sunday. And he was cute. Even better, he seemed like a good Christian guy, and Kristy knew those weren’t easy to come by.
    She plopped down on her overstuffed couch and flipped on the television. An episode of Friends was on. Maybe it would get rid of her predate jitters. Sam joined her on the couch, resting his head on her leg. “Oh sure, now you’re a good dog.”
    She kept a close watch on the clock. He should arrive in five minutes. She turned the TV off, then back on. There was no need to look like she was just sitting there with nothing better to do than wait for him.
    Another episode of Friends came on. Any minute. It was six thirty on the dot. She smoothed her hair and did a quick lipstick check. She was as ready as she could be. And starving.
    At six forty-five, she peeked out the window. No sign of him. Hmm. It wasn’t as if he could get lost. Aside from the large signs proclaiming the park entrance, his mother lived adjacent to the park. So Kristy was certain