Crescent City Summer

Chapter 7: Lakefront

"I don't have much time. I am unsure where we are going or when he will text me to give me the details. Why do I feel so sick?" Gabby asked as she paced around the thrift store.

"Get a grip. It's a date. You have been on them a time or two." Kacie said as she held up a dress to Gabby for a look.

"I know that! But it's been a minute. I don't know much about Desmond." Gabby said as she looked in the mirror at the dress.

"Hey! Wait a sec. Didn't you tell me I couldn't go out with Kelvin alone? Don't you think one of us should go with you?" Layla asked as she laughed.

"I did say that." Gabby agreed.

"I'm kidding. That's lame. You're a big girl now." Layla said, laughing louder.

"Girl. You need to stop." Gabby rolled her eyes.

Gabby decided on a pink and white romper. She didn't want to dress up, dress up, but also wanted to look nice.

"How should I wear my hair?" Gabby held her hair up, trying to decide.

"Down! Wear it down and curl it. It is so pretty with curls." Kacie said as she pointed to her hair.

"Yes! I want your hair so badly." Layla agreed.

After grabbing a quick lunch, the girls headed back to the room for Gabby to get ready for her date with Desmond. As she dressed, put on her makeup, and curled her hair, her phone dinged, and it was Desmond texting her.

"Hello, Gabby! I hope you have kept your mind about going out this evening with me. If not, a car will pick you up at 6 p.m. See you later."

As Gabby read the text aloud, she felt her heart racing. She sat her phone down and smiled as she proceeded to curl her hair.

"A car? Is he sending a car? Girl, Desmond is a bank." Kacie giggled.

"I have an idea! Let's look him up and find out some things about him!" Layla jumped up.

"No! Y'all are wrong for that." Gabby gasped.

"No, we're not! Wouldn't you want to know more about this mystery man you can't stop bumping into?" Kacie asked with a side-eye.

"I do, but I don't," Gabby admitted.

"Okay, I will look at one of his socials, and that's it. He has more, but we will only look at one." Gabby agreed hesitantly.

"Yes!" Layla exclaimed as she pulled out her phone.

"Wait! I don't know his last name." Gabby admitted feeling foolish.

"You don't know his last name?" Kacie asked, shocked.

"Well, no. I didn't get that fair. Besides, he took me off guard." Gabby justified.

"It shouldn't be too hard. How many Desmonds could there be in the New Orleans area?" Kacie asked.

Kacie began searching for Desmond, and after a minute, she found him.

"Here he is! Here he is!" She jumped up and down.

Gabby ran over to her as she held up her phone for all three to see.

"Desmond Bellefontaine. That is a name right there." She said with a laugh.

"Desmond is twenty-three, single, and whoa." Kacie read and then stopped.

"The man is rich, alright. His family owns Hotel Bellefontaine." Kacie continued.

"Hotel?" Gabby asked curiously.

The girls looked up at the hotel to find it had been in New Orleans for over fifty years. It was a large hotel and luxurious. The photos were beautiful.