impression.”
“Okay, I didn’t want to have to say it outright, but clearly you’re not getting the hint—” I started to explain.
“The hint?” He smiled sheepishly.
“I’m not ready to date.” I tried to be diplomatic.
“When do you expect to be ready?”
“Not anytime soon.”
“Okay, then how about a non-date?”
“Excuse me?”
“A casual dinner between friends. I’ll even let you pay your half if you want.” He tried to salvage the original chip with a new one. He was clearly the type who didn’t give up easily.
“So going Dutch somehow makes it a non-date? And why would paying for my own dinner make it more appealing?” I would definitely be paying my own way if we went out, but it was fun making it hard on him.
“Okay, so I’ll treat. Plus, I promise to keep my hands to myself and to try my best to avoid staring at you longingly, although I can’t guarantee the last part—especially if you look like you do tonight.”
I looked down at my sundress, not sure what made it particularly special.
As if he read my mind, he continued, “Although I’m sure you’d look good in a paper bag.”
“Well that last part was a deal breaker—if you can’t promise not to look at me like that.” I tried to crack a smile. “But I appreciate the offer.”
I looked around for Kelly to save me, but she had disappeared inside with Tom.
“Can’t you give a man a chance? I’m really putting myself out there.” He looked at me like a puppy begging for a bone.
I shook my head. “Oh no, no putting this on me.”
“At least think about it? I know you’d have fun.”
There was something wrong about a man that big still having the ability to put on a killer puppy dog face. I didn’t think I could take much more of it. “If I say maybe, will you lay off the rest of the night?”
“Yes,” he responded immediately. “Scout’s honor.”
“You were a Boy Scout?”
“Does that surprise you?” He leaned back in his chair, putting his hands behind his head.
“No, not at all.”
“So what do you say?”
“Okay, I’ll think about it.”
He grinned. “Great. Okay, so just in case you say yes, do you like Italian?”
“I do, but really, don’t get your hopes up.”
“Don’t worry about my hopes. Just focus on making the right decision.” The pleading was gone, replaced by over-confidence.
I shook my head and forced a laugh. “I’m going to go find out where our hosts are.”
Discovering Kelly sitting in the kitchen doing nothing even remotely cooking related, I gritted my teeth, ready to let her have it. That is until Tom came around the corner and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Hey, how are things going out there? I figured you two would hit it off.”
“What gave you the impression I wanted to date anyone? And even if I did, I don’t need you playing matchmaker.”
“I know you’re still hurting, but maybe you just need to get back out there. Gavin’s a great guy. I think he’ll be good for you.” Tom was sounding too big-brotherly for someone who wasn’t actually related to me.
“Kelly, a little help here?”
“I know what you want me to say, but maybe Tom’s right. Maybe you should tell Gavin …”
“Tell me what?” I’d have said that Gavin picked an inopportune moment to come inside, but I had a feeling he’d been listening to us the whole time.
I tried to come up with a plausible line, but Kelly was faster. “How inexperienced she is with dating. She’s only really ever been out with two guys: Ben in high school, and then she met Adam her freshman year of college.”
“I’m guessing Adam is the ex-fiancé, and do you mean Ben Mathews?”
“Yeah, they dated for years growing up,” Kelly explained.
“Oh, I didn’t know you two had been an item. Somehow, I can’t picture you dating a musician.”
“It was high school.” Of course, I had just kissed him the night before, but no one else needed to know that particular detail.
“So
“Okay, I didn’t want to have to say it outright, but clearly you’re not getting the hint—” I started to explain.
“The hint?” He smiled sheepishly.
“I’m not ready to date.” I tried to be diplomatic.
“When do you expect to be ready?”
“Not anytime soon.”
“Okay, then how about a non-date?”
“Excuse me?”
“A casual dinner between friends. I’ll even let you pay your half if you want.” He tried to salvage the original chip with a new one. He was clearly the type who didn’t give up easily.
“So going Dutch somehow makes it a non-date? And why would paying for my own dinner make it more appealing?” I would definitely be paying my own way if we went out, but it was fun making it hard on him.
“Okay, so I’ll treat. Plus, I promise to keep my hands to myself and to try my best to avoid staring at you longingly, although I can’t guarantee the last part—especially if you look like you do tonight.”
I looked down at my sundress, not sure what made it particularly special.
As if he read my mind, he continued, “Although I’m sure you’d look good in a paper bag.”
“Well that last part was a deal breaker—if you can’t promise not to look at me like that.” I tried to crack a smile. “But I appreciate the offer.”
I looked around for Kelly to save me, but she had disappeared inside with Tom.
“Can’t you give a man a chance? I’m really putting myself out there.” He looked at me like a puppy begging for a bone.
I shook my head. “Oh no, no putting this on me.”
“At least think about it? I know you’d have fun.”
There was something wrong about a man that big still having the ability to put on a killer puppy dog face. I didn’t think I could take much more of it. “If I say maybe, will you lay off the rest of the night?”
“Yes,” he responded immediately. “Scout’s honor.”
“You were a Boy Scout?”
“Does that surprise you?” He leaned back in his chair, putting his hands behind his head.
“No, not at all.”
“So what do you say?”
“Okay, I’ll think about it.”
He grinned. “Great. Okay, so just in case you say yes, do you like Italian?”
“I do, but really, don’t get your hopes up.”
“Don’t worry about my hopes. Just focus on making the right decision.” The pleading was gone, replaced by over-confidence.
I shook my head and forced a laugh. “I’m going to go find out where our hosts are.”
Discovering Kelly sitting in the kitchen doing nothing even remotely cooking related, I gritted my teeth, ready to let her have it. That is until Tom came around the corner and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Hey, how are things going out there? I figured you two would hit it off.”
“What gave you the impression I wanted to date anyone? And even if I did, I don’t need you playing matchmaker.”
“I know you’re still hurting, but maybe you just need to get back out there. Gavin’s a great guy. I think he’ll be good for you.” Tom was sounding too big-brotherly for someone who wasn’t actually related to me.
“Kelly, a little help here?”
“I know what you want me to say, but maybe Tom’s right. Maybe you should tell Gavin …”
“Tell me what?” I’d have said that Gavin picked an inopportune moment to come inside, but I had a feeling he’d been listening to us the whole time.
I tried to come up with a plausible line, but Kelly was faster. “How inexperienced she is with dating. She’s only really ever been out with two guys: Ben in high school, and then she met Adam her freshman year of college.”
“I’m guessing Adam is the ex-fiancé, and do you mean Ben Mathews?”
“Yeah, they dated for years growing up,” Kelly explained.
“Oh, I didn’t know you two had been an item. Somehow, I can’t picture you dating a musician.”
“It was high school.” Of course, I had just kissed him the night before, but no one else needed to know that particular detail.
“So
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