Dylan, but I can’t just move on so quickly.”
“Why?”
She sat there wondering to herself why she couldn’t move on either. It wasn’t like she needed a grieving period for her cheating ex-fiance. What was she waiting on exactly?
“I don’t know why,” she said pursing her lips.
“Listen, this is scary for me too. I haven’t felt any feelings for any woman since Amelia. And you were with Max for years and thought you knew him. For both of us, there are obviously trust issues. But you have almost two weeks here and I think it would be kind of interesting to see if there’s anything to ‘this’,” he said pointing at the air between them. “I mean, what if this is the best thing that’s happened to either of us in years, and we just ignore it because we’re scared?”
“And what if we both get hurt?” she asked.
“Then lesson learned. But what if we don’t?” he asked softly as he took both of her hands in his waiting for an answer.
“Dylan, I gave you a simple, friendly hug last night and you froze.”
“I know. I’m sorry. You took me by surprise. I had been feeling some things all night, and your hug just sealed the deal. Either I walked away or I kissed you, and I thought that might be inappropriate,” he said with a nervous laugh. She smiled at his sudden nervousness as she realized how much courage it took for him to tell her all of this.
“So what’s your plan?” she asked willing to hear him out.
“A first date.”
“That’s all you’ve got?” she asked laughing.
“One step at a time, Miss Erica,” he said. “Come on, let’s get you to the doctor before your leg falls off and you try to get out of going on a date with me,” he said as he started the truck.
Chapter 7
“Okay, tell me everything!” Callie gushed into the phone when Erica called her that evening.
“Well, he took me to the doctor who said my leg was healing nicely, but he gave me some antibiotics anyway just to be on the safe side.”
“Yes, that’s thrilling. But get to the good stuff!”
“Patience! Anyway, he took me back to my car and I drove back to the cabin.”
“What? How is this exciting news? You said you had exciting news!”
“Before all of that, we talked. He told me he has some feelings for me that he wants to pursue while I’m here. He wants to take me on a date and see where it goes. He said this is the first time he’s had feelings for a woman since his wife died, and it scared me to death.”
“Why?” Callie asked smacking on her gum.
“I don’t want to be someone’s test case. I’ve had enough drama recently, Cal.”
“Then when is a good time to open up to another man? Seriously? You can’t stop living and loving, Erica. Life goes on.”
“I know. And he basically said the same thing to me. So… I said yes to a date!”
“Yay!” Callie screeched into the phone just about blowing Erica’s eardrums out. “When?”
“Tonight, actually. He told me to be ready at five. We’re going someplace unusual.”
“I cannot wait to hear all of the details tomorrow!”
“Well, it’s after three now, so I’d better start getting ready.”
Erica hung up with Callie and started rummaging through her luggage. Thankfully, she’d brought some of her nicer casual clothing on the trip, so she began the process of finding just the right thing to wear. This night was going to be interesting.
***
As Erica sat on her sofa staring at the clock ticking on the mantle, she felt like a big loser. Was this how most women waited for a man to pick them up on a date? As she began to tear herself apart inside, she heard a knock at the door.
Walking to the big wooden door with the bear carved on it, she wondered if she’d chosen the right outfit. She was wearing a pair of boot cut jeans, black half boots and a flowing red shirt that had a plunging
“Why?”
She sat there wondering to herself why she couldn’t move on either. It wasn’t like she needed a grieving period for her cheating ex-fiance. What was she waiting on exactly?
“I don’t know why,” she said pursing her lips.
“Listen, this is scary for me too. I haven’t felt any feelings for any woman since Amelia. And you were with Max for years and thought you knew him. For both of us, there are obviously trust issues. But you have almost two weeks here and I think it would be kind of interesting to see if there’s anything to ‘this’,” he said pointing at the air between them. “I mean, what if this is the best thing that’s happened to either of us in years, and we just ignore it because we’re scared?”
“And what if we both get hurt?” she asked.
“Then lesson learned. But what if we don’t?” he asked softly as he took both of her hands in his waiting for an answer.
“Dylan, I gave you a simple, friendly hug last night and you froze.”
“I know. I’m sorry. You took me by surprise. I had been feeling some things all night, and your hug just sealed the deal. Either I walked away or I kissed you, and I thought that might be inappropriate,” he said with a nervous laugh. She smiled at his sudden nervousness as she realized how much courage it took for him to tell her all of this.
“So what’s your plan?” she asked willing to hear him out.
“A first date.”
“That’s all you’ve got?” she asked laughing.
“One step at a time, Miss Erica,” he said. “Come on, let’s get you to the doctor before your leg falls off and you try to get out of going on a date with me,” he said as he started the truck.
Chapter 7
“Okay, tell me everything!” Callie gushed into the phone when Erica called her that evening.
“Well, he took me to the doctor who said my leg was healing nicely, but he gave me some antibiotics anyway just to be on the safe side.”
“Yes, that’s thrilling. But get to the good stuff!”
“Patience! Anyway, he took me back to my car and I drove back to the cabin.”
“What? How is this exciting news? You said you had exciting news!”
“Before all of that, we talked. He told me he has some feelings for me that he wants to pursue while I’m here. He wants to take me on a date and see where it goes. He said this is the first time he’s had feelings for a woman since his wife died, and it scared me to death.”
“Why?” Callie asked smacking on her gum.
“I don’t want to be someone’s test case. I’ve had enough drama recently, Cal.”
“Then when is a good time to open up to another man? Seriously? You can’t stop living and loving, Erica. Life goes on.”
“I know. And he basically said the same thing to me. So… I said yes to a date!”
“Yay!” Callie screeched into the phone just about blowing Erica’s eardrums out. “When?”
“Tonight, actually. He told me to be ready at five. We’re going someplace unusual.”
“I cannot wait to hear all of the details tomorrow!”
“Well, it’s after three now, so I’d better start getting ready.”
Erica hung up with Callie and started rummaging through her luggage. Thankfully, she’d brought some of her nicer casual clothing on the trip, so she began the process of finding just the right thing to wear. This night was going to be interesting.
***
As Erica sat on her sofa staring at the clock ticking on the mantle, she felt like a big loser. Was this how most women waited for a man to pick them up on a date? As she began to tear herself apart inside, she heard a knock at the door.
Walking to the big wooden door with the bear carved on it, she wondered if she’d chosen the right outfit. She was wearing a pair of boot cut jeans, black half boots and a flowing red shirt that had a plunging
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