Page 9 of In Your Dreams

“Not like a date. A date. A for sure, no confusion or wondering if it is. A date,” I say.

I take a half a step toward her, closing a bit of the distance between us. It’s just enough that she has to raise her chin to make eye contact with me. Or I could easily raise my arm to grip her side.

“I don’t know,” she says. ‘And believe me, this has nothing to do with you. I’m not sure I’m ready. There are moments when I think I am and then I panic and quickly change my mind. I’m a total mess.”

“You’re not a mess,” I say. I reach up and tuck a loose strand behind her ear. My hand lingers there for a moment longer than it should. “You’re someone who’s been through something big and it’s going to take a while for you to adjust. I get it.” I grab the bag of equipment from the ground and sling it over my shoulder. “Just do me a favor?”

“What?” She asks.

“Let me know when you are ready, okay mama?” I step back from her, waiting for her response before I turn away.

“You’ll be the first to know,” she says, smiling.

I nod, turning to take the equipment to the storage building. Well, that’s that. It wasn’t the answer I wanted but I get it. I understand the situation she’s in. I’m sure at first formost people divorce is a scary thing, lots of uncertainty. She had a life and not it’s ripped apart and she has to begin to create an entirely different life. It will probably take some time.

I’m not a prideful man. I don’t feel rejected like some might. And more importantly, I’m a very patient man. I’ve been waiting a long time. And I can wait some more.

CHAPTER SEVEN

POPPY

I would like to skip over the fact that instant regret spread over me like a wildfire immediately after I rejected a date with Parker. I watched him walk away with that bag over his shoulder and for a moment, just wanted to run toward him and yell, “I changed my mind!” But that hardly seemed appropriate with everyone around and I also didn’t want to come off as wishy washy or flippant. I had made my bed and for the moment, needed to lie in it. Especially since I was so back and forth on the idea.

It’s Monday morning, which means it’s my first day in the office at the shop. Working at the family auto shop was never a dream of mine, but there’s a certain sense of job security when your parents own the place so I’ve got that going for me.

Aiden is at home with my mom, who’s happy to watch him this summer until school starts. Having a baked in babysitter is also handy. All in all, getting to work with my family, having someone I trust watch Aiden, and spending more time with everyone is a sweet gig. I shouldn’t complain. But the idea that I failed still creeps in now and then.

Maybe that’s why I rejected the date. Feeling like a failure doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence. Like what would I bring to the relationship? Oh jeez, a relationship? I’m clearly thinking way too far ahead, which is one of the side effects of being a parent. I have to think of everything in terms of what could be rather than living in the moment. It was just one date for crying out loud.

“Hey, can you look up some customer information for me?” Theo asks, popping his head into the door of the office. We only opened thirty minutes ago and his hands are already covered in grease. He’s always been a hard worker.

“Sure, what do you need?” I ask.

“I can’t remember what kind of car Susan Logan has. She doesn’t bring it in very often and I don’t know what to have prepped. She’ll be here in an hour,” he says.

“Okay, I’ll get it for you in just a second,” I say.

“You okay?” Theo asks.

“Yeah, why?”

“You seem distracted, deep in thought.” he says, folding his arms over his chest.

“How can you always tell that about me?” I ask.

“You’ve got no poker face, Pop. And I’m your big brother. I just know things,” he says. “What’s going on?”

“Parker asked me out on a date on Saturday. I don’t know if that’s weird since you guys are friends. Please don’t be mad at him,” I say.

“I’m not mad at him. I gave him my permission forever ago,” he says, shocking me.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Okay, well I wouldn’t say permission, because that makes it sound like I own you or something. But he came to me as a man and didn’t want it to disrupt our friendship, and I gave him my blessing,” he says. “Blessing is maybe a better word.”

My eyes feel like they’re about to pop out of my head. My jaw is just hanging in shock. I didn’t realize that him asking me out had been planned out. I figured it was in the moment. But to find out he’s obviously prepped to do so makes me feel even worse about rejecting him.

“So when are you guys going out?” My brother asks, a glint of excitement in his eye.

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