Page 21 of Damien
Sighing heavily, I say, “It’s nothing that can’t wait. I’ll explain when I get there.”
“See you in a few,” she says as she hangs up.
It doesn’t take long before I’m parking in my garage and walking through the kitchen to my bedroom. Quickly, I discard my work clothes and change into a pair of dark skinny jeans and my favorite jade top. It’s a few shades darker than my eyes, and I always feel confident when wearing it. Today of all days, I’ll take all the reinforcements I can get.
By the time I return to the living room, Sydney’s there fresh from the shower. She’s dressed in jeans and one of my brother’s CRU sweatshirts. Her hair is wrapped in a towel, and her eyes look me over with care.
“Everything okay?” she asks skeptically. “You look like a million bucks, but your tone earlier said otherwise.”
Rocking back on my heels, I scramble for words. “I… Uh… you remember that guy I told you about the night at the bar?”
“Yesssss…” she draws out into four syllables as she waits for me to fill in the blanks.
“Well… he… uh… asked me out,” I manage to spit out.
Realizing there isn’t an emergency, she plops into the corner of the couch and tucks her feet under her. “This is a good thing, right?” she clarifies as she motions with her hand to continue.
“Yes,” I admit too eagerly. Then the flood gates open, and I ramble out practically every thought in my brain. “But it’s for tonight. I know you don’t work tonight, but could you and Vince watch Julia tonight, here… he’s picking me up at seven. I’m not even sure I want her to see that I’m going out… Crap… Maybe, I’ll just meet him somewhere, so he doesn’t come to the house. Maybe this is too much… or too soon. Maybe I should just cancel?”
“Whoa… Whoa…” She raises a hand and practically begs. “Slow down. Start from the beginning, and let’s take it from there.”
With her encouragement, I tell her every minute detail of the morning, including how I was about to tell him about Julia when he got a phone call. Even after rehashing the events of the morning, my nerves are back to hyper-alert, causing my fears from before to resurface.
“What happens if he doesn’t want to date a single mom? Ohmigod, Syd! What if he thinks I’ve lied to him or…” I pause when another thought hits me like a ton of bricks. “What if he’s just interested in a hook-up?”
Sydney stops me in my tracks with one perfectly arched brow and squinted eyes focused entirely on me. “Do you believe the shit you’re spewing, or is this just a case of the nerves?”
When she puts it like that, I’m forced to admit, “Most likely—just nerves.”
“Good. Now sit back and listen for a sec.” She points at me, and I sink back into my favorite over-sized chair instead of bouncing on the edge. Then she gives me her two cents.
“First, you haven’t lied about Jules. You’ve only seen him at work and the one time at his job site. You don’t owe him your life story in that time. In fact—until you’re good and ready, you don’t owe him anything.If…and that’s a big if,”she exaggerates,“you decide to get serious with him,thenyou can tell him your life story.Until then… relax and enjoy getting to know him.”
“You’re right… I don’t need to tell him every sordid detail, but I do feel like I need to be upfront about Julia in case that’s a deal breaker for him. By knowing about her, he’ll also understand why I can’t be like every other carefree college student, making plans at the drop of a hat.”
“If he’s anything like you say he is, I honestly don’t think it’ll even faze him. This is the first guy you’ve been interested in, so he has to be something special. But you’re right. If he can’t handle the fact you have a kid, then he certainly doesn’t deserve your time. You deserve a man who isn’t intimidated or jealous of a five-year-old, and he certainly should understand Julia is your priority—no questions asked.”
“You’re right.” I nod in agreement. “I’ll tell him about Jules first thing—before we even leave the house.” Then another thought hits me. “Though I’m not sure she needs to know I’m dating.” If we still go out—that is.
How can I get out of the house without her knowing? She typically isn’t in bed until almost eight, and anyone who comes to the door will certainly have her attention—whether I like it or not.
“That’s probably a good plan,” Sydney agrees.
Cringing because I need a favor, I slowly ask, “Would you…” I pause, wondering if I should scrap the whole idea and just stay home. But when Damien’s face comes to mind, I think better of it. “I mean… could you… and Vince take Jules somewhere tonight… before he arrives? I promise we’ll be gone by seven thirty, so you can get her to bed with ease.”
Sydney’s face practically splits in two when she realizes I’m not chickening out of my date after all. “I’d be happy to help out. And for the record—if things work out between you and Damien, I’d be happy to babysit anytime you need.”
When another thought hits me, I groan. “Oh, God, what do I tell Vince? He’d better not get all brotherly over-protective—even if itismy first date in over five years.”
Syd shakes her head. “No. You let me worry about him. For tonight, let’s tell him you’re going out with a friend. If things get more serious, you’ll have to cross that bridge when you get there. But seriously, Van—this is Vince we’re talking about. As long as Damien’s a good guy, I’m sure he’ll be supportive. All he wants most in this world is to make sure you’re living your best life.”
“I know… I guess some habits die hard. He’s not a fifteen-year-old punk anymore—not that he ever was, but one thing is certain. If I’m happy, he’ll be happy for me.”
“Why would I be happy for you?” Vince asks as he enters the living room from the kitchen.
Shit.
“Uh, when did you get home?” I blurt out, hoping he didn’t hear our conversation.
