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She just sighed. Oh yeah, the tween years were upon us.
“I don’t get it. If you like each other, you should date. Maggie’s dad is dating a woman. But I’m not sure where he met her. Maggie says they’re always making funny faces at each other. And one time, when they dropped her off at her house, Maggie said her dad kissed the woman for alooongtime before she went in her house.”
Yeah, she was definitely getting older. “Well, that’s fine for Maggie’s dad. But I don’t think Ford likes me the same way Maggie’s dad does his lady friend.”
Lily started nodding her head at me. “Yes, he does, Mom.”
“And you know this how, oh wise one?
“Because he looks at you funny. Like in that movie we watched last month. The heroine doesn’t know the hero likes her, but his eyes go kinda goofy when he’s listening to her. And in the end, they kiss and live happily ever after.”
Late that night, long after I’d tucked Lily into bed, I lay in mine, going over all the things I wished I could have said differently to Ford. He didn’t deserve my outburst. He still needed to hear my reasoning, but I could have been more tactful.
Rolling to my side, I brought my extra pillow into my body and hugged it close. I used to do this often when my abdominal pain was at its worse with a heating pad wrapped around my waist.
Tonight I guess I just needed the comfort as I thought about my conversation with Lily. She was so adamant that Ford and I should date. And she was right. I’m pretty sure he liked me and I definitely liked him. The memory of our Ford’s kiss soon became all entwined with the movie Lily and I’d watched and its eventual happy ending.
I drifted off, wishing if only life were as simple as a movie.
Chapter6
FORD
Three days had passed,and Goldie was still avoiding me. She returned all of my emails, but she’d stopped having lunch in the breakroom and if I happened to walk by her area of the office she was busy, never lifting her head or looking in my direction if I talked to someone close to her desk.
I wasn’t sure how much more of this I could stand. I knew how I’d reacted was wrong and I definitely knew why she’d been so upset with me once I’d calmed down. And after I told Harlowe what happened. Sometimes a guy needed a woman’s opinion, and I certainly knew my cousin’s wife would not hold back on the truth. She’d served it up straight because she really liked Goldie and didn’t want her to get hurt any more than I did.
“You need to ask her out to coffee or somewhere neutral and apologize for being a guy. And if you’re really serious about a relationship with her, you need to know a few things about her. Why I think she’s resistant to you.” We’d just finished dinner and Zak took their toddler up to bed, leaving us alone and without his input on the situation, thank god.
“I’m not looking for gossip, Harlowe. I realize she just had major surgery. And I’ve met her daughter. She’s a great kid, from what I can tell. You’re the only one I’ve said this to, but she’s the one. I knew it from that first day. And I don’t want to mess things up with her any worse than I already have.”
I thought for sure Harlowe was going to give me a hard time, try to talk me out of thinking I was in love with Goldie. Instead, her lips curled up and I kind of began to worry at the strange way she was looking at me.
“Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Confirmed bachelor falls for single mom. I love it. Well, it’s about time, and I can’t wait to see how your mom reacts to the news.” Harlowe reached over and gave me a hug.
“Thanks. But you can’t tell her. Not anyone. Well, I guess you and Zak can talk about since I already told him, but I don’t think he believed me. Just tell me what I should do.” I was definitely out of ideas. At least ideas that didn’t revolve around showing up at her door and kissing her again, then dragging her off to bed and making her scream. That one wasn’t practical, but it was my favorite.
“It’s going to be easier than you think. You told me you’re pretty sure she’s into you, right? I mean, you know this for a fact. It’s not just wishful thinking?”
“I’m pretty sure I know when a woman is into me, Harlowe. Thanks for the vote of confidence, by the way. My ego’s not bruised, not at all.”
She threw a throw pillow at me, and I caught it before it smacked me in the face. “Good arm.”
“Oh, stop. Your problem is you’ve never been told no by a woman before. But Goldie’s not just any woman. You know about Lily, right? She had cancer when she was four, five years old.”
“No, I didn’t know that. But I do know that something’s going with her father. I overheard Goldie talking on the phone about having papers served to him. Probably child support related.”
“Ding-ding-ding. Give that man a prize. Yes, he’s a loser who left them shortly after Lily Ann was diagnosed with cancer. From what I’ve gathered, they never married. But he was someone she met at work, that much I know. And that may be why she’s hesitant to start anything with you.”
Hmm, another piece to the puzzle. “Okay, so maybe that’s a strike against me. I’m sure I can overcome that concern. What else you got?”
Mmm,maybe that came out a bit too cocky. “Alright, in all seriousness. What’s your suggestion? How do I convince Goldie to date me?”
“It’s simple. Tomorrow night at our party, you treat her like she’s the only woman in the room. But don’t overdo it in, you know, a creepy stalker way. And every time you catch her gaze, look at her as if you can’t wait to get her alone.”
Rubbing the back of my neck, I began second guessing asking her for help. “You sound like a guy right now Harlowe minus the off-color description of how I should, um, you know…um, is it hot in here?” What if she went rogue and approached Goldie on her own?
“Thank you, Harlowe. I definitely appreciate you. I’ll see you tomorrow. Tell Zak I’ll catch up with him later and yeah, thanks.” She walked me to the front door. I gave her a kiss on her cheek. But she tugged on my coat sleeve before I opened the door.
