Chapter 16 #2
“I respected your rules. I never pressed myself on you.”
“It’s true.”
“I didn’t even try to steal a kiss.” He had seen a little disappointment in her eyes that night.
“No, you were the perfect gentleman. Even came to my defense.”
“See, you admitted it yourself. Give me a chance.”
Andrea looked at him pleadingly as if willing him to understand why she didn’t want to when he couldn’t. “It’s not that easy for me.”
“What? Hanging out with people? I thought we got along pretty well.”
“Trusting someone in my life.”
“You trust Maya, don’t you?”
“That’s debatable lately.”
“Why is that?”
Andrea’s face pulled into a grimace. “She knew about our date—dinner,” she corrected. Jack’s face widened in a grin. He’d thought of it as a date.
“Was she peeking through her blinds? Watching us leave and seeing when we came back.”
“Maybe, I didn’t ask. Anyway, she said something similar to you. To live my life and take a chance.” Andrea waved her hand as if it were inconsequential. “I’ve been thinking a lot about her words since then.”
He owed Maya some flowers or something if she’d helped convince Andrea to give him a chance. “How long ago was that?”
“The day after our date.”
“Three days ago? Well, no one can ever accuse you of rushing into a decision.”
Andrea’s face dropped as if she regretted that. “I had to think. Weigh my options and make the best decision.”
“About what?” It wasn’t like he was trying to marry her. All he was asking was to hang out with her.
Andrea started wringing her hands. “If I want to see you again or not.”
“You just said you enjoyed yourself with me.” He would never understand this woman. “Was I that poor of company you needed three days to wrestle with that decision?” He had been on his best behavior. He hadn’t even tried to kiss her goodnight, and he didn’t make any sexual innuendos.
“It wasn’t your company I was wrestling the idea of so much as my willingness to change. I’ve never been good with change. I like my life the way it is.”
“Do you?” he countered.
“Of course, I do. Why do you ask?” Her body went rigid as if waiting for a physical blow to come.
“You just seem to go through the motions like there is no enjoyment in anything you do. It’s as if you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop all the time.”
Andrea turned away from him, giving him her back. “Like I said at…”
“Dinner,” he supplied when she stopped talking.
“Yes, dinner. Like I said at dinner, I don’t have a great track record with men.”
“You know what I think?”
Andrea turned her head so she could look at him over her shoulder. “No, but I have a feeling you’re going to tell me anyway.”
“I think that’s just a cop-out.”
Andrea fully turned to face him, ire in her eyes. He preferred seeing that fire to fear and self-doubt. “What is with you people thinking that’s just an excuse?”
“What do you mean you people?” Who was she referring to?
“You and Maya. Did you coordinate this attack? Did you plan this together to wear me down with living talk, because if you did, it won’t work.”
“How would I plan something like that; you came to me for help, not the other way around.”
“A decision I am regretting more and more every minute,” she hissed.
“Well then, I will take myself from your presence. I won’t stay where I’m not wanted.” Jack spun on his heel and marched out of the house, too pissed off to care that he may have blown his mission on getting close to her.
At the moment, he didn’t care. The woman was so insufferable, and he needed to get away from her and her barbed tongue. It didn’t seem to matter what he did, the woman was always on the defense.
“Michael, wait,” Andrea called after him, but Jack wasn’t listening.
He felt a tug on his arm, and he finally stopped just short of his front door.
“What?” he snapped, whirling back on her.
He saw a flash of fear in her eyes, and she hastily stepped away from him.
He wasn’t going to apologize for that. She was the one who practically told him to leave, and now she was stopping him.
“Look, I’ve been stressed lately.”
“That’s not an excuse,” he cut her off before she could spew any more excuses.
Andrea’s shoulders drooped. “You’re right. There is no excuse for how I treated you. What I said. It was uncalled for.”
“Is that an apology?”
Andrea’s eyes rose to meet his. “It is.”
“Apology accepted.”
“I also want to tell you that I made a decision.”
“A decision?” Jack asked confused. He wasn’t following the change of topic.
“About giving you a chance.”
“The one that took three days?” It still galled him it took her three days to decide if she should see him again. He was almost offended. He had a great personality and was a joy to be around. She should be happy to want to spend time with him, not debate it.
“Do you have to keep bringing that up?” she scolded.
“Yes.”
Andrea rolled her eyes. “Yes, that decision.”
“And,” he prompted. If the woman was trying to kill him with suspense, she was succeeding.
“Aaand,” she stretched out the word, her lips pursing as if she were still thinking and not ready for a decision but forced to because she said she had.
“I’ve decided we can try to be friends.” She said ‘friends’ as if it were a disgusting bug she’d rather squash than let live, but she’d said she was willing to give him a chance, so he was willing to let it slide.
“Just friends; nothing else,” she quickly added.
It was a start. “I can accept those terms.”
“Good.” They stood staring at each for a moment. An awkward silence simmered between them.
“I finished with the sink; would you like help with the floor?” he offered.
Andrea shook her head. “No, I can manage.”
Jack knew when retreat was the best option. “Alright, well, I’ll head home and get some more work done. If you’re a sports fan, maybe we can catch a game sometime or spend the day on the beach. You know, friend things.” Jack started to turn away.
“Do friends also eat together?”
“They do,” he replied calmly while on the inside he was excited. Maybe this friendship phase would be quick. Nick wasn’t going to wait forever.
“Sorry, I’m not very good at this.” She ran her fingers through her hair, not seeming to notice she brushed it away from her face and chest, giving him a full view of the outline of her breasts through her shirt. Best not to mention that.
“Good at what? Talking? We’ve seemed to manage fine in the past. No reason we can’t continue.”
“I mean, I’m not good at asking someone out.” She sighed in frustration.
“Is that what you’re doing?” Jack had tried to joke to break the tension, but by the tightening around Andrea’s mouth and the death glare in her eyes, he had managed to do the opposite. “Sorry, you were saying.” He clamped his mouth shut, allowing her to get through at her own pace.
“How about dinner tonight? I’ll cook. My way of saying thank you for your help.”
“Alright; can I bring anything?”
“No, unless there is a drink you prefer. I only have wine, water, and juice.”
“Okay, what time?”
“Six-thirty?”
Jack inclined his head. “I’ll see you then.” He didn’t release his breath until he was inside his house. Well, things were starting to turn up for him. Not only had she agreed to see him again, he was going to get a scope of her house.