Page 21 of No One Else

“Why don’t you ask her out again?”

“I won’t be obnoxious about it. She made it clear how she feels.”

“Are you scared?”

I stare at her. “If this is one of those things where you try to goad me into action, it won’t work.”

She smiles softly. “No, I mean it seriously. It’s okay to be scared. There’s a lot at stake, right?”

I glance over at Natalie, working diligently on her computer, what looks like some kind of spreadsheet open on the screen.

“I’m terrified,” I admit. “Guys don’t get third chances. A second chance is all I have. I need to make it count.”

“So, what’s your plan?” She crosses her arms like she’s eager to hear what I have to say.

I laugh, “Why are you so interested?”

“I haven’t dated anyone in over a decade. My husband and I are one of those boring old couples now. This is exciting stuff. Plus, you’ve helped me so much, I want to return the favor.”

“It’s my job to help you,” I gently remind her.

She waves her hand as if to dismiss that. “Plan. Go.”

I take a deep breath. “Okay, so I want to make sure she’s completely comfortable around me again. That things are back to how they were before. Then I’ll phase Sarah out and we’ll be friends again. And then I’ll try to gauge her interest in me, see if she likes me as more than a friend.”

“How long is this all going to take?”

I shrug. “Six months?”

“Six months?! Evan, she’ll be dating someone else by then.”

I stand stock still. “Oh, shit.” How has that never crossed my mind? Of course she’ll find someone else. It’s Natalie. Who wouldn’t want to date her?

I run my hands through my hair, panic setting in. “Okay, what do I do?”

“You just need to pick up the pace,” she says calmly. “Work on getting things back to normal between the two of you ASAP. And you said you two kissed? She must be attracted to you. Play that up. Make her realize what she’s missing.”

“Yeah, yeah. I can do that. Right?” I look at her questioningly.

“Yes. You can.” Her voice is firm, allowing no argument. It’s exactly what I need.

“I can,” I repeat. “I will.”

“You will. Report back to me next week with how things are going.”

I nod and give her a little salute, as if she’s a general. “Thanks, Heather.”

She walks over to the front desk and I head back to the employee locker rooms, showering and changing clothes.

My talk with her pushed us over the time Natalie’s shift ended, but thankfully she’s still waiting for me at her desk.

“You ready?” she asks as I approach her, brushing her bangs out of her eyes.

I take her in, her long hair up in its usual ponytail, lips slightly chapped from the cold. She smiles at me, and it’s almost like how it used to be. The easy familiarity, the excitement to see her.

Yeah, I’m ready.

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