Page 27 of Playing the Neutral Zone

I ran my hands through my hair again as I flipped through the photos of us.Tonight, I’d be taking Scarlett out for this date and the more I thought about it, the more I felt ill.I was so nervous.

Things between us ended so abruptly, before they even got started, and I’m being honest when I say that I felt jilted.Then, while I was still trying to figure out how to win her back, Duncan swung in and took her right out from under me.Some would say that he didn’t steal her from me, but I begged to differ.

I was so busy trying to get things under control with Mia and my job, the next thing I knew, I’d gotten a call from Scottie, telling me I’d better not fuck around or I’d risk losing her to Duncan.I didn’t listen, mainly because I never thought that would happen, and then next thing I knew, a year had flown by, and I was staring at an engagement announcement.

I’d never forget that moment, opening up the paper and seeing it.In a moment it felt as if all the air had left the apartment.My throat was tight, and my chest hurt, and suddenly the feeling I’d never gotten a fair shot with her crept up and has sat with me ever since.Perhaps that was what the problem was right now.Even though I had told her this was just two single people heading out on a date, I was afraid I’d actually blow the one and only second chance I’d probably ever have with her, and somewhere deep inside of me, even if I didn’t want to admit it, I wanted that second chance.

I closed the folder of images down and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, trying my best to calm down, when I felt the bed move.I looked over my shoulder to see Mia lift her head, open her eyes, then roll over and fall back to sleep.

I went back and checked my email, happy to see that the confirmation for tonight’s reservation at The Orchid Lounge had just come in.Then I worried that perhaps the guys were right, maybe this place was a tad over-the-top.Perhaps I should just cancel and just make her dinner here.Mia could go down and stay with Mrs.Fletcher instead.

Placing my phone back on the charger, I got up and headed into the bathroom, turned on the shower, then quickly checked to see Mia was still sleeping right in the centre of my king-sized bed.Certain she wouldn’t fall out, I jumped into the shower quickly, shaved and got dressed, then made my way out of the bathroom to find Mia sitting in the middle of the bed, rubbing her tired eyes, while holding Potato, her favorite stuffed pig.

“Morning,” I said, going over to her and lifting her up.

“Morning, Daddy,” she mumbled, resting her head on my shoulder.

“Are you hungry?”I asked, kissing her forehead.

She nodded, rubbing her eyes again as I carried her into the kitchen and sat her in her chair at the breakfast bar.

“What would you like?”I questioned.

“Oatmeal and cimonin,” she said, reaching for her crayons and colouring book.

“Oatmeal and cinnamon it is,” I said, moving around the kitchen.“Want some blueberries?”I asked, pulling out the container.

She nodded her head.“What are we doing today?”she asked, taking a blueberry from the container.

“Well, we are going to do a little shopping.”

“What for?”she questioned.“Ohhh could we go to the toy store?”

I couldn’t help but chuckle.“Yes we can, and I need to get some flowers,” I said, dumping a little more oatmeal into the pot and stirring it as it cooked.

“What for?”

“For a lady,” I answered, turning to look over at her, hoping to gage her reaction.

She looked up at me and smiled.“Daddy, are they for me?”

“No, sweet pea, not for you.”

“Oh.But Mrs.Fletcher says I’m a little lady.Especially when I wear my pink dress.”

“Yes, that is true, but they aren’t for you.If you’d like some, I’ll get you some as well, but these are for another lady.”

“Who?”she asked, looking up at me with large innocent eyes.

I only ever dated when she was with my parents.I’d decided a while ago that I needed to protect her from the hurt if things didn’t work out between me and whomever I was seeing, and I’d just found it easier to stay single until she was older.

“Do you remember Scarlett?”I asked.

She shook her head as she chose another crayon.

“The lady we were talking to our front of our building?”

“Oh, the lady who dropped coffee on my head?”

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