The Dare

“Well, you might not need to worry about that anymore.” She shrugs one shoulder at me and blushes. The way that her cheeks turn a funny shade of red makes her even more adorable to me. “Because I have an interview for another company. So, I might not be working for you anymore… if that makes it easier.”

“Oh…” I don’t know if I like that idea or not. In a way, I suppose it would be better because it does keep things separate, but at the same time I don’t know if the office will feel as good to me without her in it. Not only is she incredible at her job, she is also the ray of sun shine that I desperate need more than anything else. “I see.”

“Well, I haven’t made any decisions yet. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I will see.”

I have to admit that this amps things up for me. This makes it even more desperate for me to be honest at long last because I might not have forever to say everything now. So, even if I end up getting rejected, I need to spill the beans, to wear my heart on my sleeves and to allow Latesha to see how much she means to me.

“Latesha, I like you a lot. A whole lot actually. So much it scares me since I didn’t plan on falling for anyone so soon.” I breathe deep, panicking a little. This could all go so horribly wrong. But I have to keep trying. “Now, after everything that has happened and the massive mess that I have made of everything, I understand if you don’t want to spend any more time with me or if you even want to just be friends, I will be content with that. But what I would like is for us to date again. Properly this time, honestly. I will tell you everything, I won’t keep anything to myself again, and I certainly won’t take the stresses of my life out on you. I would love for you to give me a chance, starting with right now. I want to take you out to dinner, if you’ll let me?”

“But what about your child? Don’t you need to be with her?”

She doesn’t even know Amelia and she is putting her first which is more than Karen has ever done really. She is showing to me that she really is the most incredible person ever, the lovely woman that I was getting to know, which makes my chest swell with happiness. I nearly get giddy with the happiness. Why did I worry that she might freak out about me having a child? I can’t believe I assumed that she could reject me for it. But Latesha isn’t like that. She is actually a decent person with a kind soft caring heart.

“My mom has her tonight, and Amelia is fine at the moment, there aren’t any issues.” I grin, loving how being honest feels. “She knows that I am out on a date with you tonight, well that I might be out on a date with me tonight if you say yes, and she’s all good with it.”

Actually, she’s happy but wary, scared that I’m acting nuts, but I know that has a lot to do with Karen and nothing much to do with Latesha at all. Her main worry lies with my daughter’s mother. She isn’t too pleased that I haven’t yet concluded about her, but as I told her that will take time.

I take her warning on board that I should sort out Karen before I date someone else, but I know what I’m doing. I know that this is the right thing for me. I told my mom that I need to try and get Latesha to hear me out and that we might need dinner to sort things through, and I’m sure she will get it in the end.

Soon, all of this will make sense to everyone else. They will all see that I had the right ideas after all. It will just take time.

“Fine.” Latesha’s lips finally curl up in to a smile and she grins at me. “I will go on a date with you, but just the one while I try to figure out if I’m going to forgive you or not. I’m not totally sure yet.”

I resist the urge to fist pump the air in excitement because this is truly the best thing that has ever happened to me. Latesha is giving me a third chance which I don’t deserve but that I am going to make sure she doesn’t regret. I will prove to her that I can be worthwhile, she will soon see.

This is going to be the start of something incredible.

Chapter 15 – Latesha

“I hope you know what you’re doing…” I have to admit that Tracey’s words have been circling through my brain all night long, but to be honest they haven’t stopped me at all. I kinda feel like despite everything I do know what I’m doing. I know that nothing can justify Zack’s actions, but his explanation makes sense to me. Enough for me to be willing to give him a chance to make it up to me anyway. Just to see…