“Because you knew you wanted me too.”
I leaned down to kiss her lips and she didn’t pull back.
Melanie had been with Wade when I’d met her, yes, but I knew deep in my conscious, that she was meant to be mine. That somehow, some way, we were meant to reach this point and times in our life, to come together finally.
“What exactly is it that we are doing, Melanie?”
I let the question roll off my tongue, not afraid to ask it, not after what Melanie just said. She opened up to me and was honest, so I could be honest with her in what I actually wanted between us.
Her eyes searched mine, trying to figure out how to answer the question no doubt.
“What is it you are wanting us to do, Jack?”
“I want us to date, love,” I whispered and leaned down, placing a kiss on her forehead.
“Then I want us to date, too.”
A smile formed on her lips and I gave her one right back. It wasn’t much but it was enough for me that Melanie was considering what we were doing as dating, rather than just going on dates. This was the best step we could have taken in this moment. It wasn’t too fast or too slow but just right while still getting to know her and now hopefully Amelia.
“What did you have in mind for our next date with Amelia?” Melanie’s smile widened and I followed suit, realizing what she’d just said. She wanted Amelia to go with us.
“There is a food truck roundup every Wednesday night out by Underwood Hills Park that I was thinking we could go to when I get off of work?”
“Amelia would love that! She loves finger foods.”
“Then it’s settled.”
“Wait,” Melanie pulled away from me, “don’t you have family dinner on Wednesday?”
“Luckily for us, my mom called me this morning to tell me there was a last-minute charity event her and my dad needed to go to on Wednesday, so that let us all off the hook for family dinner this week.”
I was all smile, thinking about the phone call from this morning and how mad my mom was. She was hoping to get me to the house to talk about Melanie but was squandered out of another week. She made me promise to be there next week, so I obliged, knowing I would have to see her at some point in time but another week allowed me to really figure out more about Melanie and I.
“Luckily for us then.” Melanie’s smile radiated up at me and I leaned down, placing a kiss on her lips.
“I should probably get back to work, love.”
“Yes!” Melanie jumped back, most likely realizing that we were in my office still. “You get back to work.”
She waved and exited my office as I stood there, staring at the spot she had just been in. I was trying to replay everything that had just happened but it was all a blur. The only thing that kept my mind at bay from wondering if it was real at all, was the notion that this Wednesday I would have a date with both Melanie and Amelia.
And it was about to be the best date I’d ever been on.
* * *
“I want that!”Amelia yanked on my hand and pointed toward the popcorn truck. I smiled down at her and then looked up to Melanie. She rolled her eyes because she knew without me saying anything that I was ready to give in. I’d let Amelia have whatever she wanted for dinner but her mom had other plans.
“Why don’t we save that for later?” Melanie suggested but the disgusted look on Amelia’s face showed just how she felt about what her mom was suggesting.
I got down on my knees and took Amelia’s hands in mine, looking her straight in the eyes, blocking her view of the popcorn truck.
“Amelia,” I started, “why don’t we look for something a little heartier to eat for dinner?”
“What does hearterer mean?” Amelia tilted her head to the side in confusion. Melanie was staring down at us, watching the interaction I was having with her daughter turn into a train wreck. I needed to remind myself that Amelia was a child and didn’t know a lot.
“It means,” I came to her side and pointed to a few of the food trucks, “that we should eat something that will give us energy to run around and play, something that will fill us up but not so much that we can’t have desert.”
“Hmmmm.” Amelia put a hand on her chin, clearly thinking about what I had said. I looked up to Melanie, who was still watching us but now she had an approving smile on her face.
