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.”
