my story when you’re ready to talk to me about what happened to you over the years.”
I take an apple from Beau and pop it in my mouth with a crunch. “That’s not going to happen anytime soon.” Hopefully, not ever.
“Well, can we start over? Friends?” He holds out his hand, and I take it.
“Friends.” I smile, but trepidation lurches in my stomach.
How do I stop myself from falling for him now? It was easier being mad at him.
That smile—I’m not so sure it’s genuine. There’s pain hidden behind it, and as much as I want to probe and get all the answers, it’s not going to be an easy task.
“Well, I better get going. I’m meeting a friend shortly,” I say. Paislee is going to kill me for being late, but I’m sure once I tell her why, she’ll understand.
“Yeah. I’ll see you around.” Charity’s back is turned to me. She’s closed off and hard to reach. What did she go through?
Deciding it’s better to leave than push her, I reluctantly jog off. It was a coincidence that I’d caught her here. I was ready to talk to her tomorrow about everything, but judging by how that just went, it’s going to take more than one conversation to knock down the walls she’s clearly put up.
I catch Paislee waiting for me at the end of the street. She’s dressed in her runners, tights, and one of Dane’s shirts. I swear she wears his clothes more than her own.
“You do realize you’re late?” she snaps while tapping her watch.
“I know, I know. I ran into a friend. Sorry.” This has become a routine of ours of late. At least three times a week, we jog together. Usually, it ends with her finishing early, and I keep going on my own.
“Speaking of friends, I ran into an old one of mine today. I think she’d be perfect for you. I want to set you up on a blind date.” She winks before taking off down the side street. With my long strides, it doesn’t take much to catch up to her.
“I’m not into blind dates; they always end in disaster.” We match pace. I slow mine so she can keep up with me.
“Come on, trust me. This is one that will end well. It has to,” she puffs out.
“Who is it?”
“I’m not telling you. It wouldn’t be a blind date if I did.” She slaps me on the arm.
“I must not be the dating kind of guy; I don’t seem to be right for anyone. Every girl I date always wants only one thing, and I’m not that guy, as much as people may think I am.” I take some breaths and concentrate on the pavement.
Paislee is silent. I’m beginning to wonder if this is where she’s going to bail on me. She slows to a walk, and I follow suit. “You have to stop thinking like that. You’re not that guy. I know it. But you allow yourself to be shoved into the friend zone corner. How about you start fighting for whoever it is you want.” She shrugs.
She’s right. How do I make that work for me, though? “Maybe I’m just not meeting the right girls.”
“That’s a possibility as well.”
“Hey, how would I get a girl who has built a wall to open up to me?” I ask.
Paislee’s face turns. “What do you mean? You want help getting her to open up to you?”
“Yeah. She’s very closed off. Hard to talk to.”
“How well do you know this girl?”
I shrug. Not really at all anymore. I’m not going to tell her that, though. “Only a little.”
“Who is she?”
“I’m not telling you since you won’t tell me who you plan to set me up on a date with.” I waggle my eyebrows teasingly.
“You’re no fun. But in answer to your question, I guess you just have to keep trying with this girl. If you give up, then she isn’t going to come to you. Show her you care. That you’re there for her,” Paislee says and then takes off at a sprint. I give her a moment to get ahead a little and then go after her.
Giving Charity the space she needs seems like a better idea, but I see what Paislee is meaning. Trying is better than not. I want Charity to talk to me, to let me back into her life.
When I finally get home, the sun has completely set. The familiar black truck in the driveway of the