Page 58 of Because of Blake
I shake my head. “No. I’m used to being talked about.”
Blake furrows his eyebrows. “Why?” he asks, but instantly relaxes his face and says, “Charlie’s death.”
My head turns so quick, I’m afraid my neck will snap.I stare at Blake, wondering how he knows all the answers. “It’s one of those things. When you walk into a room full of people and it goes silent. When you come around a corner and someone stops in the middle of their sentence to say hi, but never resumes their conversation. Certain topics are danced around or avoided completely. It’s not malicious, though. People’s hearts are in the right places.”
“Even now? Talking about our relationship behind our backs is having their hearts in the right places?”
My breath catches in my throat. “Relationship? What a big word,” I say with an exhale. “Is that what you think we have?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, I know it’s only been a week, but I like you a lot, Maggie. I’m not on the market, not looking for anyone else. Are you?” There’s a twinge of panic in his voice.
“No, not at all. I guess I’m out of the loop. I’ve only ever been with one other man.”
“You really haven’t been withanyonesince Charlie?”
My throat closes up and my mouth is suddenly dry. I take a large drink of my beer and swallow hard. “I’ve gone on several dates, mostly blind ones, but they never worked out. The longest I’ve ‘dated’ anyone is maybe two weeks, and I’m being generous.”
“Why didn’t they work out?”
I give Blake a sideways glance. “You really want to know about me dating other men?”
He bristles and licks his lips. “I don’t need details, but I’m curious why a gorgeous woman like you has been single this long.”
I roll my eyes, but Blake’s compliment makes me blush. “Just one of those things, I suppose. If the date got further than dinner, which wasn’t often since most of the men I was set up with gave me a reason to say goodnight well before dessert, it didn’t go past them dropping me off at home. Even the one ‘relationship’ I had for two weeks never went further than a goodnight kiss. That’s probably why he stopped calling me.”
“Jerk.”
“Would you have waited that long for a woman to go further with you?”
Blake locks eyes with me, grabbing my hand firmly. “I did, and I would have waited longer.”
With a giggle, I look away. “Well, I’m glad you’re patient. Not all guys are. So, after a while, I stopped going on dates. The guy at Joanna’s Christmas party was the closest I got to one in the last couple years.”
“They guy who tried to get you drunk when you said no?” Blake’s shoulders noticeably tense. “That guy?”
“Yeah, but I saw through him pretty quick. Dealing with a long streak of men like him, I quit dating altogether.” I take another sip of my beer and fiddle with the label. “Which is why I was so hesitant about you.”
“Me? What did I do to make you hesitate?”
“You didn’t do anything wrong, it was all in my head. After I told you ‘no’ in December, I had a hard time figuring out if you were still interested in me. Had to convince myself you were.” I pick at the blades of grass, plucking one by one and tossing them aside. “Still have to.”
“Maggie...”
“It’s fine. Obviously, I know you’re interested. I guess I’m wondering… why?”
“Why? Why not?”
“Because I’m seven years older than you? Because I’m a mom of two almost teenagers? Because I’m boring? All I do is work, read, and watch Hallmark movies.”
Blake chuckles at my last point.
“I guess I’m wondering what someone like you, sees in someone like me?”
“Does this have anything to do with me coming to your office on Thursday?”
I give a dejected nod. My bottom lip goes between my teeth while my toes not only wiggle, but my entire foot moves. “It’s just… After you were in the office and I saw you talking to Abbey, I felt inadequate. I can’t compete with women like her.”
“I think the correct way to say it is women like her can’t compete withyou.” He leans his arms on his knees, tilting his head down to look me in the eye. It’s all business in those deep brown pools. “Look, I don’t want to be with Abbey. I want to be with you, and I am. Okay?”