Date Or Die: Over and Out?

I flinched right after I said it. For some reason, I reacted to saying it the same way I reacted to making fun of my mother's perm as a boy. Worth doing, but only if you duck for cover ASAP.

The words, though small, hung in the air. I sipped my drink, a stiff one mixed of and scotch and vermouth. I considered the glass for a second...plotting an escape that was not evident. There was no escape. I looked up.

She's smiling at me. I think when I stared at her, just 30 seconds prior, I said something to the effect of “I really like you…” which I attempted to redeem with “Is that ok to say?” and then the flinching started.

She enjoyed this awkwardness. Up to that second, I was in complete control, a man with a plan. On some level that was working for her, but on another it was not ringing fully true. xTian does have a kryptonite. It’s called honesty. (Long time readers should not be surprised) I’ll admit - I really loved that she’s enjoying it.

“I think its ok to say. Further, I’m down with that.” She says she’s “down with” things with a perfect cadence and without contracting any words. It’s quite charming. ”I like you to…in spite of…um…whatever”

Oh, no…it’s going off the rails. Self defeating nitwit that I am I press her. “In spite of what?”

“I really didn’t want to”

“Huh?”

“No, not like that. “ She’s playing with her mint julep. I really dig that she ordered straight bourbon with mint and sugar. “I just have so much going on I did not think I was in a place to meet someone new”

“oh…”

“But I really like you too…this is good”

Yes…yes it is…I’m now holding her hand. We’re an interesting sight, us in this dark bar... One question hangs in the air:

How do I keep from messing this up?