(COMPLETE)
After dropping out of college to join the military, Mike wasn't heard from again. Now, six years later, he's sauntering back into town with new hair, a new physique, and... a new personality?
He's definitely not the man Lindsey remembers...
Sorry for the delay. The little one woke up... would you like to meet him? Would ya would ya would ya?
Here he is: Baby Zeke!
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Maybe next update you'll get to meet my daughter. ;)
And now, on with the story...
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The next morning, I take Haley to her routine check up before dropping her off at daycare and then heading into work late. All day my mind's been stuck on Mike's words from last night. I get that he's wounded and struggling to find himself again, but the fact that he made the decision for me that we couldn't be together doesn't sit right with me. Also, to suggest that someone else is a better fit for me is not his call.
As the day drawls by, I find myself more and more frustrated with him. For someone who doesn't really even know me anymore, he sure has a big opinion about what might be best for me. Honestly, I'm just done. He's already pawned me off onto someone else. It doesn't matter if he still wants me or not, he's already mentally told himself that we can never be together, all because this mystery man is supposedly a better fit for me.
There's only a small number of men in my life that I'm close to: Chris, Andy, Gavin, Mike, my brother Chuck, and my dad. Obviously, Chuck and my dad are not options, and Mike's already removed himself from the list, so that leaves the three stooges: Chris, Andy, and Gavin.
Tapping my pen against my cheek, I let my vision blur as I stare at my computer screen. Do I want my secret admirer to be one of them? Honestly, I've never considered any of them as a romantic option other than Mike, but I won't lie, they're all boyfriend material—respectful, funny, protective. The only problem is that Gavin just admitted a couple weeks ago that he only sees me as a sister and Mike has already crossed himself off the list—besides, he's way too emotionally scrambled at the moment to put this kind of effort into being romantic. As much as I love Chris, I can't imagine it being him either. He's never given off any romantic vibes with me; we're solely friends.
This has my thoughts drifting back to the brief moment I shared with Andy at the pool. The way we'd looked at each other, the feel of his breath against my cheek when he'd leaned in to catch the Frisbee. I can't deny that there was some heat. It's just that I'm not sure if it was a comfortable heat or the awkward kind—the kind that you realize later is totally inappropriate and out of place. I refuse to read into it simply for those reasons. I'd hate to assume that it meant something only to be humiliated later when he announces what a wonderful 'sister' I am to him. I don't think there'd ever be any coming back from that.
It's not until I'm sitting behind my steering wheel taking small bites out of my cheeseburger that I allow a certain thought to spiral into my head. It's a thought I've been avoiding since Mike muttered the single word last night: Hope. He was basically telling me that he didn't see any hope in our future.
