I snap out of it just as it feels like something inside has snapped as well. I think it was my fear. I've made up my mind and it's time that he knew the truth…
He was getting very embarrassed and I could see that he was inching his way closer and closer to the door. Just as he was about to really leave I opened my mouth and said something that stopped him dead in his tracks. "Ah, sir…" My voice was coated with nervous anxiety. "I'd love to." He turned his head a little and said sarcastically, "but…" The tension drained a little and the corner of my mouth turned up. "But nothing, I'd love to." He looked a little suspicious at first but then nodded his head. "Rayanos, at seven?" He asked. And without thinking I blurted out, "It's a date." The tension returned and my smile disappeared. I looked down at the ground with sharp embarrassment. To my surprise he said as he was leaving, "yes it is, Sam, yes it is."
I could hear him whistling down the hallway and out of nowhere I actually grinned. Okay, summarization please. I had a dinner date with Pete. Now I have a dinner "date" with my superior officer. What am I getting myself into? What am I going to tell Pete? What am I going to do? Should I tell him the truth? All of these questions raced through my mind. I closed my eyes, swallowed, and picked up the phone. My fingers flew across the keypad as I dialed Pete's number all the while forcing myself not to hang up the phone. The ringing seemed to go on for ages. That's the worst thing about the theory of relativity. Time flies when you're having fun, but if it's pure agony a second can seem like an eternity. As I was thinking about this I almost didn't hear Pete who was on his second "hello." I accidentally shouted into the phone "Pete?" "Sam? Is that you? Is everything okay?" I cleared my throat and whispered "Yeah, everything's fine." Oh, if only he knew how screwed up things really were. I could hear his sarcasm over the phone. "Okay, then, what's up? Aren't you supposed to be out saving the world?" I sighed into the phone and attempted to sound casual. "No, everything's right with the world at the moment. Well, in a sense." Come on, get to the point! My conscience wouldn't shut up and was directly contradicting my wiser common sense. After a slightly awkward pause following my silly comment he asked the question I was desperately trying to avoid. Ugh, This is why I hate getting into relationships! I realized I hadn't answered his question, in fact I think my internal safeguards prevented me from hearing it in the first place. "I'm sorry, what?" "About dinner, did you get the roses?" I felt the side of my face that was probably already showing signs of bruising. "Yeah, I got them. That's what I called about." There was another pause. "I can't make it, I'm going to be caught up here for a little while." Way to go Sam! Just use the same trick every time, sorry man, I have to work! My work. That's what's destroyed every relationship I've ever had since high school. Bad memories… Back to the point. "But, Sam, I thought you said there was nothing wrong right now." My heart stopped. I was short of breath. What am I going to say? Oh, yeah, sorry Pete. I'm just going to totally disregard your roses and romantic dinner date to go out with my superior officer whom I've had a girlish crush on for the past eight years. Think, Sam, think. You're a colonel in the United States Air Force. You can handle a curious cop. "Yeah, just because everything's fine with the world now doesn't mean it won't be five minutes from now. Anyway, I have to finish up this prototype I'm working on." Which was a complete lie. The only thing on my agenda was to find a suitable dress for Rayanos, the most formal restaurant in all of Colorado Springs and the surrounding area. "Okay, I hope you finish soon." I smiled in reassurance to myself and then quickly changed my demeanor to moroseness. "I'm really sorry I can't make it. I loved the roses…" He sounded indifferent over the phone. Which, I can say worried me a little. "It's okay. Well, I've got to go to work now, got a double shift." I shook my head in the affirmative, "okay, and bye." He sounded a little confused, "bye." I gently hung up the phone this time and knitted my eyebrows. Confused? Why would he be confused? Then I realized my mistake. I didn't say I love you. What could that mean? I walked across the room to where the prototype was. I stared down at it and grinned. I have to go shopping. I'm in need of a dinner dress…
Chapter Three Coming Soon!