Chapter 14

"Yes," Mac admitted sadly.

"Is he sullen or uncooperative during his shifts?" AJ asked.

"No. Not at all. Truthfully he's only brusque when I'm around and persistent off duty, even though I've made it very clear we are over."

"And that is what's giving you a problem with his review?"

"Yes, I guess I feel it shows a lack of maturity. He is as brave and fearless as any security officer I have ever seen, but with this almost childlike petulance in not being willing to give me up even though I have moved on, I wonder if that will spill over into his work someday."

"You can never be sure of anything like that Sarah. If he has shown no sign of this affecting his duties then all you can go on is his performance to date. You can be watchful of this for the future and being aware that there is a potential problem, should help you waylay it if you see it developing."

Reaching across the table to squeeze his hand where it lay near his plate, she smiled and thanked him. Vic came into the room just in time to see this and his blood boiled. 'He would find a way to get her back! He just had to!' he thought as he spun on his heel and left Ten Forward.

Seeing the look of uncertainty on her face, Bud wanted to reassure her that this date had been a good idea, "Harriett I have to tell you that I'm so very glad you asked me to have dinner with you. I'm rather on the shy side when it comes to beautiful women and I don't have any idea how long it would've taken me to get up the courage to ask you out."

Harriett sat there stunned! She had seen him as a competent First Officer. He always appeared confident in his duties, but here he was admitting a lack of confidence when it came to…'wait a minute! He'd said she was beautiful! Blushing, Harriett lowered her eyes. How in the universe was she going to be able to tell him this wasn't a date now?'

"I'm sorry if I embarrassed you Harriett! I didn't mean to!" Bud assured her as he boldly reached across the table to take her hand.

"Oh Buddy, I'm sorry for the misunderstanding! I didn't mean for you to think this was a date…it's not that I wouldn't want to go out with you…I really would…it's just that it's not a good idea for a counselor to date her patients. I had asked you to dinner to find out why you were crying this morning."

'She called me Buddy! A nickname! That has to mean she likes me!' he thought missing most of the rest of what she had said. "What?" he asked.

"I didn't realize you would think that this was a date. I had wanted to find out why it looked like you'd been crying when you arrived for our appointment this morning."

"Oh," he muttered suddenly deflated. It was as if every drop of confidence he'd ever had just melted away.

She saw the effect her words had on him and rushed to apologize, "I really am sorry Buddy! Once we figure out why you're having these strange dreams I'd love to go out with you on a real date…that is if you want to. Truly I would."

"I understand," he said quietly and then even though their dinners had only been in front of them for a few minutes he pushed his plate away and asked her, "Are you finished?"

Harriett was surprised and a little hurt by the question. It was clear neither of them were done and he'd said nothing about her assertions that she wanted to date him when the dream thing was solved. "No I'm not," she stated firmly, and then continued, "But if you want to leave I can finish on my own."

With a slight shake of his head, he replied, "I can wait for you to finish."

"Listen Bud, I'm sorry about the misunderstanding like I said, but I really do like you and never wanted to mislead you!"

"I guess it's really my fault for assuming it was a date. I shouldn't have embarrassed you that way."

"Wow! If you listen to orders on the Bridge the way you listen to me, it's a wonder you ever got beyond Ensign!" she declared, taking her napkin from her lap and throwing it on the table.

To be continued…..