Undated

I sat at the small table in the cafe area of my favorite bookstore. Usually, when I come here I'm in a good mood. Tonight was different. Tonight I'd been stood up. After waiting nearly an hour I had to face facts; the guy I'd been flirting with for a month didn't want to go out with me after all.

I stabbed my fork into the slice of cheesecake in front of me and told myself I would not feel guilty for going out anyway. I also told myself that the half million calories in the cheesecake I was soothing myself with didn't count.

So there I sat, drinking a latte, viciously dissecting cheesecake on a Saturday night when guess who shows up. Great the last thing I need is for the most gorgeous man I've ever seen to find me stuffing my face with comfort food. I kept my head down and pretended I wasn't really there. But I guess he'd spotted me the minute he walked in, because suddenly he was standing next to me.

"Leigh?"

Caught out, I raised my head some and greeted him. "Hi, Michael."

"What're you doing here, by yourself? I thought you had a date with one of those guys from sales."

Great, just great. It wasn't bad enough that everyone knew about the date, now they were all going to find out I got stood up, too. Nothing stays private in that office for long.

I hadn't raised my head far enough to look at him, Thank God. Now I just stared at the remaining half piece of cake and muttered vague words. Then I did something I never thought I'd do. I wished Michael, the only man I really wanted, would go away.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. Hey, mind if I join you?" He moved to the other chair at the table, but waited for my assent before sitting. I nodded, being as gracious as I could considering that I really did want to be left alone.

"Now, what happened to your date?" He leaned forward as he spoke and eyed my cheesecake.

"You want this?" I pushed the unfinished portion across the table. "I don't need the calories, anyway." I clamped down on the urge to take off and picked up my coffee for a sip.

He toyed with the fork in the crumbs on the plate. "So, you're on your own tonight, then, huh?"

"Story of my life," I commented before taking a long drink. I shrugged and looked away, wishing again that he would just leave.

"Well, you wanna hang out with me tonight? I don't have any plans, either." He looked up with a bite of cake on the fork and extended it toward me.

I sighed. Just another night hanging with the guys, swallowing my feelings and being a pal. I didn't think I could take the pity from him. Certainly not tonight.

"I don't know, I think I'm just going to go home and call it quits. I don't think prolonging the night is going to make it any better."

"Oh." I may not have had the guts to actually look him in the eye, but I was watching through lowered lashes. He dropped his eyes and said quietly, "That's too bad. You look far too nice to for just coffee and going home."

Part of me thrilled to the compliment. The rational part wanted to scream or cry. We'd gone from Hanging With the Guys to Pity Date. I didn't even know which was worse anymore. Being thought of as one of the guys, or being pitied for being female with no hope of every catching a man. Harsh? Possibly, but my dating record can confirm it.

"Thanks, Michael. It's very nice of you to give up your evening for me, but it's not necessary. I don't really mind being alone." Liar, my brain screamed. "And I've given up accepting Pity Dates from friends and acquaintances. It's just too awkward."

"Pity date? Is that what you think this is?" I could feel his eyes on me and my cheeks burned.

"I'm so sorry! I just... I thought... Oh, God!" I grabbed my stuff and took off for the exit and the safety of my car. I could hear him call my name, but I wasn't sure if he was following me or not.

Somehow I made it to the car and locked myself in before he caught up with me. I had the engine running when he tapped at my window. I shook my head, knowing I was barely keeping the tears in check. He broke my resistance with one simple word.

"Please." He said it quietly, but it was loud enough for me to hear. Letting out another sigh, I pressed the button to lower the window, but only about half way.

"Michael, please. I've made a fool of myself. Can we just pretend it never happened?" I kept my head down, staring at my hands in my lap.

"Pretend what never happened? I'm confused, all I wanted was to spend some time with you tonight."

"And I read more into it than just that. Look, I don't do this sort of thing well, so please forget everything I said. I just want to forget the whole thing."

There was silence for a moment and then he spoke softly. "I'll forget it, if you tell me why you thought it was a pity date."

I gave a soft snort of self-deprecating laughter. "Because that's all I ever get, if I get a date." I rolled up the window as I said, "Good night, Michael." Then I backed out and headed home, letting the tears fall as I drove.