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the
direction of the cliffs at the other end.
    He’s there.
    I tingle just at the sight
of him, which is ridiculous given Kayla’s warning. I ignore my silly reaction.
    He’s with two guys; one is
the long-haired man from last night, the other one I’ve never seen before. Two
little boys are with them as well. They’re all leaving, and as they do, Dane
glances in this direction – at me. Did he see me here before I went to the car?
    “Fuck my ass!” I hear Kayla
whisper in surprise.
    When I look at her, she’s
watching Dane. “He just approached me in the car park.”
    Her gaze switches to me.
“Did you tell him to fuck off?”  
    Should I tell her he asked
me to breakfast? Technically, he didn’t actual ask , did he? He told me.
Maybe if I’d been wordier he would’ve requested it instead. He must have
thought I was an idiot.
    “I didn’t exactly say that
to him, but I owe you an apology – I told him I’d been warned off. He knew it
was you. I’m really sorry.”
    “No probs, I don’t care. I’ll
tell him to fuck off for you, if you want?”
    “That’s not necessary.
Thanks, though.”
    “Oh no,” Leona adds. “Did he
work his magic on you, babe?”
    I didn’t even notice her
sitting on the other side of me.“No, no way.” I can see she doesn’t
believe me. I don’t even believe me. “Can we go now?”
    “We were just saying that.
You needn’t have gone for your cardie,” Leona says.
    I’m still in a semi-state of
shock. That encounter could’ve been avoided – I think I’d have preferred that.
    As we start to gather our
stuff, even through my haze of ‘What-the-fuck-am-I-going-to-do?’, I’m massively
excited that my best friend is seeing Xavier next Saturday. He’s coming to the
show – you call that knowing the right people at this short notice – and
they’re going out after. Result!
     
    When we get back to our apartment, the three of us sit
on my bed. I filled them in on my conversation with Dane – if you can actually
call it that, given my inability to speak properly – on the way back from the
beach.
    “Is he really so bad?’ I ask
Kayla, in the hope that just maybe he isn’t someone I should avoid.
    Physically, Dane is one
hundred percent my type and more. I also like a confident man, he has that in
spades. And for all that confidence he exudes there isn’t a trace of arrogance
about him. He’s obviously unapologetically comfortable with who he is. It
really doesn’t get sexier than that, for me.
    “I know you and I know all
about him. You want to go, don’t you?”
    “I don’t know.”
    I lay back, resting my head
on my pillow, looking up at the ceiling. I can’t believe I’m considering it,
but I can’t seem to conclude no and not go. I think I want to, but I
can’t even conclude that with certainty.
    After my last relationship
ended, eight months ago, I didn’t want to be involved with another man ever
again. I hated them all. As the months went by, I realized I was allowing
somebody else to control my decisions about men by being that way. I’m not looking for a boyfriend, but I’m not opposed to meeting someone and seeing where things
go.
    It goes without saying that
Dane isn’t the type of man you consider for anything more than sex, so he
shouldn’t even factor into my thoughts.
    Acknowledging that isn’t
helping my indecision, either.
    “Tell me more about him.
What does he do? Where does he live?”
    Kayla and Leona move to lay
either side of me. The three of us fit my double bed perfectly.
    “He has his own business
with a guy called Eric; a motorcycle customization shop. Their work is like
totally freakin’ awesome. The shop is on Bush Street. You know, his apartment
is pretty close also. Had you seen him around before last night?”
    “No.” I’ve walked along Bush
Street a few times. There’s no way I would’ve seen Dane and not notice him, he
definitely would’ve commanded my attention.
    “That’s probably why