Second Chance Secrets

Chapter Seventeen

Suddenly, Jess was struck with a thought. Maybe she should use Emily’s regular evening walk as an excuse to get him to go with her. They could probably go now and could eat when they returned. She just wanted some alone time with him. And though they wouldn’t completely be alone if they took Emily, but they would be more alone that they were in the house. She might even work up the courage to ask for that real date she wanted.

Jess figured it was time to say something. They had been looking at each other instead of the movie for some time.

“Sam…”

“Jess…”

They had both spoken at the same time.

“It’s okay,” Jess said, feeling a bit shy. “You can go first.”

“I was wondering if you and I could have dinner tomorrow night,” Sam said while trying to gauge her reaction.

Jess knew she had surprised him a bit when she smiled. So she rushed out, “I was considering asking you if you wanted to have dinner on Saturday, actually.”

“Does that mean we have a date for both tomorrow and Saturday?” Sam asked. “Because I’m saying yes to Saturday, but I’m still asking about tomorrow.”

“What if I take back Saturday?” Jess asked.

Sam smiled at her. “Then you have to say yes to tomorrow.”

“Hmm…”

Sam shook his head while hiding a laugh. He had a feeling she was up to something. “As a matter of fact, I’ve already said yes so you can’t take it back.”

“Guess I’ll just say no to tomorrow then?” Jess phrased it as a question since she really wanted them to go on that date.

“Considering I said yes to your date, you have to say yes to mine,” was Sam’s reply.

Jess smiled. She was very pleased in deed. “Okay,” she said. “We have to find out if Mom doesn’t mind watching Em though. She may have already made plans.” Jess knew though that Suzie would readily change those plans if it meant she got her wish of Sam and Jess going out together.

“We’ll ask her at dinner then?” Sam queried.

“I guess we could,” Jess replied.

Feeling the need for a change of subject and to remove the spotlight she felt shining over her head, Jess tickled Emily and kissed her on the head. Emily giggled and turned to her mother before crawling over to her lap. She snuggled in as Jess gave her another kiss, this time on the forehead, and a squeeze.

“Are you okay, Princess?” Jess asked Emily.

The little girl nodded her head. She reached up and kissed her mother before settling back down.

“Are you hungry, Princess?” Jess asked after a while. It had gotten quiet again. “Wanna go see if grandma is finished with dinner?”

Emily suddenly sprang up. “Grandma!” she shouted as she jumped down from her mother’s laugh. She grabbed onto her father’s hand. “Come Daddy. We get dinner now.” She toddled away with her dad in tow. Her mother slowly followed as she marveled at the sight and her thoughts. It was a sight she wanted to continue seeing.

Jess didn’t mind that Sam was the one Emily had reached for. Nor did she mind that she had been left behind. She was actually happy for the relationship that was growing between the two. She wanted her daughter to have a relationship with her father. When she counted in the feelings that she was having for Sam, she was even happier about it. That meant if something should develop between them, it wouldn’t be hard on their daughter. She liked that idea a whole lot.