Page 111 of It's Not PMS, It's You

I had to tell the truth.

We weren’t an item, even though I wanted us to be one.

“We’re almost best friends.” I winked at Ruth. “Isn’t that right?” I leaned closer to her, playfully bumped her with my arm and knocked her food off her plate and into the sand.

What was left for me to achieve as an idiot?

This was going downhill fast and I was screwing up everything.

Ruth glanced down at her pork and potato salad, both now covered with sand. “Now, look what my almost best friend did.”

I stood and grabbed it from the sand. “I’ll get you another plate of food. Be right back.”

Walking back toward Jay, I shook my head in disgust at my behavior, then tossed her plate in the trash.

Lindsey grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop before I could reach the barbecue area. “Dad,whatare you doing?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Come here. You’re really, really blowing it big time.” She yanked me away from the family.

“Is this about me not telling Ruth that you existed?”

“No!” Lindsey looked around and then leaned closer, whispering. “Brandon says you’re introducing Ruth to all the single guys in our family? Have you lost your mind?”

“Apparently.”

“You need to snap out of whatever funk you’re in and conquer that woman.”

“Conquerher? What century were you born? Ruth isn’t a country.”

Lindsey sighed. “She’smorethan a country, Dad. She’s everything you need.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m serious. Grandma and I both agree that Ruth isamazing. And shelikesyou.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because when we were going around introducing her to everyone, she couldn’t stop talking about you.Nick this, Nick that, Nick this.”

“Really?” I glanced back over to Ruth, who was deep into a conversation with Alex, smiling like she was enjoying his company.

Lindsey blew out a deep, frustrated breath. “Really. First, you introduce her to Jay and now Alex? You need to do somethingnow. You’re out of practice. Get over there and tell her how you feel. It’s obvious.”

“If it’s so obvious, then she would know.”

“Yes, but women want tohearit. And you need toshowit with actions.”

I couldn’t believe I was getting dating advice from my daughter.

She was right, I knew that, but still . . .

I liked Ruth a lot. I could picture myself falling in love with her, especially seeing this other side of her that was so alive and playful.

She was a completely different person.

“Nicky!” My mom marched toward me, giving me that glare she had perfected over the years to let me know I was in serious trouble. “We need to talk. Now.”