Page 52 of My So-Called Perfect Life

“You?” he questions in astonishment. “Are having trouble getting a girl into bed?”

“No,” I shake my head. “I said I was having trouble getting her to go out with me.”

He looks confused. “Since when do you take someone out on a date?”

“There’s a first time for everything.” I shrug not having a better answer for him.

“Wow! This is . . . is . . . different.” Evan isn’t sure what to do or say. “Okay, okay, so a date huh?”

I run my hand through my hair. “Yeah.”

“How bad do you want to go out with this chick?” he asks earnestly.

If that isn’t the million-dollar question. I’m not entirely sure what the hell I want to do when it comes to Danielle. “It’s hard to explain. It’s like there’s this niggling in the back my mind that keeps bringing her back into my thoughts. It’s like the urge I get when I think about doing something most people wouldn’t because it could end badly. Like skydiving. She’s like something new I want to try my hand at. See if the risks are worth the rewards.”

And that’s the truth of it. I don’t know what could happen between Danielle and me, but some part of my mind won’t let go of the notion of trying to find out.

“I kind of like her already if she’s making you work for it.”

Oh, the irony. I doubt he’d feel that way if he knew who the woman in question was.

“What if you take her to the Dodgers game on Thursday?” he suggests.

“I already invited you.”

“We can catch another when they come back into town.” He shrugs, not at all incensed by the idea of giving his ticket to the game to a woman I want to win over. “Chicks love the whole baseball thing. I bet you could rope her in with that.”

I don’t know Danielle well enough yet to know if she’d be into a baseball game, but it can’t hurt, and I’m sure that has to qualify as a date.

Me:Do you have plans Thursday night?

Danielle:I still haven’t made up my mind.

Me:Forget drinks. What about a baseball game?

Danielle:What about it?

Me:Is that considered a good date?

Danielle:It depends on who is going.

Me:You and me.

Danielle:Hmm … I’ll think about it.

“What’d she say?” Evan asks.

“She’ll think about it.”

He laughs. “It’s fun, watching you squirm. Where did you meet this one?”

“I met her at the bar.”

“You need to stop meeting women where you work, man,” he advises. “Last chick you took home from there gave you an STD and came back to cause a scene.”

I do my best to suppress the laugh that wants to come out, but I don’t really succeed.

Evan’s brow furrows. “What’s so funny?”