I didn’t know what went wrong. One minute we were kissing and I thought for sure she wanted to move it to the next level and the next…she was gone. I went home, wondering what I did wrong and questioning everything. I even wondered if she would be at the club the next day.

The next day she did show up at the club, but it was awkward. We barely made eye contact and the only words we spoke was in greeting. So, I really didn’t know what I could say to her that she would want to hear. So, I just let her be.

We got the bar ready for the upcoming Saturday night, where hopefully I would greet the most guests I had had in many years. While she stayed out in the bar, hanging poster boards, I spent much of my time in my office, just making calls.

I called up each of my friends, making them aware that this was all going down on Saturday, asking them to tell friends and shout it from the rooftops if they needed and was confirmed that they would all do their best.

I went through my list of contacts and made a few more calls, before closing off the list. I looked towards the office door, when I spotted Jasmine.

“So, all the signs are hung. I’m going to go and try to get some of these fliers out there.” She barely looked at me; I couldn’t just make up that uneasiness between us.

“Okay. Great! Thank you so much for your help!”

She nodded. “No problem.”

She left the office and instead of forcing her to talk to me, I let her go. The next day, she showed up again and this time, she brought news.

“I handed out the fliers and everyone really seemed interested about the event on Saturday. This could really be much bigger than we thought.”

“That’s awesome!” I said. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

She blushed and shrugged. “Just doing my job!” She pushed several strands of her hair behind her ear and I once again got that urge to go to her, but I held back.

“There’s something else I wanted to tell you,” she said. “Well, a couple things actually.”

“Okay. Go ahead!”

“I think that once things are back on an even keel, you really should hire a bookkeeper to do all your financing.” She shrugged. “I just wouldn’t want you to get back into the same predicament.”

She had a valid point there.

“Truer words were never spoken. I’ll definitely take that into consideration,” I said. “And what else?”

“Well, I was thinking that maybe my job is done here,” she said. I felt my face turn white.

“I mean, if the Saturday night doesn’t go as you had hoped, then I can come back, but I have a lot of extra things to do at the office and I just really think that I’m probably not needed here now.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that,” I started. The thought of her not being there on Saturday didn’t sit well with me. It was all because of her that it was even happening. I didn’t want to have to beg, but I really did want her to be there.

“I can’t force you to come, but I really think you should be there.”

She looked nervous, darting her eyes around my office, fidgeting in place and then she looked back at me.

“I don’t know. I just don’t think it’s really necessary.”

I had to ask her if it had anything to do with the other night.

“Jasmine, does this have something to do with the kiss?” I asked. Her face went a deep shade of red and I had figured just as much.

“If it does, then I’m sorry. I didn’t want to put you in an awkward position.”

She hesitated, before speaking her mind. “It’s not really that. I didn’t feel awkward or anything. In fact…part of the problem is I didn’t exactly hate the kiss.”

“Then, I don’t see the problem,” I said. I knew it was wrong for me to be so happy to hear her say those words.

She looked at me and there was so much distance in her stare.

“I’m working for you. In this moment, you are my boss. I just don’t feel that anything coming of this could be a smart decision.” I moved closer to her, but she backed up. “I just don’t.”

I nodded and stopped trying to approach her. “Alright then. I understand, but don’t let that deter you from seeing what great results come out of your suggestion. I would like you to come.”

After several minutes of considering it. She finally relented. “I’ll be there.”

“Good!” I said.

We didn’t have another conversation the rest of the week. I was going to respect her space and just get through Saturday. Then if she wanted to leave and never look back, then that would be her choice. I had my bar to save and I was that much closer.