an afternoon

I wasn't going to like him.  I was determined.  The last thing I wanted was a man in my life to mess with my head and my heart.

When he flirted with me, I didn't flirt back.  I wasn't disagreeable, I just didn't want to go there.   So we had a nice platonic work relationship, but I made the mistake of admitting to my co-worker Marissa that I thought he was pretty cute.  Of course she blabbed it to him, and he then kept hanging around.

He knew I had a kid.  When I first told him, I thought for sure that would get him to lose interest in me.  Instead, he asked to see pictures and wanted to know all about my son.  Of course he wanted to know about the father too.  I just told him, "things didn't work out" and left it at that.

To say "things didn't work out" was quite the understatement.  My ex was my first.  He'd told me he loved me, and I thought we would be together forever.  We were careful, but I still got pregnant.  I expected that he would want to get married once I told him about the baby, but I was so wrong.  When he left, I was devastated.  It had all been a lie.  I found out about the other girls he'd been with when he was with me, telling me he loved me, that I was his girl. 

Thank God my parents forgave me for all the crap I'd given them when they'd told me my ex was not good enough for me and that I should dump him.  That was one of the lowest points in my life, when I  had to admit they were right and ask if I could move back in with them.

I was getting my life together.  I'd gotten a temp job as a factory assembler.  I didn't know what I would do when the job ran out, but at least it paid well enough for me to build some savings.  And that's where I met Justin. 

He operated a spot welder near my assembly line.  He started hanging out with us during our breaks and eating at our table at lunch.  I admit that I did find him attractive.  He had light brown sandy hair and a sweet little chin warmer beard.  He wasn't very tall, just a couple of inches taller than me, but he was stocky and his muscular hands and forearms were nice to watch while he operated the welder.  And then there's his eyes...

When he asked to take me and little Alex bowling, I decided that maybe it could be fun.  I didn't go out much.   Work and motherhood kept me too busy.  Alex needed to go out and have some fun too, and he'd never been to a bowling alley.  I told Justin we would meet him there, not wanting it to be too much of a "date".

But damnit I had fun!  Justin was wonderful with Alex, and Alex really liked Justin.  I realized that Alex is getting to the age where he needs males in his life to emulate.  I watched the people bowling next to us- a family - and I wondered if I could ever have that.  It didn't seem matter to the mom that she sucked at bowling, she was just hanging out with her husband and kids.

Now, I'm confused.  I've been fighting it, but I think I'm falling for Justin!

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Yesterday was a school and work holiday.  We went bowling after I finished tutoring.  Rather than blog about how awfully I bowled, I decided to make up a story about the people next to us.  I'm dying to know what happens!
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