Jake until after dinner. Coward , said an inner voice in her head, but she just couldn’t do the dreaded deed right now - and of course, she was definitely not going to accept the earrings.
“Now, where’s our waiter?” he asked, looking around. “I’m famished, plus our movie starts in two hours, so we better order soon.”
Diana clamped down on her guilty feelings and picked up her menu. They were going to have one last pleasant evening together and after dinner she’d bring up Jake.
A little over an hour, several delicious dishes, and some wine later, Diana sat back in her chair and contemplated a content Richard. They had enjoyed mouth-watering food and light-hearted conversation, but guilt weighed her down and she didn’t know how to proceed.
“Is something the matter, Diana?” asked Richard looking worried. “All night, I’ve sensed that you’ve been distracted. What’s wrong?”
Diana swallowed a lump in her throat before beginning.
“Richard, you and I have been seeing each other for over a year now and I’ve enjoyed your company immensely,” she said slowly. “However, something has made me realize -”
“Stop,” he said abruptly, surprising her. His blue eyes looked at her intently. “I think I know where you’re heading with this. I know we haven’t committed to each other yet, but I wanted to leave that up to you.”
Richard paused before reaching across the table and placed his hand over hers.
“I have very deep feelings for you, Diana, but I didn’t want to pressure you into anything. Now, however, I think you should know that I want us to deepen our relationship.”
Diana gazed at him in consternation. They had slept together infrequently over the past year, and after each encounter, she had never truly felt fulfilled. The sad truth was that even though she liked him very much, she had never sought a deeper connection.
“Richard, I’m flattered,” said Diana gently. “You’ve been so understanding and patient with me. I’m afraid though that I don’t feel the same way about you as you feel about me.”
Richard’s blue eyes looked so sorrowful that it made Diana want to reach out and hug him.
“I know that I’ve felt more for you than you’ve felt for me, but I clung to the hope that your feelings would change. I guess I’m pretty pathetic.”
Richard paused and said sadly, “I’ve only ever wanted to make you happy, Diana.”
“I know,” Diana said softly. “I’ve never wanted to hurt you but now it’s time for us to go our separate ways.”
“No, please don’t say that,” Richard said pleadingly.
Diana shook her head firmly.
“I’m sorry, Richard, but I’ve met someone else,” she said quietly.
“Who?” he asked flatly. His eyes never wavered from hers.
“It’s someone from my past. You don’t know him,” she hedged.
“I want you in my life, Diana. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?” “It does mean a lot to me,” she replied honestly, feeling guiltier than she had ever felt in her whole life. “It’s just that I’m no longer capable of continuing our relationship. I wish you the best. I know that there’s a perfect girl out there for you.”
He looked so sad that she felt like she had just kicked a puppy.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever find the perfect girl,” he said in a defeated voice. “Keep the earrings. I don’t want them.”
“Richard, I can’t - but thank you for being such a wonderful man and a gentleman.”
Richard paid for their dinner and they were both very quiet as he walked her to her car.
“Whoever he is, I hope he treats you right, Diana,” Richard said quietly before he turned around and walked away.
He didn’t look back, the little black box containing the earrings clutched in his hand because Diana had refused to keep them. She felt wretched, but she also felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She should have broken off with Richard months ago but she had not wanted to hurt him. Sooner or
“Now, where’s our waiter?” he asked, looking around. “I’m famished, plus our movie starts in two hours, so we better order soon.”
Diana clamped down on her guilty feelings and picked up her menu. They were going to have one last pleasant evening together and after dinner she’d bring up Jake.
A little over an hour, several delicious dishes, and some wine later, Diana sat back in her chair and contemplated a content Richard. They had enjoyed mouth-watering food and light-hearted conversation, but guilt weighed her down and she didn’t know how to proceed.
“Is something the matter, Diana?” asked Richard looking worried. “All night, I’ve sensed that you’ve been distracted. What’s wrong?”
Diana swallowed a lump in her throat before beginning.
“Richard, you and I have been seeing each other for over a year now and I’ve enjoyed your company immensely,” she said slowly. “However, something has made me realize -”
“Stop,” he said abruptly, surprising her. His blue eyes looked at her intently. “I think I know where you’re heading with this. I know we haven’t committed to each other yet, but I wanted to leave that up to you.”
Richard paused before reaching across the table and placed his hand over hers.
“I have very deep feelings for you, Diana, but I didn’t want to pressure you into anything. Now, however, I think you should know that I want us to deepen our relationship.”
Diana gazed at him in consternation. They had slept together infrequently over the past year, and after each encounter, she had never truly felt fulfilled. The sad truth was that even though she liked him very much, she had never sought a deeper connection.
“Richard, I’m flattered,” said Diana gently. “You’ve been so understanding and patient with me. I’m afraid though that I don’t feel the same way about you as you feel about me.”
Richard’s blue eyes looked so sorrowful that it made Diana want to reach out and hug him.
“I know that I’ve felt more for you than you’ve felt for me, but I clung to the hope that your feelings would change. I guess I’m pretty pathetic.”
Richard paused and said sadly, “I’ve only ever wanted to make you happy, Diana.”
“I know,” Diana said softly. “I’ve never wanted to hurt you but now it’s time for us to go our separate ways.”
“No, please don’t say that,” Richard said pleadingly.
Diana shook her head firmly.
“I’m sorry, Richard, but I’ve met someone else,” she said quietly.
“Who?” he asked flatly. His eyes never wavered from hers.
“It’s someone from my past. You don’t know him,” she hedged.
“I want you in my life, Diana. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?” “It does mean a lot to me,” she replied honestly, feeling guiltier than she had ever felt in her whole life. “It’s just that I’m no longer capable of continuing our relationship. I wish you the best. I know that there’s a perfect girl out there for you.”
He looked so sad that she felt like she had just kicked a puppy.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever find the perfect girl,” he said in a defeated voice. “Keep the earrings. I don’t want them.”
“Richard, I can’t - but thank you for being such a wonderful man and a gentleman.”
Richard paid for their dinner and they were both very quiet as he walked her to her car.
“Whoever he is, I hope he treats you right, Diana,” Richard said quietly before he turned around and walked away.
He didn’t look back, the little black box containing the earrings clutched in his hand because Diana had refused to keep them. She felt wretched, but she also felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She should have broken off with Richard months ago but she had not wanted to hurt him. Sooner or
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