For the next two weeks, Ayla received coffee, dozens of bouquets of flowers, boxes of candy, cards and even a giant stuffed animal that looked like Moose. Of course, all this was from Dan. Apparently, he was not giving up but neither was she. Ayla hadn’t reached out to thank him for the gifts or to tell him to stop. She had changed her routine, she took Moose to a different dog park, got her coffee from a different coffee shop in the morning and didn’t dine at Fooley’s anymore. All of this just to avoid a run in with Dan.

Friday night and a knock at the door brought Ayla face to face with yet another delivery boy. She was now on a first name basis with three of them. This guy must be new as she didn’t recognize him. He handed her a huge bag from Fooley’s and ran down the hall so she couldn’t reject the delivery. She had started rejecting the delivery’s or telling the kids to just keep it, she didn’t want it. Ayla got some very strange looks the first couple times she rejected the food, flowers and coffee but they just nodded and took the deliveries with them when they left.

Inside the bag was a steak, baked potato, green beans, side salad with ranch dressing, two dinner rolls and a bottle of wine. Ayla ate most of the meal but put the wine in the refrigerator, she would see if her neighbor wanted it, she couldn’t stand the taste of wine. Surely Dan would get the hint and stop with all of the deliveries. It was breaking her heart even more knowing that this was all just to impress her. She wished he would’ve done this type of things when they were together.

As Ayla walked out of her apartment with Moose for their evening walk, she found Beast sitting outside her door with a big red bow attached to his collar with a note attached. “Please give my dad a chance, he’s a good boy!” Ayla sighed and grabbed Beast’s leash when Dan stepped around the corner.

“Dan, I told you that I don’t date and I don’t do friends. I’m sorry but please stop sending me gifts and please don’t use Beast to try to soften me. It isn’t going to work so please just leave me alone.” Ayla replied as Moose and Beast chased each other up and down the hall.

“Ayla, I just want the chance to change your mind. You know that not all guys are like your ex. Just give me a chance to prove it, please?” Dan asked, laying his hand on her shoulder, noticing the look of pain in her eyes.