Just Give Me A Reason

Chapter Eight: Give Love A Chance

“I knew it,” Marcus said smiling looking at his best friend, he knew that he shouldn’t get his hopes up but he was thrilled to learn that Bailey was going to see the footballer again.

Bailey rolled her eyes as she sipped on her drink, he had demanded that she spill the beans on her date with Sergio while they had been out for lunch; it had been two days since her date and the red head felt good about herself.

“So when is the next date?” Marcus asked leaning forward, he was so happy that she wasn’t letting her break-up with David get her down and he knew that she would move on with her life for the better.

Bailey paused for a moment as she looked at her daughter, she knew what her friend wanted but that wasn’t something she was prepared for right now; she had dated David for six years and she wasn’t in a rush to start anything.

Sergio was nice and she knew that while she had enjoyed her date that there wasn’t going too led to much right now.

“I don’t think there will be one,” Bailey said sitting Una on her knee, she cuddled her daughter close as she focused on her; she knew that her daughter was her top priority and that was what mattered to her.

Marcus frowned as he looked at Bailey, he didn’t know why his best friend was giving up on love; he knew that she deserved to be happy and live her life for herself.

“I’m not really ready to date Marcus and I don’t want to lead Sergio on,” Bailey said shaking her head holding Una close, she loved her daughter and after what David had done to her, she wanted her daughter to always feel loved.

Marcus rolled his eyes as he pulled out a magazine and showed it to her, it was a picture of Sergio and his ex-girlfriend and all about what had happened to them.

Bailey frowned a little settling Una on her lap before she carefully read the article about Sergio’s recent break-up; it had happened on the same night as her break-up with David and even at the same restaurant.

“I’m not saying rush into this… but don’t close your heart,” Marcus said looking at his friend, he knew that Sergio was in no way ready to rush things after what had happened with his own ex but there was a chance for the two of them to move on and be happy.

Bailey swallowed as she finished reading the article, her heart going out to Sergio who had suffered the same way that she had at the hands of someone who should have loved him.

“Don’t give up on love Bails… you deserve it more than anyone,” Marcus pleaded with his friend, he knew that Bailey wasn’t going to make this easy on herself but she did deserve better than David.

Una deserved to have a father-figure that would love her more than David ever did, she was going to need a daddy and that wasn’t going to get one if her mother was determined to swear off men and never date again.

***

Sergio wiped the sweat from his face as he drank some water, he looked around the training ground as he felt at ease with himself.

His date with Bailey had been a success and he was considering phoning her again to see if she would want to do it again sometime soon.

“So how was your date?” Iker asked stopping next to his friend, he knew that Sergio had been happy today and he put it down to his date with the beautiful red head from the charity auction.

Iker was thrilled that Sergio was pulling himself together after what Pilar had done to him, meeting the red head had been a blessing and he hoped that she was the answer to his friend’s problems.

“It was fine,” Sergio said shrugging a smile forming on his face, he really liked Bailey and he knew he wanted to see her again.

Sergio was in no rush with his relationship with her and he knew they were both slowly getting over their pasts and he didn’t know what could have happened to Bailey but he did like her.

Iker chuckled as he saw the look on his friend’s face, it was clear to see that the date had been more than fine and he was more than glad that Sergio was moving on from Pilar.

“You like her?” Iker checked knowing he didn’t want his friend forcing himself to move on, he deserved to be happy and this was his chance even if he had only ended things with Pilar two weeks earlier.

Sergio nodded screwing the lid back onto his water bottle, he felt relaxed and it wasn’t something that he had felt when he had been first dating Pilar.

The footballer could see that the older woman had made him feel like he had to earn her attention more than anything else and that wasn’t something that he had liked doing.

“I really do… Bailey’s nice,” Sergio said as he sat down on the grass, he fanned himself a little as he looked up at his friend; he had told Iker all about the red head hiding her real name for the auction before their date.

Iker nodded his head as he sat down as well, there was so much going on right now and he knew that Sergio deserved to be happy; he just hoped his friend wasn’t going to make a mess of this.

“When will you see her again?” Iker asked curiously, they were in an important part of the season and Sergio’s twenty-eighth birthday was coming up.

Sergio didn’t want his friend getting too distracted when they still had the Copa del Rey, La Liga and the Champions league to worry about; it wouldn’t end well for the team if he did get distracted.

Sergio chewed on his lip and looked at his friend, he knew that Iker worried for him but he was happy right now and wasn’t going to allow the reason to slip through his fingers.

“I was thinking of asking her out this weekend,” Sergio said knowing that they had a match against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday and his birthday was on the Sunday.

Sergio wanted to see her again, something that couldn’t wait for too long since he worried she would find someone else.

Iker nodded his head slowly wondering how Sergio would pull this off, he couldn’t help but think that his friend was asking for trouble if he wanted to date Bailey that weekend.

“I know… but I need to see her again,” Sergio said smiling at his friend, he didn’t know how to describe how he was feeling and he knew that he had never felt like this before.

Iker smiled as he slowly realised that he recognised what his friend was going through, it was the same thing that he had felt when he’d been on his first date with Sara and he had now had a beautiful little boy at home with her.

“I’m happy for you Sese… don’t let this one get away,” Iker said with a small smile, they had been best friends for years and he knew that Pilar had never been the one for his friend; Bailey was the one that Sergio should have been waiting for.

Sergio nodded his head as he smiled at his friend, he wasn’t going to allow Bailey to slip away; he wanted to get to know her and he had this great feeling when it came to her.

Sergio had noticed that she was holding something back and he hoped that she would feel comfortable enough to tell him soon; he wanted to get to know the real her.

“I won’t… I really like her Iker,” Sergio said getting back to his feet, he stretched a little knowing that he was suddenly glad Pilar had broken his heart so he had a real chance at love.