Make towards the pebbled shore

I've been reading a lot of dating advice.  None of the books is named Uli, Stop Acting Like Yourself So Much, You're Scaring Women Off but they might as well be.  I'm working on some resolutions for myself:

1. Don't go there - that isn't metaphorical.  Catherine lives far from here, but I'm going to hang tough, let her come to me.  In fact, I think I'll
2. Not even bring up meeting - let her mention it.  She's got all kinds of logistical issues (distance, child-care); let her work them out and don't bug her; and
   
3. Don't initiate contact - or at least, try to cut back, go a day or two without sending an email;
4. Act a little erratic  - I'm predictable, to predictable to be interesting, have to cut that out;
5. Don't complain -- she's supposed to be my friend and, ideally, my booty-call, not my therapist.  Don't complain about my life, my career, or especially my wife; in summary,
   
6. Be Cool

Went out with Carlos and his soon-to-be ex-girlfriend (she doesn't know, but Carlos is planning to dump her).  Despite all my self-exhortation to be cool, or perhaps because of them, I'm actually becoming a little cool.  Truth is, I feel superior to Carlos.  He maintains a whip-hand over the future ex by being unkind to her in small ways.  He doesn't have the control be truly cool, he's either a bully or a doormat.  I've never been a bully, and my doormat mannerisms are fading.

After the restaurant, the future ex and I were on sidewalk as Carlos hit the head.  I let her talk while I watched her intently.  As with Amelia, I step in way too close, stood square and still.  She looked away but as with Amelia, didn't step back.  There was 100 feet of open sidewalk behind her, but she didn't retreat a single step.

I would have stepped even closer, touched her cheek, but Carlos came through the restaurant door.  "Come on," he said briskly.  "Let's go."

"Yeah," I drawled.  "Let's go."