Martian

Man, it's been a while since I've done this. These days I usually just get irritated at indecisive people and close the thread. I guess this means I like you, maybe.

Okay. So. She said yes. You clearly didn't fuck up. Sadly, she was busy at the time and thus you did not actually get her number (in such a situation, I would've written mine down and left it for her, but it's not a big deal either way).

Here's the thing; remember that part where I said "you're in with a chance" up above? That's exactly what you have. She may or may not have considered this consciously, but essentially the decision that she's made is that she likes you enough to take a shot and see what happens.

Notable: She specified 'my son's dad,' thus distancing herself from said man. This seems like a deliberate signal and tells you two things: for one, she has a son. Clearly you are not bothered by this. Also, her father's son is neither her boyfriend nor her husband. Essentially it was a way of saying 'yes I'm single, just fucking do it already.'

Moving on.

So, ball's in her court now. Don't freak out. Make sure your mutual friend is aware of the arrangement and that he passes the number on. I don't imagine he'll forget, but if you don't have it in a week's time, a casual mention might be worthwhile. If you never get it, no big. It may have been deliberate or accidental, but the bottom line is that you didn't win this one. In these cases I don't typically bother to pursue further, since I have a very lackadaisical outlook about such things. If you want to, you can stop by the gas bar again and make another attempt. If she blows you off in any way, that's it.

Number one mega important fact: this girl is not yours. Until you actually kiss her and she kisses you back she is not your girl in any way, shape or form. If you start now thinking about how you'll divvy up closet space or what to name the family dog, she will not be your girl. Ever. End of story.

You do not get attached to something that doesn't belong to you. Down that road lies heartbreak and sorrow.

On the positive: you no longer need to be nervous. Do not play games. Do not use rules. Just be yourself and do your thing. At this point she has signalled interest. The bottom line now is that the thing that is most likely to sink you is a personality conflict, and if that's the case it's better to discover it now than months or years from now when you've both invested a lot of time and energy into a relationship that's going nowhere.

So be confident. You have not fucked up, and short of proposing marriage on the first date you really have nothing to fear. Either it will work out or it won't, but either way you just need to sit back and let things happen how they will. Cultivate a casual outlook and don't get attached yet. You can fall madly in love when you know you've got an actual relationship with her, not before.

EDIT - Also, leagues are a myth. A girl is only out of your league if she thinks she is, in which case you probably don't want anything to do with her anyway. She is clearly in your league, since she's interested in you. Stop thinking that, right now. It's juvenile, and this is not high school.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame