In this situation, one of the main characters, Steve, takes his rejection really good. As he says, he is asking her the question for the one thousandth time. He is obviously used to Laura's response. In this case, steve is happy to hear Laura's response because she rejects  him in different words. I myself think there is a reason he keeps continuing to ask Laura on dates. He has heart and he is determined to get the one he loves. A person sometimes has to keep putting up with rejection until they finally get what he or she wants. Then everything works out fine.