What happened to him being my person?
To him looking at me?
“I gotta get back.” His gaze flicks past me, toward the field. “Workout.”
“Yeah. Of course.” My voice comes out even and polite. Thank goodness. “Thanks for coming.”
He gives me a short chuckle and glances toward my dad. “I’d prefer not to get benched.”
My chest tightens painfully. There’s the reason he’s here.
He’s here for my dad.
Not for Hazel.
And definitely not for me.
“I’ll see you.” Decker is already stepping away, lifting his hand in a small wave.
“Bye.”
Leighton returns to my side with an apologetic look. “Sorry. Lincoln’s friend’s mom, Jade, cornered me.”
I nod, but my stomach has already turned into a rotten knot I can’t swallow past.
A future with Decker Davis is not on the table.
“Penelope.” Leighton waves her hand in front of my face. “What did I miss?”
“It’s time for me to start dating,” I blurt. “Right? Like… I need to do it for me and for Hazel.”
Leighton rocks back a little, then her expression softens. “I’m always going to vote for what’s good for you. It just… can be hard to execute.”
“So, what?” I yank my phone out of my bag. “Do I download a dating app? Is that the best option these days?”
Her eyebrows crinkle. “I’m not sure. It’s been a few years since I was on them.” She confiscates my phone. “But how about you let me fix you up? There’s a doctor at the hospital. He’s sweet, funny… real.”
“The dating apps feel safer.” I don’t totally believe it, but it does mean fewer expectations from the people around me.
Leighton snorts. “Have you ever been on one?”
“No.”
She clutches my phone. “Then let’s do this the old-fashioned way first. If there’s no connection, we’ll move to the apps.”
I inhale a cleansing breath, summoning my courage. “Okay.” She hands me back my phone, and I slide it into my bag, trying to ignore my tightening chest. “I just think it’s time to move on.”
Leighton’s gaze flicks past my shoulder.
I don’t look. I’m sure Decker is long gone.
I just wish she didn’t have that look on her face—the one that says she’s already mourning the happily-ever-after she crafted in her head between Decker and me.
“I work tomorrow.” Her voice drops lower. “I’ll ask him if he’s seeing anyone.”
“Perfect.” I force a smile, even as my insides twist.
Decker Davis is never going to make a move.
