Page 29 of Not Mine To Love

“Really? You never told me that.”

He shrugged. “It’s not something I really thought about, but I know I would have tried again, if the opportunity had come up. But it didn’t.”

“Awww, Dad.” I didn’t know he was such a romantic. “You should get out there and start dating again.”

“Nope.”

“Dad, come on.”

“Are you kidding me? I don’t know how to use those apps. And even if I did, I wouldn’t want to try. I believe in letting things occur organically, you know?” he said, turning to look at me.

I raised a brow. “Did you seriously just say organically?”

“Isn’t that how the cool peeps talk now? Organic this? Natural that?”

I had to laugh. “Dad, you’re hilarious. But maybe you should date again? How long has it been?”

“A decade, give or take…”

“Dad!”

“What?”

“You haven’t gone on a date in nearly a decade?”

“Or more,” he said with a shrug. “But who are you to judge? At least I have an excuse. I’m old. What’s yours?”

He was right. What was my excuse? I sat back in my seat deep in thought.

Maybe I should join one of those dating sites. Do the whole dating thing. That sounded… terrible. And then I had an idea.

“Maybe I’ll ask Carter or someone to introduce me to someone… that would be cool. Right?”

“Yep. I say go for it.”

I had an idea. “I’ll go for it, if you do.”

He was about to say no, I could tell, and my shoulders slumped in disappointment. And then he surprised me.

“What the heck. Why not?” He tossed an arm around my shoulder.

I could barely contain my excitement. “This is going to be fun.”

I ignored his response of, “Or not.”

* * *

Later that week, I watched as my dad paced back and forth in the living room. He had on a dress shirt and a pair of slacks. He was even wearing a tie. He looked nice. So handsome. I had forgotten over the years how handsome he was. Even with the slight paunch, he was a good looking man. I convinced him to cut his hair instead of combing over the bald spot.

“Soo umm, how do I look?”

“Like a young Jason Statham,” I reassured him.

He looked in a mirror, sucked his tummy in, and said. “Yeah, I think you’re right.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Look at us,” he said then. “Both of us with dates. What are the chances…”