Chapter 37: So What If I Am?

Rooted outside the place she'd agreed to meet Dave, Payton couldn't get the nerve to move. She was already ten minutes late, and she could see him in the booth through the window. He looked like he was getting ready to leave, and Payton couldn't blame him. The ringing phone didn't pull her eyes from the man in the restaurant, but she fished it out of her pocket and answered, "Hello?"

"Hey, I'm on my way home."

"Okay, see you in a couple hours."

"Why aren't you at lunch?" Josh asked.

"I'm outside now. I'm suddenly not sure I wanna do this," she confessed.

"Do what you have to. This isn't for anyone else, just you. If you wanna see him, then go in. If you're doing it for any other reason, just leave. It's not like you'd see him again anyway."

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she gathered up her resolve, "No, I need to do this."

"If you need me, give me a call."

"Thanks."