Even though I kept insisting I was taking a break from the dating apps, I found myself casually scrolling through them whenever I had a few spare minutes.
I wasn’t taking it very seriously.
At least, that’s what I told myself.
Then I matched with a guy we’ll call Will.
We spent the week messaging back and forth, and our conversations came easily. Still, I tried to keep my expectations low. By this point, I had learned that chemistry over text didn’t always translate to real life, and I was tired of getting my hopes up only to be disappointed.
Our first date was set for a Wednesday night, and as the day went on, I noticed something I hadn’t felt in a while.
I was genuinely excited.
There wasn’t one specific reason for it. I just liked talking to him, and I found myself looking forward to meeting him instead of overthinking every possible outcome.
In a move that was very unlike me, I even agreed to let him pick me up.
Normally, that would have been out of the question.
But between some thorough internet sleuthing of my own and my sister’s uncanny ability to uncover practically anyone’s life story with nothing more than a first and last name, I felt comfortable enough to make an exception.
We went to a local bar near my apartment, ordered a pizza to share, and settled into conversation that seemed to cover just about everything.
As the night went on, I learned that Will worked a few towns away, coached a local team, and seemed like the kind of person who quietly showed up for the people in his life. He shared a little about his parents’ divorce and hinted at the responsibilities he had taken on afterward. Even without going into much detail, it was clear he had become someone his family could rely on.
When the topic of my own divorce came up, he listened without judgment.
He didn’t interrogate me or make me feel like I had to defend my past.
He simply listened.
That meant more than he probably realized.
Later, I found out he had actually taken time off work because Wednesday was the only evening I had available.
It was a thoughtful gesture that perfectly matched the impression he had already made.
By the end of the night, I found myself thinking that the date couldn’t have gone much better.
When he dropped me back at my apartment, we sat in the car talking for a little while longer before sharing a long kiss goodbye.
Before I got out, we were already making plans to see each other again the following week.
I walked back to my apartment with the biggest smile on my face.
For someone who claimed she was taking a break from dating, I suddenly couldn’t wait for the next date.
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