Page 20 of Never Say Never

And all I can think is,I wish.

I wish it didn’t have to be this way. I wish things with Tucker could have been different. I wish this didn’t feel like a goodbye.

EIGHT

AWKWARD FAMILY DINNERS

Daisy

I started my day with a renewed commitment and calm energy. A five-mile run along White Harbor beach, followed by a croissant and an Americano on my porch while I scrolled through Airbnbs in Rome. After that, I showered, taking time to blow dry my hair as I listened to a podcast. It felt like I could breathe for the first time in weeks. I had officially started my detox yesterday morning, muting Tucker’s socials—not that he ever posted much of anything on them anyway— and focusing my energy on trip planning. The sooner I started this withdrawal, the sooner I’d be over him.

And the sooner I could move on with my life.

I emerge from the bathroom to find Briar in the kitchen unloading the dishwasher.

“Hey, wanna hit the pickleball courts this afternoon?” I ask, opening a cupboard door and taking the stack of plates from her hands.

“I wish, but I can’t,” she says. “I bit the bullet and bought myself a plane ticket to Vancouver this morning. I leave in a few weeks, and today is the only day I have to do some shopping. I want to get my mom a few things before I leave.”

“Briar, that’s great. I’m glad you’re going. It will do you some good to see her.”

“Yeah,” she agrees, putting the last of the coffee mugs away. I slip onto one of the bar stools lining the counter, and she wipes her hands and then takes the seat across from me.

“How long are you gone for?”

“A week,” she sighs. “I need to be back for work. I have a performance review.” Briar works in sales and marketing for a huge food company that is famous for its cheese. “I wish I could have stayed a little longer.”

“You’ll make the most of it. I know you,” I say, looking at my best friend. “Have you told your mom?”

“That I’m coming?” she asks. I nod. “I’m going to call her now before I go to the mall.”

“She’s going to be so happy.”

“Yeah, that’s the plan.”

Briar pins me with an inquisitive look. “So… what’s the deal with you and Tucker?”

“There is no deal,” I tell her.

“It sure looked like there was something going on with the two of you. You couldn’t take your eyes off each other.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. After the game Friday night, he looked like he wanted to celebrate with you… in his bed... horizontally.” My stomach torpedoes to the tips of my toes remembering his eyes on mine. I’m surprised that Briar noticed, I thought maybe that moment between Tucker and I had been all in my head.

“It’s not like that. It was nothing.” I spin the ring on my index finger, not entirely comfortable at the turn this conversation has taken.

Briar huffs out a laugh. “Do you really believe that?”

I slide off my stool and walk toward the cupboard for a glass. “Uh huh. He was excited at the win. We were all excited! His family was there. Hell, my family is his family. He was probably looking at all of us.”

“Whatever you say.”

I turn the tap on, allowing the water to run cold before filling my glass.

“But… how would you feel if hedidwant something more with you?”

I take a sip as her question tumbles around in my brain.

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