Page 8 of Never Say Never

“I’m sorry your dad is the way he is with you.”

I shrug. “You know him. He thinks he’s better than me, and he likes to remind me of that every chance he gets.”

Daisy tucks a few strands of her thick, honey-brown hair behind her ear. “You know it’s him and not you. You’re the best coach they’ve ever had at Reed Point University. He’s just too stuck on you refusing to take over his firm to notice.”

“That is the nicest thing you’ve said to me in a long time,” I tell her, surprised at the shift in her tone.

“Well, it’s true,” she says with a soft smile. She looks at me a moment longer, then pushes off from the counter. “Okay, I’d better get going.”

With that, Daisy turns and walks toward the door.

I watch her leave, wishing with everything in me that she’d stay.

FOUR

GUARANTEED TO BE A GOOD TIME

Daisy

Ten more minutes.

This day has felt like an eternity. Beside me, the clinic’s newest employee, Hazel, hums quietly as she enters a patient’s data into the system. What she lacks in experience she makes up for in enthusiasm—I swear even the sound of her typing is cheerful. I am trying my best to be upbeat and welcoming, but I’m pretty sure I’m failing miserably.

My run-in with Tucker on Saturday has me very distracted. On top of that, I still need to deal with the situation with Scott. I’ve managed to avoid him all day, pretending to take a call when he arrived this morning and at one point even ducking behind a corner when I saw him on his way out for lunch.

I feel like a coward—I know I need to gather the courage and tell him we’re better off as friends, but I hate the idea of hurting him. I’m a people pleaser and always have been. But I have to just deal with it. Maybe tomorrow, though? That sounds like a good plan to me.

I quickly tidy my desk, getting ready to make a break for it, when I hear Scott’s voice directly behind me.

“Can I talk to you for a second, Daisy?”

I wince.Shit. I paste a grin on my face and follow him as he motions to an examination room across the hall, a knot forming in my stomach.

You can do this.

Make it short and sweet.

Get it over with.

But before I have a chance to open my mouth, he takes a step toward me with an awkward smile. “I had a really great time with you the other night. I wondered if you would like to go out again this Friday?”

He exhales and the tension in his shoulders seems to relax. My muscles, on the other hand, are pulled tighter than the strings on a guitar. “Scott, I—"

“Why don’t I pick you up at seven?” he says, before I can finish. “We can go to Catch 21.”

I find the courage to scrape out the words. “I think we need to rethink things, Scott. It’s just that I work for you, and I think it’s best that we keep our relationship professional.”

His eyebrows pull together in surprise.

“I thought you had a good time. It felt like you were feeling it as much as I was.”

“I like you,” I say gently. “But I’m not the girl for you. I hope you can understand.”

“I see.” He looks up at the ceiling. “I guess I misread things.”

I hate this. And I’d also like to keep this job for the next four months before I leave on my trip. “I really enjoy working for you. I hope it won’t be awkward. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. Don’t be sorry,” Scott says, his expression softening. “It won’t affect things around here. I need you. Hazel is taking longer than I hoped to get the hang of things around here. Do you think you can get her up to speed before you leave?”

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