Jen sat outside on the stone bench, the warm sun casting a golden hue over everything around her.
She had been looking forward to this date all week. Steve had seemed promising. But now, as she glanced down at her phone, her heart sank. The text from Steve was short and dismissive: "Hey, I’m sorry, something came up, I can't make it today."
Her fingers gripped the phone tightly, and she let out a frustrated sigh. This wasn’t the first time a guy from the app had canceled on her. Why did she even keep giving them chances?
As she sat, deep in thought, a deep voice broke through her haze. "Hey. You look like something's bothering you. I couldn’t help but notice. Can I say hi?"
Jen looked up, her eyes meeting a pair of dark brown eyes set in a strong face. The young Black man in front of her was tall and well-built, with an easy smile. He had dark black skin that glistened in the sunlight, his muscular physique a clear sign of someone who took care of themselves.
For a moment, Jen just stared, unsure of what to say. She hadn’t expected anyone to approach her. She’d thought the world was too busy for people to notice others in moments like these. But there he was, standing before her, his attention solely on her.
"Erm...sure, you can," she said softly, motioning to the empty space on the bench. "It's just... I'm a little frustrated."
He smiled warmly and took a seat beside her. "Sometimes life just hits us with things we don’t expect, huh?" He glanced at her phone for a split second before focusing back on her beautiful face.
Jen gave a small, almost bitter laugh. "Yeah. I was supposed to meet this guy, but he canceled on me last minute. Again. I guess I’m just tired of it."
The young Black man's eyes held hers. "I’m sorry he did that to you. You deserve a real man who’s going to show up for you."
She met his gaze, her frustration slowly melting into a small but appreciative smile. "Thanks. It’s nice to hear that."
"Anytime," he said. "I can’t see someone beautiful sitting here looking down. Life’s too short." His voice was warm. "How about this: I’ve got some free time. I could take you for a walk around the park, maybe grab a coffee. Just to take your mind off things, if you want to..."
