"She's not hurt. Maybe a little disappointed. But people don't get hurt about rejection if yer nice about it. Honest. Don't tell em you've got somethin goin on that you don't, don't tell em that they're great but you just ain't in a place for it. You did right."
Jesse let go of Fred's hand enough to slide from his seat and stand up. She wanted to leave, they'd leave. He pulled his wallet out and set money for the whole meal down on the table. He would have done it anyway, no matter what they'd been talking about. It was just his way.
"A guy's gotta try." He smiled at her. "Woulda hated myself if it'd been a possibility and I hadn't even thrown it out there."