He cancels but suggests something different instead

A lot of people read cancellation as rejection. But this one comes with a specific alternative: Sunday instead of Friday, or drinks instead of dinner. That detail matters. He could have just bailed and ghosted. Instead he's managing around his own schedule and trying to keep momentum.

This is someone who has you on his calendar and is moving things around to make it happen. That's different from someone who cancels and makes you suggest next steps. Don't read this as weakness on his end. Read it as him trying to solve a problem without losing you in the process.

Your reply should confirm the new plan he offered, not counter-propose or leave it open-ended. If he said Sunday afternoon works, you say yes to Sunday afternoon and pick a time and place that actually lands. The goal is to remove all friction between his message and a real date on the calendar.

If Sunday afternoon really doesn't work, you can say so. But if it does, don't use this as a moment to renegotiate. He already moved once. You're now the one making the date real by confirming and specifying. That's your contribution here.

Send your reply within a few hours. Not immediately, but don't wait until tomorrow. You're confirming logistics, not playing it cool. Once you've locked in the new date, you're done texting about it. Don't follow up asking if he's excited or checking if he remembers. You've done the work.

If he flakes on the rescheduled plan without another offer, that's your signal. First cancellation with a backup plan shows interest. Second one shows avoidance. Stop making it easy for him at that point.