"We could sit nearby," Sabrina added. "Blend in and observe."
"You don't blend in," I reminded her.
Serena pouted. "Rude."
"I can take care of myself," I said firmly, regretting this entire call. "I don't need surveillance."
They exchanged a look—one that made it very clear they didn't fully believe me—but after a moment, Sabrina sighed. "Fine," she said. "But text us when you get there."
"And when you leave," Serena added.
"Just share your location with us," Elena continued. "I'll make sure the twins won't show up."
That was when Allister spoke again. "Bring your pepper spray."
I blinked. "I wasn't planning on being attacked."
"I'm planning for the possibility," he replied calmly. "Just in case."
Serena nodded solemnly. "So he doesn't have to go to jail."
"I would," Allister said without hesitation.
I smiled despite myself. "Okay. I'll bring it."
That seemed to satisfy them, at least a little.
"Well," Elena said, her voice softening, "we're happy for you."
"Very happy," Serena added. "We honestly thought you were going to die alone."
I gasped, clutching my chest dramatically. "I'm offended."
Sabrina shrugged. "Statistically—"
"I'm hanging up," I said quickly.
They laughed, voices overlapping as they wished me luck, told me to be careful, and promised to interrogate me later. One by one, they dropped off the call until the screen went dark. The apartment felt quieter after that.
I set my phone down and finished getting ready, moving with a steadier confidence than before. I grabbed my bag, double-checked my keys, and—after a brief pause—slipped my pepper spray into the side pocket.
Just in case.
Then I headed out, locked the door behind me, and got into my car. As I pulled out of the driveway and started toward the restaurant, my heart beat a little faster, but this time, I didn't try to stop it.
6- Callahan
I arrived twenty minutes early and immediately regretted it.
The restaurant sat across the street, all warm light and polished windows, looking far too inviting for the mess I had going on in my head. Cars already filled most of the parking lot, people moving in and out with the easy confidence of those who knew exactly why they were there. Dates. Celebrations. Normal evenings that didn’t feel like negotiations with fate.
I sat in my car, the keys resting uselessly in my hand. The silence inside the vehicle felt louder than traffic ever could, pressing in on me, leaving no room to escape my thoughts. I leaned my head back against the seat and stared at the ceiling, exhaling slowly, as if that alone might steady me.
Why did I have to show up twenty minutes early when Evania wasn’t even here yet? It was too early to go inside and also too late to pretend I hadn’t already made this complicated by asking her on this date.
It would be entirely too easy to form a genuine relationship with her. I could imagine it too easily—normal dinners, unplanned mornings, arguments that weren’t calculated, laughter that didn’t come with an audience. The kind of relationship I’d convinced myself I wasn’t ready for.
And the worst part? I didn’t dislike the idea. I liked it. More than I should have. That alone should have told me to stay away. I turned my head and stared out the window, jaw tightening as reality pushed back in. Wanting something and being able tohave it were two very different things. I had learned that lesson early in life, drilled into me with boardroom conversations and family expectations disguised as concern.
