I swallowed hard, suddenly reminded of what I had to tell her. We were getting on so well together that I almost wanted to keep it a secret for a bit longer, but I knew I couldn’t. I had to tell her tonight.
7- Evania
I didn't think it was possible for my face to hurt from smiling, but as I stood in the restaurant bathroom, staring at my reflection, I realized it absolutely was.
My lips refused to relax, curved upward in a stubborn smile. The pleasant ache in my cheeks surprised me. Leaning closer to the mirror, I braced my hands against the marble, hoping grounding myself would make the moment feel less surreal.
The evening had gone... well.
Extremely well.
Every laugh had come easily. Every pause in conversation felt comfortable rather than forced. I hadn't once felt the need to fill the silence or overthink my words, and that alone felt like a small miracle. I kept replaying moments in my head—the way Callahan had listened when I spoke, really listened, as though my words mattered. The way his eyes softened when he smiled at me across the table.
I uncapped my lipstick and reapplied it slowly, carefully tracing the shape of my mouth. The mirror was beautifully designed, ornate and elegant, with silver detailing that caught the light just right. The kind of mirror that made you look softer than you felt, prettier than you believed you were.
I tilted my head slightly, inspecting my reflection.
"You look ridiculous," I murmured to myself, my smile deepening. "Pull it together, Evania."
Even as I said this, my thoughts drifted back to when the waiter had brought the bill. I hadn't thought of what would happen at the end of the date, so I wasn't entirely sure what to do now that the bill was here. I felt it was only right to offer to cover my share, but I didn't want it to come across as me saying he was too broke to afford it. At the same time, it would be rude of me not to offer. I wasn't sure what to do, but I would prefer to be polite rather than be accused of using our first date as a meal ticket.
After a lot of thinking, I reached for my purse, already pulling it open.
"We can split it," I'd offered, meeting his gaze.
His reaction was immediate. He'd looked at me like I'd just suggested something insanely offensive, and he wasn't sure how to respond. His brows knitted together as he leaned back slightly in his chair.
"Why would you do that?" he'd asked.
I'd blinked. "Because... that's what people do?"
"I asked you out," he'd said, his tone calm but firm. "It's only fair that I pay the bill."
"I don't mind," I tried again, heat creeping into my cheeks. "Really."
His expression softened then, but his resolve didn't waver. "I do."
"Okay, I can't argue with your logic," I closed my purse, shaking my head with a small laugh. "Thank you for dinner."
He looked up long enough to smile at me. "Thank you for eating dinner with me."
The mere thought that he was gentlemanly enough to thank me for sharing a meal with him was enticing. Hearing the words from his lips made the moment that much sweeter.
I snapped a quick mirror picture as I did at every restaurant I'd been to and slid my phone back into my purse. After anotherquick glance at my appearance, I took a breath, squared my shoulders, and stepped out of the bathroom.
Callahan was waiting for me.
He leaned against the opposite wall, completely at ease, hands relaxed, eyes lifting the second he heard the clink of my heels on the floor. My heart sped up instantly. The sight of him leaning against the wall felt like something pulled straight from the pages of a book I'd read a hundred times. What’s more, he looked hot doing it.
He smiled when he saw me, slow and warm.
"There you are," he said.
I stepped toward him, suddenly aware of everything—how close he was, how my pulse quickened for no good reason. Without hesitation, he extended his hand toward me. His hand was warm, steady, and the simple contact sent a quiet thrill through me.
"Did you have a good time?" he asked.
"I did," I looked up at him, meeting his gaze. "I really did."
