I exhale slowly, leaning back in my chair. “It’s… nice.”
Her lips twitch. “Just nice?”
I huff out a quiet breath. “It’s more than nice. It’s… glamorous.”
Glamorous?
Jesus.
“It’s you,” she says simply.
I blink. “What?”
She gestures lightly around us. “You don’t like loud places. Or crowds. Or anything that feels chaotic.” Her gaze meets mine. “You like control. Quiet. Space to think.”
My fingers still against the table. “That’s… oddly specific.”
A faint smile curves her lips. “I pay attention.”
Something in my chest shifts.
She does pay attention.
I'm starting to think she knows me better than almost anyone.
She smiles, appearing relaxed. Content even. Like there’s nowhere she’d rather be than here with me.
And suddenly, this place doesn’t feel intimidating.
It doesn’t feel likeher world.
It feels… comfortable.
I glance around again, seeing it differently this time.
“You picked this for me,” I say. It’s not a question, but a realization.
Her expression softens slightly. “I picked it for us.”
That hits harder than it should.
Dinner passes too quickly.
Conversation comes easily.
Somewhere along the way, I stop worrying whether I belong here.
Later,as we step out into the night, I let out a quiet breath.
“That was…” I shake my head slightly. “Amazing.”
She smiles, satisfied. “I’m glad.”
“You’re amazing, too.” The words spill out without thought.
She cocks her head slightly. “Thank you, Drew.”
Her eyes glow beneath the parking lot lights. The violet is sharper. Heated. Shining like the stars in the sky.
