Chapter 105: Dinner Date
Rayna’s fingers tightened slightly around the steering wheel as she pulled into the small, warmly lit parking lot of "Amarillis" one of Florittle’s cozier restaurants.
It wasn’t fancy in a try-too-hard way, but there was something charming about the hanging lanterns over the patio, the gentle music floating from the open windows, and the white-flowered trellis at the entrance. It reminded her of something out of one of those quiet Hallmark movies she sometimes made fun of but secretly liked.
She switched off the engine and sat for a moment, her heart beating a little faster than usual. It wasn’t nerves exactly... or maybe it was. Just the kind that came from not knowing what was about to happen.
She hadn’t been on a real date in... well, a while. And definitely not one that started with a one-night stand and a promise made half a year ago in a town she barely remembered clearly because she’d been hiding away.
"Okay, Ray," she whispered to herself, glancing at her reflection one last time. "It’s just dinner. With a guy you barely know. A guy who smells really good and has that annoying half-smile that makes you forget your name..."
She groaned and grabbed her purse. "You are not going to lose your cool tonight."
As she stepped out, the evening breeze wrapped around her like a whisper, playing gently with the hem of her dress. The emerald green shimmered under the restaurant lights, and for a second, she remembered Ruby’s face when she’d walked out in it. That soft awe. That sad smile.
Rayna walked through the door, her eyes scanning the room until she saw him.
Ethan was already seated at a corner table by the window, dressed in a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up just enough to show strong forearms. His dark hair was slightly tousled, like he’d run a hand through it a few too many times. When he looked up and saw her, he stood immediately and flashed her his most charming smile. The one she’d seen at the bar that night.
Oh no.