“You been hinting… I been listening.” She had been talking about that restaurant all week. Not in a “take me here” type of way—she was slick with it. Dropping little hints in between conversations, scrolling on her phone with that curious tone in her voice. “Oh, this place looks cute…” “I heard their seafood pasta is undefeated.” “If I ever go, I’m definitely getting the crème brûlée.” He played it cool. But he caught every single one. The way he saw it—they’d been vibing hea

He didn’t know much about candles. Didn’t grow up watching anyone set the table with cloth napkins or light scented tea lights just for the vibe. But tonight—he tried. He grabbed a few from the aisle at Target. Picked up a white tablecloth, even though it felt a little extra. Googled “how to sear salmon perfectly.” Played the playlist they used to listen to on long drives before life got so loud. He wasn’t trying to impress her. He was trying to reach her. Because lately… she