I wasn't sure why I kept fixing my hair every two minutes. It was just lunch. Just a friendly lunch. Just Daniel being… Daniel. Charming, funny, too smooth for his own good. Still, I kept second-guessing my outfit and turning in front of the mirror like I was trying to convince myself I wasn't doing anything wrong.
Katie had yelled through the bathroom door earlier, "It's a lunch, Em, not a proposal. Calm down!"
Easy for her to say.
By the time I reached the restaurant Daniel chose—a cosy little place tucked behind the main street—I was still battling nerves I didn't even understand. When he saw me walking in, he stood up immediately, smiling like he genuinely forgot how to breathe for a moment.
"You look…" he gestured vaguely with his hands, "…really, really good."
I laughed awkwardly because compliments still made me uncomfortable. "Thanks. You too."
