I’m speechless. I follow his lead in a daze, wondering how I ended up in this dream-like scenario. I try to take in the restaurant's romantic atmosphere and listen to the man who directs us to a table in the center of the room, but I can’t stop replaying Zeno’s words in my head. It’s hard to believe this is real when before, it had only existed in a secret corner of my imagination. “You’re quiet tonight,” Zeno notes after we’ve given our drink orders and are alone again. I sip from my water glass, giving me a moment to put together the right words. “It’s a little hard to wrap my head around how different things suddenly are. You were so … cold toward me for so long, and now you’re thoughtful and attentive. It’s a lot to process.” “I’ve always been attentive where you’re concerned. You simp
