Helen’s POV
Ken had chosen a beautiful restaurant for our date, and from the moment we sat down, I could tell he had something on his mind. He seemed happier than usual, and there was a nervousness in the way he kept looking at me that made me wonder whether he was planning to tell me something important.
Dinner was lovely, and I enjoyed every minute of having his attention focused entirely on me. There was no school discussion, no interruption from Karl, and no reason for Ken to look toward his phone every few minutes to check whether his son needed something. For a few hours, I could simply enjoy being the woman sitting across from the man I wanted.
When dessert arrived, Ken reached across the table and took my hand.
“I've been thinking about us,” he said, his thumb moving slowly ove
