The morning after my unexpected and delightful evening with Tom, I woke up feeling refreshed and excited about the possibilities that lay ahead. As I sipped my morning coffee and scrolled through my emails, my phone buzzed with an incoming call. My heart skipped a beat, thinking it might be Tom, but the name that flashed across the screen made me pause.
Sam Kaplan.
My ex.
For a moment, I considered letting it go to voicemail, but curiosity got the better of me. Taking a deep breath, I answered.
"Hello?"
"Stella, hi." Sam's familiar voice filled the line, a mixture of warmth and nervousness. "I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time."
I glanced at the clock, wondering why he was calling so early. "No, it's fine. What's up, Sam?"
There was a brief pause before he continued. "I've bee
