As the evening progressed, Sam became more open about his feelings. "I've missed you, Stella," he said softly, reaching across the table to take my hand. "Being here with you... it reminds me of all the good times we had."
I felt a lump form in my throat. "Sam..."
"I know, I know," he said quickly. "We had our problems. But I've changed, Stella. I've learned from my mistakes. I think if we gave it another shot, things could be different this time."
I gently pulled my hand away, feeling overwhelmed. "Sam, I appreciate you saying that. But a lot has changed since we were together. I've changed."
A flicker of disappointment crossed his face, but he pressed on. "Of course you have. That's what I'm saying – we've both grown. Maybe now we're in a better place to make things work."
As he con
