The next evening, I found myself standing in front of my closet, deliberating over what to wear for my dinner with Tom. After the tension of our coffee shop conversation, I wanted tonight to be a fresh start. I finally settled on a deep burgundy dress that made me feel confident and elegant.
As I put the finishing touches on my makeup, my phone buzzed with a text from Tom.
Tom: "On my way. Can't wait to see you. :)"
His simple message brought a smile to my face. Despite the awkwardness of our last meeting, I was looking forward to spending time with him.
Stella: "Looking forward to it too. See you soon!"
A few minutes later, there was a knock at my door. I took a deep breath, smoothed down my dress, and went to answer it.
Tom stood there, looking handsome in a dark blue suit, a bouqu
