Cassie
By five thirty Saturday evening, I had convinced myself that agreeing to dinner with Derek had been a terrible idea.
It was not because of anything he had done. Derek had texted that morning to confirm the time, asked whether I had any food allergies, and even warned me that the restaurant was nice but not so formal that I needed to wear something uncomfortable. He had been thoughtful in every possible way, which somehow made my nerves worse. If Derek had been arrogant or careless, I could have dismissed the entire evening before it began. Instead, I was about to go on a real date with a genuinely decent man while half my heart remained tangled around someone who had never asked for it.
Sophia stood behind me in the mirror, attempting to fasten a delicate gold necklace while I st
