It was supposed to be a simple, charming evening — nothing extravagant, just a quiet dinner, a bottle of wine, and the kind of conversation that makes time stretch in all the right ways.

The kind of night where laughter slips into the pauses and everything feels gently suspended in warmth.

The restaurant was small and intimate, each table tucked into its own little world. Soft lighting, the scent of roasted garlic and thyme lingering in the air, low music humming beneath the clatter of silverware. Across from me sat Claire — warm smile, easy laugh, eyes that noticed everything. We’d met a few weeks earlier through mutual friends, and tonight felt like a chance to see if we could move forward.

We talked effortlessly — work, travel, childhood memories, dreams that hovered just out of reach. For once, I was fully present. No phones, no distractions. Just the quiet rhythm of connection. When dessert arrived, I ordered coffee, hoping to stretch the evening a little longer. Everything felt perfect.