CHAPTER 3 - PLAYING CUPID

The dining table was filled with the rich aroma of steak and roasted potatoes. It looked like a perfect, cozy family dinner. Emily sat across from me, happily eating, while Eugene sat at the head of the table. Every time I looked up, I could feel Eugene’s quiet gaze on me. My skin still felt warm from our conversation in the kitchen, but I tried my best to act normal.

Emily wiped her mouth with a napkin and leaned forward, her eyes bright with sudden excitement.

"Oh, Flora, I just had the best idea," Emily said casually. "You know my boyfriend, Josh? His best friend, Sam, is coming back to town this weekend. He is single, super nice, and totally your type. I should set you two up!"

I almost choked on my potato. I quickly took a sip of water, trying to hide my panic. "Oh, Emily, I don't know. I’m really busy with finals right now."

"Come on, it's just one date!" Emily insisted with a laugh.

Eugene set his fork down strictly but calmly. He looked at his daughter, his deep voice cutting through her excitement. "Emily, why are you playing cupid? Let Flora focus on her studies. Graduation is only a few weeks away."

Emily rolled her eyes playfully at her dad. "Oh, Dad, you don't understand. I want to set Flora up because it would be perfect. Just imagine—if Flora and Sam hit it off, we would both end up dating best friends! We could do double dates, travel together, and stay close forever."

Hearing Emily say that made a heavy wave of guilt twist in my stomach. She was planning a cute future for us, completely unaware that the only man making my heart race was sitting right next to her.

I risked a quick glance at Eugene. His expression was completely blank, but his dark eyes were locked onto mine. There was a sudden, intense tension in the air.

"I think Flora can find her own matches when she's ready," Eugene said quietly, his voice dropping to that lower, serious tone that made my spine tingle.

"Exactly," I managed to say, forcing a small smile at Emily. "I appreciate it, Em, but I'm not really looking for a college guy right now."

Emily sighed, waving her hand dramatically. "Fine, fine. But if you change your mind, Sam is waiting."

As Emily shifted the conversation to talk about her upcoming exams, I looked down at my plate. Underneath the table, out of Emily's sight, my knee accidentally brushed against Eugene's leg. I froze, waiting to see if he would move away.

He didn't. Instead, he kept his leg pressed gently against mine, holding the hidden contact while he calmly listened to his daughter speak.

Just as the warmth of his leg against mine started to make my head spin, Eugene jerked away suddenly. He pulled his leg back into his own space, his posture turning stiff. It was as if he had just caught himself doing something terrible, remembering exactly who I was and where we were sitting.

He cleared his throat, his face completely blank and cold, as if the hidden touch had never happened.

Right then, Emily’s phone buzzed on the table. She picked it up, her eyes lighting up as she read the screen.

"Oh! Speak of the devil," Emily said, looking up with a huge grin. "That was Josh. He just talked to Sam, and Sam is definitely free this Saturday. He wants to take you out for drinks, Flora!"

I swallowed hard, looking over at Eugene. I expected him to step in again, or at least say something to change the subject like he did before.

Instead, Eugene looked directly at me, his eyes entirely serious. "You should go, Flora," he said, his voice calm and steady.

I stared at him, completely shocked. "What?" I whispered.

"My dad is right!" Emily cheered. "See? Even he thinks it’s a good idea."

"Exactly," Eugene continued, nodding smoothly as he cut another piece of steak. "It's your final break before graduation. You’ve worked hard, and you deserve to go out, have some fun, and meet someone your own age. Sam sounds like a great match for you."

I sat there in silence, my mind completely confused by his sudden turnaround. Just minutes ago in the kitchen, his voice had been thick with tension, warning me about playing with fire. And just seconds ago, he was holding his leg against mine under the table. But now, he was pushing me into the arms of another guy, acting like he couldn't care less.

I looked down at my plate, a sharp ache of rejection twisting in my chest. I couldn't tell if he was just trying to protect Emily, or if he really just saw me as a kid after all.

I felt a hot sting of embarrassment rush to my face. I looked between Emily’s excited expression and Eugene’s cold, calm face.

"I really don't think it's a good idea, Emily," I protested, my voice tighter than I meant it to be. "I have so much studying to do, and honestly, a blind date just sounds exhausting right now."

"Oh, come on, Flora! Don't be a party pooper," Emily begged, pouting. "It's just one drink. You can spare two hours on a Saturday night."

"Your friend is right, Flora," Eugene chimed in again, his tone completely flat and casual. He didn't even look up from his plate. "A short break from your books might actually help your focus. There's no harm in meeting someone new."

Hearing him say that—so easily, like he was just a regular uncle giving life advice—made something shift inside me. The confusion turned into deep embarrassment.

I imagined it all, I thought, a sinking feeling hitting my stomach.

I looked at him, searching his face for any sign of the man who had whispered to me in the kitchen, or the man who had kept his leg pressed against mine just moments ago. But there was nothing. He just looked like Emily’s dad.

I realized I must have been projecting my own silly teenage crush onto him. I had wanted him to look at me like a woman so badly that I had turned a normal conversation and an accidental touch under a cramped table into something romantic. He didn't see me that way at all. To him, I was just his daughter's college friend.

"Fine," I said, forcing a bright, fake smile to hide the ache in my chest. "You guys win. Tell Josh to give Sam my number, Emily. I'll go."

"Yes!" Emily cheered, immediately texting her boyfriend back. "You won't regret it, Flo!"

"I'm sure you won't," Eugene muttered quietly. He stood up, picking up his empty plate. "Excuse me, girls. I have some work emails to finish up in my study."

Without looking back at me, he walked out of the dining room.