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Chapter 002
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2026-06-23 00:55:00Ryan's smile widened.
"Friday it is." By the time Friday arrived, Olivia had changed outfits seven times. The floor of her bedroom was covered with dresses. A blue one lay across a chair. A floral one was hanging from the closet door. Two more were piled on the bed. Olivia stood in front of the mirror with her hands on her hips. "No," she said, pulling at the fabric of her dress. "Absolutely not." A knock sounded on her bedroom door. Before she could answer, Emma walked in. Her younger sister stopped and looked around the room. Then she burst out laughing. "Oh wow," Emma said. "It looks like a tornado came through here." Olivia groaned. "Don't start." "I'm not starting anything," Emma replied, still laughing. "I'm just trying to figure out if you're going on a date or preparing for a fashion show." Olivia grabbed a pillow and threw it at her. Emma dodged it easily. "You've been doing this all afternoon, haven't you?" Emma asked. Olivia sighed. "Maybe." "Maybe?" "Okay, yes." Emma shook her head. "Liv, it's one date." "Exactly." Emma stared at her. "That doesn't even make sense." "It does to me." Emma's smile softened. She walked over and sat beside her sister. "You're nervous." Olivia looked down. "Can you blame me?" "No." For a moment neither spoke. Emma knew her sister better than anyone. She knew about the years of cruel comments. The insecurities. The broken confidence. The way Olivia always saw flaws where everyone else saw beauty. "Listen to me," Emma said quietly. Olivia looked up. "Ryan asked you out because he wanted to." "Maybe." "No." Emma pointed a finger at her. "No maybe." Olivia smiled. "He likes you." "You don't know that." Emma rolled her eyes. "Men do not ask women to dinner because they're bored." Olivia laughed despite herself. "Fine." "Good." Emma stood. "Now stop overthinking and finish getting ready." At exactly seven o'clock, the doorbell rang. Olivia's heart immediately began racing. Emma grinned. "That's him." "I know." "Then answer the door." Olivia took a deep breath. "Liv." "I'm going." When she finally opened the door, Ryan was standing on the porch holding a small bouquet of white roses. For a moment, Olivia simply stared. He looked even better than earlier with his expensive blue suit, a designer black shoe and smells really good with that same easy smile. The one that made her stomach flutter. Ryan's eyes lit up when he saw her. "Wow." Olivia felt heat rush to her cheeks. "What?" "You look beautiful." The compliment caught her completely off guard. "Oh." Ryan laughed. "Oh?" Olivia groaned. "I had a better response in my head." "Well, I liked that one." She laughed. The nervousness she'd been carrying all day began to fade. Ryan held out the flowers. "These are for you." Olivia accepted them carefully. "They're beautiful." "I thought so too." For a moment, they stood there smiling at each other. Then Emma appeared behind Olivia. Ryan looked up. Emma grinned. "You must be Ryan." "I am." Emma crossed her arms. "I'm Emma." "The protective sister?" "The very one." Ryan laughed. Olivia covered her face. "Please ignore her." "I can't," Ryan replied. "She's intimidating." Emma smiled proudly. "Good answer." Dinner turned out to be easier than Olivia expected. Ryan wasn't trying to impress her. He wasn't pretending to be someone he wasn't. He was simply himself. And somehow that made everything feel comfortable. Soft music played in the background while boats drifted across the bay. The sunset painted the sky shades of orange and pink. It should have felt romantic. It did. But more than that, it felt easy. "So," Ryan said after the waiter left. "Tell me something about yourself." Olivia smiled. "That's a dangerous question." "Why?" "Because once I start talking, I don't stop." Ryan leaned back in his chair. "I'm willing to take that risk." Hours passed. Neither of them noticed. They talked about childhood memories,Favorite movies,dream jobs and embarrassing stories. Ryan told her about his work as a pilot. Olivia listened with fascination. "You actually fly those huge planes?" she asked. Ryan laughed. "I do." "That's terrifying." "It shouldn't be." "It absolutely should be." Ryan shook his head. "You're impossible." "And you're flying people across the country." "That's literally my job." Olivia smiled. The conversation flowed effortlessly. It felt like talking to someone she had known for years.
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