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TRACK 16

Opening the front door, I stood in amazement looking at the sight before me.

"Wow," I said, unable to contain my reaction. TJ wore a light green dress that had short sleeves and stopped halfway down her thigh, allowing her long legs to be on display. However, what really caught my attention wasn't her outfit. It was her glow. "You look amazing."

Her cheeks flushed with a slight tint of pink. "Thanks. You're not too bad yourself," TJ said, pointing to my button shirt and dark pants.

I cleared my throat, breaking the awkward silence. "Come in."

She nodded her head, staying quiet as she stepped inside. Had any spectators been around, they would have assumed the two of us had never interacted with each other before, considering how timid we were both being.

I placed my hand on the small on her back, leading her further into the house. "Did you do something different with your hair?"

Her blush appeared again. "Uh, yeah. Well, not me. Considering we can't afford a lot right now, Hank is thinking of hiring his niece to be our stylist, hairdresser and makeup artist. So, she was, uh, trying some stuff out."

"It looks good on you."

TJ smiled, averting her eyes from mine.

"Now, I'm sorry your first date had to be here instead of a nice restaurant," I said as we reached the back door, "But, I promise you're about to have the best dinner of your life."

I glanced down to catch TJ's reaction as we stepped outside. A table for two was set in the middle of the garden, covered with a white table cloth; candles and a vase of flowers were placed in the centre. I had noticed TJ seemed to like this spot earlier in the morning.

TJ looked up. "You did all of this?"

Giving a short nod in response, I led her towards the table, pulled out her chair, and motioned for her to sit down. "I'll be right back," I told her before quickly heading back inside the house.

Entering the kitchen, I added a finishing touch of garnish to the food. I glanced over the plates once more, ensuring everything looked presentable. As I made my way back outside, I placed the food down in front of her before taking my own seat.

"You made this?" TJ asked, pointing to her plate.

I nodded. "Why? Do you not like it?"

"No, I do. It's my favourite, actually. How did you know?"

"Lucky guess," I lied with a nonchalant shrug.

It was not luck that helped me ensure I made her favourite dish. It was Weston. After dropping TJ off at her house earlier in the day, Weston had sent me a message thanking me for my help. I wasn't sure what I was necessarily being thanked for, but I took it as an opportunity to learn what TJ's favourite meal to have for dinner was. Pasta with alfredo sauce and chicken. It was something that Silas's mom had made them as kids and had always been her favourite dish. Weston ensured that he would keep our exchange private, and it appeared that he had followed through with his end of the deal.

Motioning to the wine bottle sitting in the ice bucket, I asked, "Did you want a drink? I wasn't sure if-"

"Yes."

Acknowledging her quick response, I filled both of our glasses. Silence fell upon the two of us as we began eating. I had begun thinking I had gone too far. The table set up, the food. Maybe it was too much. I could only imagine what was going through her head; none of my assumptions eased my nerves.