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CHAPTER TWENTY THREE: THE DATE
AFTER SPENDING THE rest of her night ignoring Anthony and drinking tea, she went to sleep. The next day, she went to the restaurant she worked part time at and worked her shift, which wasn't too busy, and then went home and got ready for her date.
Anthony was home when she got there, but she didn't pay him any attention, and just went straight to her room. She changed a couple times, but nothing felt right. She finally decided on a simple black dress that fit her perfectly. It wasn't too tight, but it was still flattering.
It was around 7:00 pm when Dean arrived at the building. She told him to wait downstairs while she ran down to meet him. She was excited and nervous and couldn't wait to see him. She grabbed her keys, put on her coat and then ran out the door, not bothering to say goodbye to Anthony, who had been sitting on the couch watching TV.
When she reached the lobby, she saw Dean waiting for her. He was wearing a dark gray suit with a white shirt underneath, and he was holding a bouquet of flowers. He turned when he heard the elevator doors open and his eyes lit up.
"Wow," he said, looking her up and down. "You look amazing."
She blushed and looked down, her heart pounding. "So do you."
"Thank you." He held out the flowers and smiled. She took them and smiled back, her cheeks getting even redder. They stood there smiling at each other for a moment, before he cleared his throat and extended his arm. "Ready?"
"Yeah," she replied, wrapping her arm around his.
_____
THE FOOD WAS delicious, and the company was even better. The whole night, Val couldn't stop smiling, and Dean couldn't keep his eyes off her. He was charming and sweet and funny, and every time he made her laugh, her heart fluttered.
A part of her felt stupid for falling so fast, but at the same time, she didn't care. It was fun, and she hadn't been on a real date in months, so she was determined to let herself have a good time.
It was the end of the night, and Dean was in the middle of telling a story about work when a yawn she didn't even realize she had been holding in escaped her mouth. He paused and smiled at her, his eyes shining.
"Am I boring you?" he teased, his tone playful. She gave a tired smile and shook her head.
"No, no, not at all," she insisted. "I think I'm just tired. Long day."
