4

Ben

I woke up to a grunting sound. I looked at my phone and saw it was five in the morning.

What the hell?

I looked into the hallway and saw Adam's light was on. It was common for Adam to be up so early; he always woke up before sunrise, but he was usually in his office, not doing some aggressive activity.

What is he doing?

I shook my head and walked over to Adam's room. I peeked inside and saw he was on the floor, doing push-ups. He was moving fast yet steadily as if he were a machine. I could see his shirt was soaked, and he was dripping sweat.

I looked around the room and saw his sandbag, weights, workout mat, and gallon-sized water bottle on the floor. I was confused as Adam usually went to his obstacle course to train.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?"

"Why? You usually go to work to train."

Adam paused in the down position of a push-up and adjusted his arms so he was doing a plank.

"Daphnie."

"Who?"

"The girl I met last night."

"What about her? Did something happen?" I asked worriedly.

"No, I just want to be able to impress her."

"You've gotta be kidding me. All of this intense workout for one woman."

"She's not just any woman, Ben; she's going to be my wife one day."

"How much longer are you gonna be?" I sighed.

"After this plank, I'm done."

"How long is the plank gonna be for?"

"Ten minutes."

"Wow..... So what have you done?"

"Five hundred squats with the sandbag did one hundred bicep curls and one hundred triceps extensions, eight hundred sit-ups, one thousand push-ups, and now a ten-minute plank."

I stood against the door frame with my mouth open. Adam was insane. All to impress one woman. Talk about crazy in love. Or was he always like this? Ever since he was discharged from the Marines, he hadn't been the same guy I went to high school with.

I know soldiers come back more mature and disciplined, but that wasn't the only difference I saw in Adam. He was cold, and he became anti-social. Rather than take a break and enjoy life, he immediately started college as a triple major in business, economics, and music. He devoted so much time to his studies that he got his Bachelor's degree in two and a half years and his Master's in one year. He was planning to get his Ph.D. However, a business opportunity arose while Adam was earning his Master's. He became more invested in that when he finished Grad School. Honestly, I was glad he took the business offer. Although being a businessman took up much of his time, it was better than seeing him locked up in his room almost all the time, studying. He was very successful in his new career.

Adam now owns several hotels, restaurants, and a security company. I was very proud of him. We lived in the penthouse of his central hotel, and he only charged me $800 monthly rent.

Although I was happy Adam had someone other than me in his life who could take his attention away from building himself an empire, I was worried. This girl was a massive change in his life, and he doesn't like change. Adam wanted to have control over every aspect of his life. Adam kept himself isolated; he was so anti-social. Would he know how to act?

"So, when will you see her again?"

"Today. We're going out to brunch.

"How do you feel about that?"

Great. I sound like I'm trying to be his therapist!

"I feel the same way I felt last night. I'm not used to these feelings, and all I know is I can't wait to see her again."

"Okay... Good." I nodded my head. "I'm going to go make some breakfast. Do you want anything?"

Adam shook his head. "Just cook for yourself. I'm going to wait until I meet with Daphnie."

"Adam, it's five in the morning, and you're taking her out for brunch. After the intense workout you just did, at least let me make you a shake."

"Alright. Do we have pineapple and greens by any chance?"

"We have canned pineapple in the pantry and some spinach and kale in the fridge."

"I'll take a shake of that. Put ice."

"Alright, one pineapple, spinach, and kale smoothie coming up."

I began to walk away but froze in my steps when I heard Adam say, "Thanks." Never had Adam said "Thank you" to me. He wasn't rude, but he wasn't one to express gratitude. Maybe this woman was changing him for the better.

When I entered the kitchen, I headed to the cabinet and grabbed the blender. Adam should finish his workout soon, so I decided to make his smoothie first. I set up the blender and threw some ice, spinach, and kale. I went into the pantry and grabbed a can of diced pineapple. After opening the can, I dumped all the pieces of pineapple and juice into the blender and turned it on. Adam walked into the kitchen as I decided it was blended enough and hit the off button.

"Right on time. Your smoothie is done. Let me get you a glass."

"No, I can drink it out of the blender."

"Here you go, then," I said as I detached the pitcher.

Adam took the pitcher from me and chugged down his smoothie like it was nothing. I was shocked. He put the mixer in the sink.

"Thanks, Ben. That should hold me off. I'm going to go shower."

"Alright. I'll just be here making myself breakfast."

Adam ran off, leaving a trail of sweat behind him. I just shook my head; I'd have to mop the floor after breakfast. I grabbed some eggs from the fridge and wondered how Daphnie felt about their brunch date.

Daphnie

My alarm went off. It was eight in the morning. As my eyes tried to adjust to the sunlight, I recalled the previous night's events. For a moment, I thought it was all a dream. That was until my phone went off. I reached over to my nightstand and unplugged my phone. When I looked at it, I saw I got a text message.

"Good morning :-) "

It was from Adam.

So it wasn't a dream.

I sat up and smiled as I recalled the memories with Adam from last night.

"Good morning," I replied.

"Are we still on for brunch today?"

"Of course :-) "

"Great :-) I'll see you in a few hours then."

"Okay. See you!"

I was thrilled at that moment. I headed to the kitchen to make breakfast for my father. I opened the fridge and saw that we didn't have much. I needed to go grocery shopping. Good thing we had eggs and bacon. I checked if we had bread and cheese. Thank God we did. I set the ingredients on the table and opened the oven to get two pans. I set both pans on the stove and turned the burners on. As the pans were heating up, I opened the bacon pack and put a few strips in one of the pans. The bacon almost immediately began to sizzle. While that was cooking, I scrambled two eggs in a bowl. I grabbed a square cookie cutter, put it in the pan, and poured the egg into the cutter. I turned the bacon over and packed everything up. When I saw that the egg was almost cooked, I removed the cookie cutter, put a slice of cheddar cheese on the egg, and put two slices of bread in the toaster.

As I was packing everything up, my father walked into the kitchen.

"Right on time," I said, putting everything away.

The Toast popped up, so I grabbed a plate and assembled my father's breakfast sandwich. As I put his plate in front of him, he looked at it disgustedly.

"Why is my breakfast so simple?"

"Because that's all we had. I need to go grocery shopping."

"You should've gone grocery shopping before we ran out of food!"

"Well, I was busy."

"Doing what?"

"Working."

"You should be able to balance all of that out. That's what a real woman could do. You'll be a horrible wife! Any man who marries you will leave you after a week."

My father's words hurt. Was I good enough to be a wife, or was he right? Before I knew it, I heard a crash. My father had thrown his plate on the floor. The shattered plate was at my feet with his breakfast sandwich next to it. He stomped on the sandwich and made sure he smashed it well.

"THAT'S DISGUSTING!" My father's booming voice caused me to cringe. "I'll buy my breakfast. Clean that up, and I want this house spotless by the time I get home!"

He grabbed his jacket and stomped out of the house. I took a deep breath and tried not to cry as I picked up the broken plate and wasted sandwich. I stood by the sink, looking down.

"Okay, okay... Don't cry. It's okay," I kept telling myself.

After cleaning the kitchen, I looked at the clock and saw that it was 9:55. I needed to start getting ready.

After showering, I started fixing my hair. Last night, my hair was curled. I decided to straighten it today. I kept my phone close by, so I could keep track of time. By the time I was done straightening my hair, it was 10:22. I went to my room and checked the forecast to help me decide what to wear. Today would be fifty-eight degrees. Perfect sweater weather. I chose to wear a light brown, long-sleeved, v-neck sweater with a white tank top, blue jeans, and brown boots. I put on gold earrings and wore a natural-colored eye shadow. I got my brown purse ready with the necessary things: wallet, keys, toiletries, mints, a pen, and pocket knife. Right at 11:00, I heard the doorbell ring.

I took one last look in the mirror and headed downstairs. When I opened the door, I was shocked by what I saw.

Adam was standing before me, holding a bouquet with one hand and his other hand in his pocket. He wore a black shirt, leather jacket, dark blue jeans, and loafers. He looked at me with a smile on his face. I could smell his cologne. This time, he was wearing Calvin Klein Eternity Aqua. He knew how to pick good cologne. I love refreshing smells.

"Good morning." He said in his deep voice.

"Good morning."

"Ready?"

"Yes."

Adam gave me the bouquet and put his hand on my back to guide me to his car. I was shocked when we walked up to a black Porsche; Adam opened the door and waited for me to buckle my seat belt before closing the door. I looked at the flowers he bought: pink carnations, my favorite.

I was amazed by the car. It had a black leather interior, a touchscreen stereo with surround sound, custom-fit floor mats, and silver accents on the wheel. I never thought I'd be in the presence of a Porsche, yet here I was, sitting in one. This car was so beautiful that I almost wanted to cry.

As I admired the car, Adam got into the driver's seat and put his seat belt on. He checked the mirrors and put the car in drive.

"Are you hungry?" Adam asked, sounding a little nervous.

"Yes."

"Good. We're going to a southern food restaurant."

I smiled at that. I loved Southern food.

"Sounds great."

He smiled when I said that. As Adam merged onto the expressway, I was amazed at how smooth the drive felt; it wasn't like driving in Amber's Honda.

I couldn't hold back from saying, "This car is amazing!"

"Thank you. I like it as well. I don't drive it that much, so I always feel excited whenever I do."

I looked at him curiously.

"Why are you using it today?"

Adam looked at me and smiled.

"Would you think bad of me if I said I wanted to impress you?"

I looked down and blushed a little. There was no need to try to impress me, as I was already amazed by Adam's actions the night before.

"No, I wouldn't think bad of you."

Adam smiled, this time keeping his eyes on the road. It was only a short time before we approached a beautiful building. It was all brick, with large windows, a large front door, and a wood porch extending from the front of the building to the sides.

"Whoa. I don't think I've dressed appropriately for this place."

Adam looked at me, shocked, and then he smiled.

"Nonsense. You look beautiful. Look at how I'm dressed."

He had a point. He was dressed very casually. Adam parked the car close to the door; he quickly got out of the car and ran over to my side to open the door.

"Thank you."

We walked up the porch and through the large doors. Once we stepped inside, I was amazed at the difference. It was beautiful but simple on the inside. To the right was a front stand for the host to greet people. The floors were hardwood, booths aligned the walls, and wooden tables were in the center of the room. There was a large bar with a long counter and seating space on the floor to the left. I was genuinely amazed by this place.

Adam

I watched Daphnie as she took in the look of the restaurant. She looked amazed, and I was delighted that she approved. Of course, I wouldn't tell her that I was the owner, not yet.

The host, Arthur, walked up to us. He looked at me as if he wanted to greet me as the owner, but he regained his composure. Whenever I hired someone, I clarified to them that I was welcomed and treated like everyone else. I was treated like the boss only if an important meeting was held, which rarely happened.

"Good morning. Table or booth?"

Daphnie looked at me as if she was waiting for me to answer. I smiled at her and said, "You decide."

"Booth."

"Very well. Right, this way."

My restaurant was packed. It was typical for a Sunday. I called ahead of time and requested a table and booth be reserved for me to ensure Daphnie wouldn't have to wait. Arthur led us through the busy floor to the booth I had booked; I waited for Daphnie to sit first before taking my seat.

"Your waitress will be with you shortly."

"Thank you," I said before Arther walked away.

"Wow," Daphnie said. "This place is beautiful."

"I'm glad you think so. It's one of my favorite restaurants."

One of the favorites I own that is.

"I can see why. How long have you been coming here?"

"About a year," I lied. I owned the restaurant for about four years. However, I had been a regular customer there for a year.

A woman in one of the uniforms walked up to us. I had never seen her before. I was in charge of hiring, so someone was in trouble for employing someone without my knowledge.

"Hello, my name is Brittany. Can I get you started with something to drink?"

I looked at Daphnie so that she could order first.

"I'll have apple juice."

"Alright, and you, sir?"

"I'll have a coffee."

"Alright, I'll bring that right out."

This girl must have been hired as a favor to someone. Her voice was annoying, she had horrible composure, and the entire time, she had her back faced toward Daphnie. I was about to stand up to ask for a different waitress when Daphnie started to speak.

"So, where did you attend school?"

"Yale. I majored in business, economics, and music."

"Wow. That's impressive."

"What is?"

"You went to Yale and were a triple major."

"Thank you. How about you? Where did you go to school?"

"I got my Bachelor's at Loyola and my Master's at Northwestern."

"Impressive. What did you major in?"

"Social Sciences at Loyola, and Communications at Northwestern."

"That's an interesting combination."

"I could say the same for you. Business and Music."

"You have a p-"

"Here are your drinks. Have you decided what to order?"

"Not yet," I said in an annoyed tone. Please give us a few more minutes."

The waitress just smiled at me.

"Of course."

"Well, we better look at the menu," Daphnie sighed.

I didn't like that our conversation was interrupted. I could tell that Daphnie felt awkward.

"What would you recommend?"

"Honestly, I like everything here. Whatever you pick is a good decision."

"Well, that's very helpful," Daphnie sarcastically said.

I let out a laugh while Daphnie shook her head and smiled. I looked over the menu to decide what I was in the mood for.

Maybe I'll go with a country skillet.

"I think I'll have the two-egg breakfast. How about you?"

"Probably the Country skillet. I'm debating whether or not I should get a side of grits. Are you sure that's all you want? You can order whatever and as much as you want."

"Well, I guess I'll have a side of fruit as well."

I smiled at her as she looked over the menu one last time. Then came the annoying voice.

"Alright, have you decided?"

Once again, her back was faced toward Daphnie. This was aggravating me.

"Daphnie?" I asked.

"I will have the two egg breakfast, scrambled, biscuits in gravy, and bacon als-"

"Got it. What about you, sir?" The waitress said.

"She wasn't done ordering," I said, gritting my teeth.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" She said in an annoyed tone. "What else?"

"Fresh fruit on the side, please." I could tell Daphnie was also getting tired of the waitress by the tone of her voice. Aside from that, she did an excellent job keeping her composure, which I admired.

"And you, handsome?"

"I'll have a country skillet with a side of grits."

"Okay. Coming right up," the waitress said with a wink.

The waitress gently took my menu from me, but I noticed that she snatched the menu from Daphnie. She ran off before I could say anything. My patience was running dry. I didn't want to go off on anyone, though. First, I didn't want people to look down on me for yelling at a woman. Second, I didn't want to scare Daphnie. Then I got an idea. Not too far away, there was a Lithuanian restaurant I owned. The only downside was that it was currently 12:10. It would be too late for brunch by the time we arrived. It was better than letting Daphnie keep getting mistreated, though.

"Why don't we get out of here?" I suggested.

Daphnie looked shocked.

"Won't we get in trouble? We ordered food already."

"Poor customer service. They can't get mad at us."

"No, it's fine. I want to try this food; it doesn't matter how bad the waitress is."

I didn't like that Daphnie was settling for such rude behavior. Why would she let herself be treated this way?

"So," Daphnie started. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but how old are you?"

I smiled. I knew this question would come eventually; I was surprised it didn't happen sooner.

"You must get that a lot," Daphnie added.

"Not really. I don't spend time with others, and anyone I do business with doesn't care. Their main concern is that I understand everything and get the job done.

"So, you're a businessman, then?"

"Yes, but back to your question. I'm thirty-one."

"Oh, okay."

"Is that a problem?"

"No, not at all."

I smiled.

"How old are you, if I may ask?"

Daphnie faked a shocked expression and dramatically said, "You're not supposed to ask a woman her age."

I chuckled as Daphnie smiled and said, "I'm twenty-four."

That was a seven-year difference between us. Not bad at all; some people date people twelve years older than them.

"That's not bad then," I said, making Daphnie blush.

"Nope, not bad at all."

Daphnie took a sip of her apple juice and immediately looked stunned.

"Wow, this tastes amazing!"

I was happy to hear that. The apple juice was freshly made from the apples imported daily from one of the farms I owned. I smiled at her.

"So, you're twenty-four. Did you graduate recently?

"Yes. I graduated on May 11th."

"Congratulations, then."

"Thank you."

"What are your plans for now?"

"Well, currently, I work as an office assistant for a small scaffolding company. That's what paid for me to go to college. Currently, I am looking for a job as a social worker. I was also looking to be a Public Relations Specialist. That way, I can focus on the topic of social work."

"Impressive. What area of Social Work were you looking into?"

"DCFS probably or foster care. I want to help kids that are going through abuse. Maybe even Higher Education. Some college students go through difficult situations with nowhere to turn to.

"That's great to hear. The workforce needs to retain compassionate people. If there's any way I can help, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

The waitress finally came with our food.

"Here you go. Enjoy your food."

"Thank you," I said. The girl smiled at me and walked away.

"Wow. This looks delicious."

As Daphnie was about to bite her fruit, her phone rang.

She grabbed it from her purse and looked scared. She ignored the call; I was concerned.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. So-"

Her phone went off again. She looked so nervous. What a difference from a few minutes ago.

"I'm sorry I have to take this."

Without waiting for my response, Daphnie jumped out of the booth and ran to the door. I knew she wasn't ditching me because she had left her purse behind.

Shortly after Daphnie left, the waitress returned and sat across from me in Daphnie's seat.

"Can I get you anything else?" The waitress said in a flirty tone. It was highly annoying, and the look on her face was pathetic as she tried to show cleavage.

"A little bit of space and privacy. It's hard to get to know the girl I'm with when you come over and interrupt our conversation every five minutes."

The flirtatious look on the waitress's face faded into a look of offense and disappointment. She got up and walked away, mumbling "asshole" under her breath.

"This asshole is the one who signs your paycheck. Isn't this Friday payday?"

She turned around and looked at me in horror. She began to panic.

"Mr. Carter, I am so sorry! Please do-"

"You're fired," I stated. "Go get your things and get out of my restaurant. Your paycheck will be mailed to you."

"Bu-"

"My decision is final."

Arthur looked back at me as the waitress stormed away with tears in her eyes. I waved him over.

"Yes, sir?"

"Find out who hired her without my approval and who approved her payroll. I want that information emailed to me within the hour."

"Yes, sir."

I took a deep breath and looked at my plate. I didn't want to eat without Daphnie, so I waited.

Daphnie came back, looking like she had been crying.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, the corner I was standing in had some dust. Bothered my allergies."

I knew for a fact that she was lying. My restaurants are so clean they put Gordan Ramsey's restaurants to shame. I make sure that the woodwork is wiped down every evening, the windows are wiped, the tables are sprayed with disinfectant, the vent filter is cleaned every night and replaced every four months, the vents are dusted, the floors are steam mopped, and I have a constant air filter system running. That's just the dining area; the bathroom and kitchen are three times the amount of work. I make one unannounced visit monthly to ensure everyone is doing what they're supposed to. I decided to play along with her comment.

"Dust? I'm going to have to mention that to the manager. I'm never coming here again."

"No, no. It's fine."

"No, it's not. That's unsanitary. People are eating, and that dust can fall into their food."

Daphnie had a guilty look on her face. Something was wrong, but she wouldn't tell me. She cleared her throat and took a bite of her eggs. Her shoulders fell as she tasted the food. I smiled at her reaction. Without another word, she ate the bacon, then tried the biscuits in gravy.

"This food is amazing!"

"I'm glad you think so."

I began eating, and I enjoyed the food.

"So....." Daphnie broke the silence.

"What have you done with your life?"

"I was in the Marines for six years. I joined right after high school."

"Where did you serve?"

"Afghanistan and Syria."

"How come only six years? Why not the full eight?"

I froze. I was debating how to answer that question. Should I tell Daphnie I was a P.O.W.? Should I tell her that those bastards shattered my leg, causing me to give up my career? I didn't want her to feel bad for me.

"Situations were perilous. The U.S. Embassy was under attack several times, and we had to evacuate, and then I was discharged."

At least part of that is the truth. I was captured when the Embassy was under attack while my squad evacuated.

"Interesting. I'm surprised I never heard about it on the news, but then again, the news doesn't cover everything."

"Yeah... They tend to miss important stuff. I wish I could explain more, but that's classified."

"Okay."

I could tell that Daphnie was struggling to believe me. That made me a little nervous.

"After the Marines, I went to Yale. During my last semester, I was given a business opportunity to help with part of a company. Since then, I've stayed in business; I sold my portion of the company and started working independently.

"What does your company do?"

"It's a security company; we handle basic things.

"Wow. That's impressive. What about music?"

"Honestly, that was mainly for me. I never wanted to pursue a career in that. Singing is just a hobby I have. "

"That's nice."

We finished our meal in peace. It was nice just being in each other's company.

"That was delicious," Daphnie said as she wiped her mouth.

"Are you still hungry?" I asked. I usually get French Toast for dessert."

"French Toast is my favorite. What kind do you usually get?"

"I get it with bananas and strawberries on top."

"That sounds delicious. I'll get that then."

A new waiter calmly approached us and professionally said, "Can I get you anything else?"

"Two orders of French Toast with strawberries and bananas, please," I said.

"Would you like four pieces or six?"

"Just one order of six, and can you bring a small plate so we can share?"

"Of course." Our waiter picked up our plates and walked away.

"Where did the waitress go?"

"I can't stand poor customer service, so I requested a new waiter."

"Oh, okay."

Daphnie seemed appreciative, which made me happy. She looked at me with her hands folded under her chin.

"So, what other hobbies do you have besides singing?"

This is my chance to impress her.

"I like to work out."

"Cool. What workouts do you do or follow a video?"

"There's an obstacle course I train at, but I'll do a full-body workout a few times a week."

"Okay, cool."

"How about you? Any hobbies?"

"I follow workout videos off of YouTube. I like to read, watch movies, listen to music, and hang out with my friend Amber. Occasionally, I do music videos."

"Music videos?"

"I mainly do it for fun."

"What kind of songs do you sing?"

"If I hear a song in any genre that I like, I'll do a cover for it, but I like to sing country songs the most; that's what I'm good at."

I smiled and said, "You seem like a country music girl. Is that the only music you listen to?"

"No. I like listening to Skillet."

"I love that band," I said.

"You've heard of Skillet?" Daphnie's eyes brightened. I smiled at the sight.

"Yes. Skillet, my favorite rock band."

Daphnie gave me a suspicious look.

"What's your favorite song by them?"

"I'm stuck between Open Wounds and The Resistance. What about you?"

She looked impressed by my answer and even satisfied.

"Victorious. It's a beautiful song."

The waiter approached us and set our French Toast on the table.

"Here you go. Can I get you anything else?"

"The check, please."

"Of course."

"Definitely," I continued. "I love how the violin is used; it gives the song power and hits your heart."

"Yes!"

Daphnie and I had so much in common. This was making me beyond happy.

Daphnie grabbed the syrup and went to pour some on the French Toast.

"You don't mind if I pour syrup all over?"

"Not at all."

I watched as she evenly drizzled the syrup all over the French Toast.

"There."

Daphnie grabbed her fork and took a bite. Her shoulders dropped, and her eyes closed.

"This is so good!"

"I'm glad you agree. I also love French Toast, so if someone messes it up, it's a crime. It's tough to find a place that gets it right."

"This is my new favorite restaurant."

I smiled as I took two pieces of French Toast and put them on my plate. It had been a while since I'd had French Toast because I'd had so many business meetings over breakfast. In the business world, it's considered childish to order French Toast. Lately, steak and eggs have been my breakfast. It was nice being able to be myself with Daphnie.

"You said you like watching movies. What's your favorite movie?"

"Batman Begins and Phantom of the Opera."

"I like the Phantom of the Opera as well. However, I haven't seen Batman Begins."

"Are you serious?" Daphnie looked shocked.

"Sadly, yes."

"We'll have to have a movie night so that you can watch it."

"Well, if things go well today, I already have an idea for our next date."

Daphnie looked down; I could tell she was thinking about what she and I had just said. She smiled. Then she looked back up at me, still smiling.

"Well, so far, everything's going well."

I blushed a little; I was glad Daphnie was having a good time.

Daphnie smiled with each bite of French Toast, and I laughed a little every time she got powdered sugar on her nose. After eating and wiping our hands, our waiter approached us with the check.

"Here is your check, and you can pay at the front desk. Thank you for coming. Have a good day."

The waiter walked away with the plates as I reviewed the check to ensure I was billed correctly. All the prices seemed accurate, and the food was listed in an organized manner.

"I can pitch in for my part." Daphnie shyly said as she reached into her purse. I looked up at her.

"Daphnie, I said I was taking you out to brunch. That means I'm paying, and there's no need to offer to pay for yourself."

"Oh."

She didn't show it, but I could tell Daphnie was shocked by my answer. I smiled at her.

"Alright, let's get going."

I stood up and offered my hand to help Daphnie up. She smiled and took my hand. I left a twenty-dollar tip for the waiter, and we walked to the front desk. After paying, I opened the door for Daphnie as we left the restaurant. I opened the car door and waited for her to buckle her seatbelt and get comfortable before closing her door.

I walked over to my side, and when I opened my door, I saw Daphnie looking at her flowers with a smile.

"I'm glad you like your flowers," I said as I got into the car.

"They're beautiful. Pink carnations are my favorite."

I smiled at her one last time before starting the car and driving away.

The drive was quiet, but it wasn't an awkward silence between us. I enjoyed Daphnie's company.

Daphnie

"I enjoyed having brunch. Thank you," I said.

Adam smiled.

"I had a good time as well. Thank you for agreeing to come."

Adam's response brought a smile to my face. Sadly, there was no traffic. It was a quick drive to my house, and before I knew it, we pulled up in front of it. Adam parked the car and opened his door.

"I'll get the door for you."

Adam made me feel like a princess.

I guess chivalry isn't dead. I thought to myself.

When Adam opened the door, he offered his hand to help me out of the car, and we slowly walked up to the front door. When I reached the door, I turned toward him nervously.

"So......"

"I'll talk to you later, then?"

I looked up at Adam, shocked. Wasn't he expecting me to kiss him? Not even on the cheek?

"Yeah."

Adam smiled as he gently took my hand and kissed it. I blushed a little as he backed away. I unlocked the front door and stepped inside the house. I smiled at him one last time before closing the door. I ran to the window to peek through the blinds to watch Adam leave. He slowly walked toward his Porsche and got in.

As Adam drove away, all I could do was smile.

I can't wait to see him again.