Suddenly, a waiter approaches us and clears his throat. Liam and I look at him. There is an awkward smile on his face.

“Apologies for disturbing you, ma’am, sir, but your food is ready. Should I... ahm, send it here? Or should I pack it up or something?” he asks.

Given the time to breathe, I reach for my wineglass and take a slow, deliberate sip. As the rich liquid warms my throat, I resolve to face my emotions head-on.

“We are going to continue our date night here,” Liam answers while staring hard at me.

The waiter gestures for the others to come closer. They set down plates and...