Page 144 of The Illusion

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"Just dinner?"

"Just dinner. No pressure. No expectations. Just... us."

She looks down at the flowers. Then back at me. "What if I'm not ready?" she whispers. "What if I can't be what you need?"

"Then we'll figure it out. Together. I've waited this long, Julie. I can wait longer if that's what you need."

"What if I hurt you?"

"Then I'll heal. Just like you're healing."

Tears fill her eyes. "You're too good for me."

"That's bullshit and you know it."

She laughs, wiping at her eyes. "You're really not going to make this easy, are you?"

"Nope."

She takes a shaky breath. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay. One date. Just dinner."

Relief floods through me. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." She smiles, and it's the first real, unguarded smile I've seen from her in months. "But Ryan?"

"Yeah?"

"I need you to know something."

"What?"

"I'm terrified. Of this. Of us. Of what it means."

"I know."

"But I also..." She pauses. "I also have butterflies in my stomach right now."

My heart stops. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." She steps closer. "You've been my safe place through all of this. My constant. And I don't know what that means yet, but I want to find out."

"We'll take it slow," I promise. "As slow as you need."

"Okay."

"Okay."

She looks down at the flowers again, then back at me. "So when's this date, 3B?"

I smile. "Friday night. I'll pick you up at seven, 3A."

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

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