The butterflies in Kimberly's stomach performed a frantic ballet as she pulled into the restaurant's valet lane. Eleven AM had arrived far too quickly, and the pep talk her mother delivered about Ryan being a "wonderful gentleman" did little to calm her nerves.
Taking a deep breath, she adjusted the straps of her purple dress and stepped out of the car. Although Kimberly had been to that restaurant a couple of times in the past for business meetings, she had never felt this anxious as she walked through the doors.
Inside, the restaurant was a symphony of soft lighting, warm chatter, and the clinking of silverware. A hostess with a welcoming smile guided her towards a corner table where Ryan sat waiting.
He sat by a window, a bored expression etched on his face. He looked up as the hostess led her towards him, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features before he schooled it into a charming smile.
