Page 80 of Before Dawn

Had someone actually made her pay for dates before?

The thought irritated me more than it should have.

As we settled in, I reached into the back and pulled out a small pillow. The front had a crocheted book, and the back read:Congrats on your job, Abigail.

Her eyes widened, and she gasped. “Oh my gosh! Mikkel! You didn’t have to do this!”

I grinned, watching as she hugged the pillow close. “Whether you think your wins are big or small, they deserve to be celebrated.”

She blinked, and for a second, I swore I saw a shimmer of tears in her eyes.

“This means so much to me. Thank you.”

And just like that, my entire day felt worth it.

The warmth of the moment lingered between us as I pulled onto the main road. The city lights flickered across the windshield, casting soft, shifting hues inside the car. A comfortable silence settled in, broken only by the low hum of traffic. I reached for my phone and tapped the screen, queuing up the playlist I’d made just for her.

When she noticed, her smile widened, and she leaned her head to the side, a soft, knowing look in her eyes. That look always did something to me—like she saw straight through me and liked what she found.

Before long, we pulled up to Nathan’s Famous, a cozy-looking restaurant, its windows glowing warmly.

“Here we are,” I announced, turning off the engine and turning to her with a grin. “Hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Then we’re definitely in the right place,” I responded, the warmth of her excitement contagious.

“I’ve never been here before. Is it good?”

I chuckled softly. “I wouldn’t take you here if it wasn’t.” With a reassuring smile, I held the door open for her.

We slipped into a cozy booth, the rich aroma of grilled meat and sizzling fries hanging in the air. I stole glances at her, captivated by the neon lights reflecting in her eyes as she animatedly talked about the sea lions and sharks. She had this way of making the smallest details feel like the biggest wonders, and I’d listen to her talk about anything just to watch the joy light up her face.

“What are you looking at?”

I felt a flush rise to my cheeks. “You.”

A soft blush bloomed on her cheeks, mirrored by the gentle curve of her lips. “You’re too sweet.”

Before I could reply, the waitress appeared at our table, a pad and pen in hand. “What can I get for you folks today?”

“Two classic hot dogs, fully loaded with mustard, ketchup, relish, and onions,” I said, glancing at her for confirmation. “Barbecue sauce on the side.”

“And a large order of fries to share,” she added.

“Anything to drink?”

“Sprite and orange juice,” I said, and the waitress smiled as she scribbled down our order before hurrying off to the kitchen.

“I cannot thank you enough, Mikkel.”

“You never need to thank me.” A smile played at the corners of my lips. I would’ve done this a thousand times over, just to see her look at me like this.

“It turned out to be everything I had dreamed our first date would be.”

“You dream of me?”

“It takes me days to recover from a dream with you in it, Red.”

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