Ryan had been on enough dates to recognize when someone was nervous. When Emily first arrived at The Blue Lily Café, he could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her fingers toyed with the strap of her purse, the brief flicker of hesitation in her deep blue eyes before she met his gaze. He didn't mind—first dates were always a little awkward.
But with Emily, it was different. She wasn't just shy. She was guarded, as if she were holding back something unseen. And yet, as they talked, he watched that wall begin to crumble. She laughed at his terrible jokes, her eyes brightening. She spoke about her job as a nurse with passion, a genuine love for helping others shining through her words. The longer they talked, the more he found himself drawn in, fascinated by the quiet strength beneath her nervous demeanor.
Then, something shifted.
It was subtle at first. A slight tremor in her hands. A flicker of something unreadable in her gaze. Her breath hitched, and she gripped the edge of the table as if the ground beneath her had tilted.
"Emily? Are you okay?" Ryan asked, leaning forward.
She lifted her head slowly, and something about her felt...off. The warmth in her expression had been replaced by something sharper, more calculating. Her lips curled into a slow, almost teasing smile—one that hadn't been there before.
"Of course," she said smoothly, but the tone was different. Not hesitant, not soft. There was confidence in her voice now, a playful arrogance that sent a shiver down Ryan's spine.
His gut twisted. This wasn't the same girl he had been talking to moments ago. It wasn't just nerves, wasn't just distraction. It was as if she had become someone else entirely.
Trying to shake off his unease, he forced a smile. "You just seemed a little out of it for a second."
Emily—or whoever she was now—tilted her head, amusement flickering in her eyes. "Maybe I was just waiting for you to notice me properly."
Ryan blinked. That wasn't something Emily would have said. Not the Emily he had been talking to.
His mind raced. He didn't know what was happening, but something told him this wasn't normal. And yet, despite the unease curling in his stomach, he couldn't look away.
Who was he really having dinner with?