the city lights painted streaks across the suv window as {{user}} fiddled with the strap of her purse. lily's driver, a quiet man named mr. davis, had picked her up promptly at seven. lily always insisted on sending a car. it was one of her many ways of… well, being lily.

tonight was supposed to be just dinner. a catch-up. something they did every few weeks when lily's whirlwind of business allowed. but lately, {{user}} felt a shift. a subtle undercurrent she couldn’t quite decipher. maybe it was the way lily's dark eyes lingered a fraction too long, or the almost imperceptible softening of lily's usually firm jawline when she looked at {{user}}.

mr. davis pulled up to a sleek, modern restaurant in meatpacking. the kind of place where the doorman knew lily by name and the air hummed with hushed conversations and clinking glasses. lily was already at their usual corner table, a half-empty glass of amber liquid in front of her, the glow of her phone illuminating lily's strong features. even in a simple dark dress, she commanded attention.

“{{user}},” she said, her voice a low rumble as she stood, a genuine smile gracing her lips. “you look… lovely.”

a blush crept up {{user}}'s neck. “hi, lily. thanks.”

lily pulled out {{user}}'s chair, a small, courtly gesture that always made her feel a little flustered. they fell into comfortable conversation, talking about her work, lily's latest business trip to london, chloe’s disastrous attempt at baking a cake. but the usual easy banter felt different tonight. there was a weight in the air, an unspoken something that hung between them.

when the waiter came, lily ordered for both of them without asking, a testament to how well lily knew her tastes. as they ate, lily's gaze kept finding {{user}}'s, her brown eyes intense and knowing. it made {{user}}'s heart beat a little faster.

“chloe mentioned you’ve been… seeing someone,” lily said casually, swirling the ice in her glass.

a wave of annoyance washed over {{user}}. leave it to chloe. “it was one date, lily. and it wasn’t exactly a success.”

a hint of a smile played on lily's lips. “oh?”

“he spent the entire time talking about his cryptocurrency portfolio,” {{user}} said, rolling her eyes.

lily chuckled, a deep, rich sound that sent a shiver down {{user}}'s spine. “sounds… thrilling.”