A Perfect Date and an Unwelcome Gaze

I stood in front of the hallway mirror, barely recognizing the woman staring back at me. Chloe had outdone herself with the makeup—subtle but effective, highlighting my eyes and giving my lips a glossy finish that made them look fuller.

"Stop fidgeting," Chloe hissed, swatting my hand away as I tried to adjust the hemline of my dress again. "You look incredible."

"Are you sure it's not too much?" I whispered, suddenly self-conscious as Tristan waited just outside my door.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Girl, you've been hiding in baggy clothes for months. Let that man see what he's working with."

I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and opened the door.

The look on Tristan's face was worth every second of discomfort. His eyes widened, his lips parted, and for a moment, the confident, smooth-talking journalist seemed utterly speechless.

"Wow," he finally managed, his gaze traveling from my face down to my heels and back up again. "You look... breathtaking."