I sat on my bed, staring at the screen of my phone. Carmen's message glowed softly in the dim light of my room.
"Hi Elena"
"Thank you for your message. I understand that this is a lot to take in. Take all the time you need. I just wanted to make sure you got home safely."
"Let's talk when you're ready."
It had been 5 days , 3 hours and 33 seconds since she sent it, and I still didn't know how to respond. I sighed, running my fingers through my hair as I replayed the events of the day in my mind. Carmen Steele—powerful, enigmatic, and utterly disarming.
Our date at The Royal Spare Café had been a whirlwind, starting with her usual composed demeanor and ending with an impulsive proposal that had left me reeling.