18. Dinner Date

Valerie stared at herself in the mirror. Dinner with Antonio. It was such a simple thing, and yet, she felt nervous, though she had no idea why. Taking a deep breath, she smoothed out the fabric of her dress, trying to steady the flurry of emotions swirling inside her. This was just dinner, nothing more. Still, there was something about Antonio that made her feel both on edge and oddly intrigued. Landon had finally settled, her tiny breaths even and calm. Lucas was taking a nap in the other room, seemingly at ease in this new environment. Valerie had to admit that Antonio had done everything possible to make them feel comfortable here. But was it a genuine concern or part of a larger scheme? “You are thinking too much,” Valerie whispered to herself. Valerie shook her head, trying to clear her doubts. Tonight, she needed to stay focused, be present, and be watchful. This was an opportunity to learn more about Antonio, to understand his motives, and to figure out if he could be trusted.