I had been in St. Louis for six months and felt like I was wearing somebody else's clothes. Back in Los Angeles, I knew how things worked. I knew which neighborhoods had the best tacos, which freeways to avoid after three o'clock, and exactly how the city smelled when summer heat settled over concrete. St.

Louis was different. The city moved slower. People asked questions and actually waited for answers. They called it The Lou with a kind of pride I didn't completely understand yet. Most days, I felt like a tourist pretending to be a resident, which was exactly why my coworker insisted I go on this blind date.

You need to meet somebody local, she told me.

The Missouri History Museum in Forest Park, wondering if I should have stayed home. Then I saw her. And suddenly, every thought in my head disappeared. Shonda was walking towards me with a [00:01:00] smile that made the entire park seem brighter. Soft chocolate skin, natural curls framing her face, a sundress that hugged curves so perfectly, I had to remind myself to maintain eye contact.

When she reached me, she laughed. Kenny? I nodded. Yeah, and you're definitely Shonda.

She raised an eyebrow. Definitely? Unless my friend lied and sent me to meet the most beautiful woman in Missouri by accident. Her laugh came out warm and genuine, the kind of laugh that immediately made me want to hear it again. That's a strong opening.

I'm from California. We take risks. Well, California, she said, extending her hand. I'm Shonda. The moment our hands touched, something shifted, like recognizing a song you've heard before. We started with lunch from a food stand near the park. The plan was simple. An hour, [00:02:00] maybe ninety minutes. Then we'd both go home.

That plan lasted about twenty minutes. I learned that Shonda taught middle school English. She learned I worked in marketing. I learned she'd never lived anywhere except St. Louis. She'd learned I'd moved three times before turning thirty. The conversation flowed so easily it almost felt suspicious.

" So what's the biggest culture shock?" She asked. I laughed. "Where do I start? Everybody knows everybody." "That's true." " I met a guy at the grocery store two days later. He knew where I worked." "See? Community." " See? Surveillance." She laughed so hard she nearly dropped her drink, and I realized I was already becoming addicted to being the reason for that sound.

Hours slipped by unnoticed. We walked through Forest Park, past families and cyclists and people stretched out on blankets. The afternoon sun painted everything gold. At one point, [00:03:00] Shonda stopped near the water and folded her arms. " You know what's refreshing about you?" " No." " You've actually seen the world." I looked at her.

"What makes you say that?" " Most men I met have never left St. Louis

There wasn't bitterness in her voice, just disappointment. "They think vacation means Chicago," and she rolled her eyes. I laughed. " I'm serious. These guys don't think there's much outside the city. I mean, I love St. Louis and my family here, but," she looked across the water, "I wanna see the world.

I've had Tokyo on my travel list forever." My eyebrows shot up. "Tokyo? That's on my list, too." Her head turned immediately. We stared at each other, then both started laughing.

Every time she smiled, I caught myself imagining what it would feel like to wake up next to her. Not because of how beautiful she was, though she was. It was the way she listened. " Can I tell [00:04:00] you something?" I asked. "Depends." I smiled. " I feel like I've known you longer than one day." Her expression changed slightly, enough for me to see the same thought living behind her eyes.

" I know exactly what you mean." The words settled between us. The night had become something neither of us expected, something neither of us wanted to end. My pulse picked up. I took a breath, and then another, then I decided to be brave. "My apartment's about ten minutes away." Shonda didn't speak I have coffee, a ridiculous amount of snacks,

and I'm halfway through a Marvel rewatch. A smile tugged at her lips. Kenny, you can say no. She looked down briefly, then back at me. I could practically see the debate happening between her eyes. The sensible choice, the safe choice, versus the feeling that had been [00:05:00] growing between us all day.

Finally, she exhaled slowly Okay. My heart nearly stopped. Okay? She nodded. Okay?

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