Main event

The main courses arrived shortly after, carried out by a team of waiters. When the plate in front of Liam was set down, he frowned slightly, looking at the chicken breast. He glanced over at Emma’s plate, where the slices of roast beef were glistening in the gravy.

"I must have ended up with your boyfriend's order," he said, motioning toward the empty seat. "Shame, I was really looking forward to the beef."

Emma looked at her own plate, then back at him. It was a simple mistake, and it was easily fixed. "Take mine," she offered, shifting her chair closer to his. "We can just swap. It’s really not a big deal."

He shook his head, refusing to reach for her plate. "No, you don't have to do that. I know you prefer the beef. I'll make do with the chicken."

He was being considerate, remembering her preferences even though they hadn't spent much time together lately. It felt right to be kind in return. She didn't want him to feel like he was suffering through a meal he didn't want, especially since he was essentially taking the place of someone who wasn't even here. It was just a polite gesture between old friends.

She picked up her knife and fork, sliced off a large, generous portion of the steak, and moved it onto his plate.

"Stop being difficult," she said, giving him a playful look. "There's plenty for both of us, and I'm happy to share. It's just dinner."

He looked at the meat she had just given him and then back at her, his expression appreciative. "Thanks," he said, his voice dropping slightly. "I appreciate that."

A waiter came around and topped up their glasses with more wine. As they started eating, the conversation remained easy and light. She felt comfortable. Sharing a meal like this felt like a perfectly normal thing to do. She wasn't doing anything wrong by being kind to someone who was actually putting her first and paying attention to her needs. She took a sip of the wine and let the feeling of the evening settle in, it was just a simple, nice dinner.