Chapter 71

AURORA. On Friday evening, my phone chimed with an incoming call, and I glanced at the screen to see Mateo's name. Curiously, I swiped at the screen to answer the call, bringing the phone to my ear. “Hello?” “Hey, Ysa.” Mateo’s rich voice filled my ears. “I was just calling to know if you’re up for dinner.” His invitation caught me by surprise, and for a moment, I pondered how to respond. I was comfortable enough now to be around him without that nostalgic feeling creeping up. Besides, I’d decided to give Nathaniel a chance to see if our marriage would work. What was the harm in having dinner with Mateo? “How about I pick the venue?” I thought I heard him smile. “Sure. What did you have in mind?” A nostalgic smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I reminisced about our college days. “Well,” I began, “how about we revisit that quaint little Mexican restaurant we used to frequent back in college? It's been ages since we've been there.” Mateo's tone turned thoughtful, and I could