“Mother, wait-“
And just like that, she left, slamming the door shut behind her.
I sat there, stunned, feeling even more lost than I had minutes ago.
What the hell was Mom trying to hide from me?
Liana’s POV
It was 6:00 p.m. on the dot when I stopped in front of Maple Lily Bistro. My stomach was in knots. I wasn’t nervous in a butterflies-and-lipstick kind of way. It was the dread kind. The I-don’t-want-to-be-here-but-I’m-too-polite-to-bail kind.
Westvale was the kind of town where people noticed everything. The kind where you’d sneeze and someone three streets away would offer you tissues. So showing up here, dressed in jeans, a blouse I didn’t even iron, and a ponytail that looked like I’d just survived a daycare shift, felt like stepping into a play I didn’t audition for.
I almost turned around.
But then I remembered my dad. His voice from earlier that week. His stubborn hope that maybe, just maybe, if I met this guy,
Mr. Gilmore, I’d finally move on. Be normal. Whatever that meant.
I took a breath and walked in.
And immediately froze.
“Simon?” I said before I even fully registered it.
He was seated at a corner table, dressed in a fitted grey sweater and dark slacks, hair neatly styled, looking… annoyingly good. His face lit up when he saw me, and he stood up.
“Liana,” he said like he was genuinely happy to see me. “You made it.”
I blinked. “W-what are you doing here?”
He took a casual step toward me, hands in his pockets like this was just any other day. “I’m here on a date.”
“A date?” I blinked again, confused but trying to be polite. “That’s… good. I’m happy for you. Really.”
He pulled out the chair for me. “Here, sit.”
I held my hand up slightly, shaking my head. “No, no. I’m not here for you. I’m here to meet someone. a date, too.”
He smirked, tilting his head slightly. “are you here to meet with Mr. Gilmore?”
I froze. “Wait… how do you know that?”
He reached out his hand like he was reintroducing himself. “Lemme reintroduce myself properly I’m Simon Gilmore
McDowell “
I just stood there, trying to make my brain connect the dots. “You’re Mr. Gilmore?”
“Guilty.”
I stared at him for a beat too long, then dropped into the seat across from him like my legs had finally given up. “This is not happening”
“It is,” he said lightly, settling back into his chair. “Crazy small world, huh?”
I shook my head slowly, still processing “But But how?”
Just then, the waiter came over, smiling politely “Can I get you both something to start with?”
I couldn’t even think about food “Just juice. Orange juice is fine.”
Simon nodded. “Same here.”The waiter took the menus and walked away.
I folded my arms. “So let me get this straight. You let me walk into this thinking I was meeting a total stranger. A blind date. And instead, I find out you’re the ‘Mr. Gilmore.”” I hand-quoted.
He chuckled softly.
I leaned in a little, still stunned. “You-you didn’t tell me any of this. I was never informed. And also, you never told me you were once married. and… how… how did you even know my dad?”
Scener
Simon sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Liana… I… I just… I didn’t tell you everything. My dad knows your dad. They go way back. When I told him I was coming to see you, he spoke to your dad behind the properly. I had no idea you’d actually agree to the date.”
I folded my arms as I stared at him. “You still haven’t answered my question. Why did if you were married and you said no.”
“Technically, I didn’t lie,” he said, raising a brow. “I said I wasn’t married. and, I’m not.”
“Simon.”
“I know. I know,” he said quickly. “I should’ve said something. I just… I didn’t know how.”
They set this up hoping we’d meet lie ryuran me? I remember asking you
The waiter returned with our drinks. Two glasses of orange juice, with little napkins under them like this was a kid’s birthday party instead of an adult dinner. We both reached for ours at the same time and took long sips, his with a calm smile, mine like I needed a sedative.
“You also never told me you had a kid, let alone a daughter almost Ryan’s age,” I said finally, placing the glass down. “You never mentioned her.”
He looked a little sheepish. “Yeah. I know. I should’ve. I just-look, Liana, the truth is, I was scared, okay? I really liked you,
Liana, and you were already so distant, already unsure. I thought if I told you everything from the start, you’d run even faster. I wanted to tell you. I swear. But you shut me out before I could even try.”
I looked down at my hands. “You’re probably right.”
He smiled a little. “She would love you, though. She’s stubborn like you.”
“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
“Totally.”
Despite everything, I laughed. and it felt weird. Good-weird. Like I’d forgotten what laughing on a date felt like.
“I’m still mad at you,” I said after a second.
“I get it.”
“I mean, you kind of ambushed me “
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