The walk from campus to the steakhouse wasn’t long, but the silence between Desiree and Lucas buzzed with something she couldn’t name. His arm stayed slung over her shoulder as if it belonged there, and though she told herself not to read too much into it, her heart betrayed her by skipping at every casual squeeze of his hand.

“You’ll see,” he said with a grin when she glanced up at him. “I promised you the best steak, didn’t I?”

She rolled her eyes playfully. “It better ...