My hands clenched the steering wheel as I pulled up in front of the house. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat sending a shockwave of anticipation through my body. 

I was just taking Madison out for a birthday dinner, nothing more. A nagging voice in the back of my mind kept asking, Would she even want to go with me?

With a sigh, I pushed open the car door and stepped out, making sure to grab the flowers I’d gotten for her on the way home. The house was quiet, save for the ...