My stomach swam with nerves, and a cold sweat traced down my back. Kendra led the way to the door and opened it.

There stood Derek in a crisp blue button-up shirt and jeans, carrying a bouquet of red roses and wearing his usual smirk. "Jasmine, you're as gorgeous as ever." He handed me the roses, and I gripped them tightly with both hands so he couldn't kiss them.

"Uh, thanks." No one had given me roses before. Looking over my shoulder, I tossed the red roses to ...