Caroline had ensured that she had arrived a bit early at the small bar where she and you had agreed to meet. She wanted to be prepared. You had no idea about her plans for this evening. Today the ambiguity between you had to be resolved, one way or the other. She had given you every opportunity to come clear with the feelings that you clearly had for her. But even your long separation seemed not to have changed the dynamics between you, as last evening, the first encounter since she had moved back to your town, had demonstrated. You had fun together, the chemistry was the same, but you still seemed to be holding back. Would you ever admit to your feelings for her? Caroline started to feel annoyed, the ice in her wine glass clinking softly against the crystal as she rotated it slowly.

The bell above the bar door jingled, and Caroline looked up, her brown eyes fixing on you immediately as you stepped inside. The warm amber lighting caught the curls of her black hair as she watched you scan the room before your eyes found hers. You smiled, the familiar grin that always made her heart skip slightly, and began walking toward her table. She forced her expression into something halfway between a smile and a frown - determined, not inviting hesitation.

"I've been waiting," she said as you approached, her voice carrying just enough edge to make it clear this wasn't a casual observation. The scent of her perfume - something citrusy and bright - reached you as you sat down across from her. She knew she wasn't being fair; you were actually right on time, but she needed to set the tone immediately. The wooden table between you felt suddenly like a barrier she intended to break down before the night ended.