A Date With My Ex-boyfriend Dad

n't planned for this. This date was supposed to be a distraction, a reckless attempt to drown out the ache Ryan had left behind. But it had spiraled into something far more i

the building, her arms hugging herself tightly. With a low chuckle, Ethan shifted gears and drove off, the taillights of his car fading into the darkness. The moment Amelia stepped into her apartment, her phone buzzed in her hand. She exhaled sharply, her nerves still frayed from the night's events. Without looking, she swiped to answer. "Hello, babe, are you back?" Sarah's voice chirped through the speaker, excitement buzzing in her tone. Amelia shut the door behind her and leaned against it, closing her eyes. "Yeah." Sarah gasped. "So? How was it?" Amelia hesitated, rubbing her temple. How was she supposed to explain it? That she had gone on this date just to forget Ryan, only to end up in Ethan's arms? That her body still tingled from his touch, and her mind refused to shut down? She sighed. "Hmm... good and bad." "Wait, what?" Sarah's voice sharpened with curiosity. "What happened? Spill." Amelia opened her mouth, ready to speak, but before she could get a word out, her phone screen shinned-then went black. "Seriously?" she groaned. The battery had finally given up on her, just like that, Amelia sighed, tossing her dead phone onto the nightstand. Her body still carried the tension of the night, a strange mix of exhaustion and restlessness pressing down on her. She rubbed her arms, as if that could erase the lingering sensation of Ethan's touch. Shaking her head, she dragged herself to the bathroom. The moment the warm water hit her skin, she let out a deep breath. Steam curled around her, but it did little to clear the fog in her mind. She replayed everything-Ryan's betrayal, her reckless decision to go out with Ethan, and the unexpected way it had all unfolded. Her fingers trailed over her lips. She could still feel the ghost of his kiss. With a frustrated groan, she shut her eyes and tilted her head back under the water, letting it wash over her. By the time she stepped out, her limbs felt heavier, but her though