That weekend, the weather was perfect with sunny skies, a gentle breeze, and just enough warmth to make the day feel like it was made for something special.
Ryan and Chloe stood at the entrance of the zoo, both a little unsure of what to expect. It was their first official date.
"A zoo, huh? Not what I expected for a Sinclair," Chloe teased, nudging Ryan gently with her elbow.
"I figured you'd be more excited to see animals than boardroom presentations," he replied with a smirk.
She giggled. "You're not wrong."
From the moment they stepped inside, everything felt easy. Natural. Chloe's usual nerves melted away with every smile Ryan sent her way. They visited the penguin exhibit first, where Chloe squealed at the sight of a baby waddling behind its mother.
"Look at its little wings! I want to take it home," she said, practically pressed against the glass.
"Hmm, I think you're the type to feed it strawberries and wrap it in blankets," Ryan said.
"Obviously. That's how you show love!"
They wandered for hours, taking silly selfies by the flamingos, trying and failing to feed giraffes, and laughing at Chloe's horrified reaction when a parrot swooped too close.
By midday, they were sharing cotton candy and riding a small roller coaster that Chloe insisted wasn't "that scary."
She screamed louder than any child on board.
Ryan laughed so hard his stomach hurt.
Afterwards, still catching their breath, they stopped by a quiet bench near the koi pond.
"I haven't had this much fun in years," Chloe said, her voice soft.
"Me neither," Ryan replied, and he meant it.
As the sun began to dip lower, they made one final stop at the grocery store.
"We need ingredients. I promised I'd cook for you," Chloe said as she wheeled the cart through the aisles.
Ryan followed behind, arms crossed, smiling. "Should I be worried? I've never had your cooking."
"Only if you hate delicious food," she replied smugly.
They shopped like they'd done it a hundred times before arguing over which brand of canned soup was superior, Chloe sneaking snacks into the cart, Ryan putting them right back. It was simple. But in that simplicity, something felt so real.
When they arrived at Ryan's place, Chloe looked around, visibly impressed.
"This house is… definitely not small," she said, wide-eyed.
"Don't be nervous. You're just here to cook," Ryan said with a straight face.
"But it's my first time at your place."
He leaned in and whispered, "Make yourself comfortable. You're always welcome here."
In the kitchen, Chloe put on an apron while Ryan prepped vegetables. They moved in sync like they'd done this many times before.
"So," Chloe said while chopping onions, "Is this what married life with us will be like?"
Ryan paused, put down his knife, and walked over. Without a word, he wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"If it is," he whispered against her ear, "I look forward to sharing this house with you for the rest of our lives."
Chloe's breath caught.
She was sure her face had turned the color of the tomatoes she was slicing.
"You can't say things like that out of nowhere," she muttered.
He chuckled and kissed her cheek. "You're too cute not to tease."
Her face turned even redder.
Then, before she could respond, he turned her gently to face him. Slowly, deliberately, he leaned in and kissed her lips.
It was their first kiss.
It was soft, gentle and unrushed.
When it ended, Chloe blinked up at him, her eyes wide.
"Remember to breathe, Chloe," Ryan said with a teasing grin.
"Sorry… it's my first kiss. I'm a bit nervous," she admitted shyly.
He smiled and rested his forehead against hers. "That's okay. It's my first too."
Her eyes widened again. "Really?"
"Really."
And then he kissed her again, longer this time, savoring the moment. His heart raced in a way it never had before.
That night, after dinner and more laughter, Ryan noticed the clock. "It's getting late," he said. "You should stay."
Chloe's eyes widened. "S-stay? At your place?"
"You'll sleep in the guest room," he reassured her. "I promise."
After a long pause, she nodded. "Okay."
Ryan prepared a new toothbrush, towels, and even laid out one of his clean oversized T-shirts and sweatpants.
When Chloe stepped out of the shower in his clothes, her face was flushed pink.
Ryan blinked and thought to himself, This might become his favorite set of loungewear.
"Goodnight," Chloe mumbled quickly and darted straight to the guest room.
Ryan chuckled as the door closed. "Adorable," he whispered, shaking his head.
Lying in bed, Chloe replayed everything from the day from the zoo, the kiss, the teasing, and Ryan's arms around her. Her heart felt full. She smiled into the pillow and slowly drifted off to sleep.
****
The next morning, the smell of breakfast pulled her out of sleep. She stepped into the kitchen to find Ryan already at the stove.
"You made breakfast?" she asked, surprised.
"Don't underestimate me. I can scramble eggs," he said proudly.
They ate together in the sunlit kitchen, laughing over how uneven his pancake shapes were.
Later, as Ryan walked her to the door, Chloe bent down to put on her shoes and paused.
There, beside hers, was a pair of white sneakers.
Scuffed, worn, and stained.
"These look like they're from years ago," she said, lightly brushing the brownish mark with her finger.
"Yeah," Ryan replied. "They're a birthday gift from my brother. I can't bear to throw them out."
Chloe tilted her head. "Leo has the same ones."
At that, Ryan leaned in, took her chin between his fingers, and kissed her firmly on the lips.
When he pulled back, he looked almost pouty.
"I don't want you thinking about another man."
Chloe laughed. "Okay, okay! You've taken over my whole brain now, happy?"
He grinned and booped her nose.
"Very."
As she stepped outside, heart still fluttering from his kiss, Chloe smiled to herself and thought, she could really get used to this side of Ryan and his cuteness.