A week later, after several flirty texts and one awkward phone call, Mario asked Jessica out. He took her to the city’s botanical gardens, figuring flowers and sunshine would suit her warm energy. They wandered through blooming paths, getting lost in conversation about childhood memories, favorite movies, and guilty pleasure snacks. They ended the day on a park bench sharing a strawberry ice cream cone he got some on his nose, she wiped it off, and neither of them wanted the moment to end.