With a heavy sigh, she turned off the lights in the classroom and made her way toward the front, turning off the lights in each of the other rooms on her way. She felt stupid for getting her hopes up, but the way he’d looked at her like he didn’t want to miss a second of seeing her had felt special and maybe even intimate.

But what did she know about special and intimate?

A guy like Quincy probably had dozens of friends with benefits.

For the millionth time, she wondered why he was even bothering with her. It wasn’t like she was fantastic at flirting or gave off seductive vibes, the way Angela did with Joey without even trying. As usual, she had only one answer, and Angela had nailed it. Chemistry.

She rolled her eyes at herself for even thinking she was special to him. Those friends with benefits she imagined surely had even more chemistry with him. The butterfly-inducing zing of electricity between them probably only felt special to her because she didn’t have enough experience flirting with guys to realize it was normal.

But it sure didn’t feel normal.

She hit the last of the studio lights in the lobby and stared out the glass doors into the front parking lot, missing her grandmother. If Gram were alive, she’d tell Roni what she always had about matters of the heart. Sparks start fires, and fires feel good when they’re small enough to warm you, but inevitably they either die out or burn everything in their path. Forget the sparks, Veronica. Look into the heart of the person. If you see gray, run the other way. If you see red, take the man to bed. But if you see a clear blue sky, you’ve got yourself a unicorn, and that just might be your good, kind, hardworking guy. The one you’re meant to be with forever.

Roni stared into the darkness, picturing her grandmother’s serious eyes staring out from behind her wire-framed glasses, her face mapped with wrinkles and worry lines, her short gray hair curling around her ears. The familiar weight of loneliness settled into Roni’s chest.

She startled at a knock on the glass, her hand flying to her chest as Quincy stepped in front of her, those all-seeing eyes holding her gaze. Neither of them moved, but a smile lifted his lips, making her smile, too. He reached for the door, his brows lifting in question.

“Oh.” She unlocked the door, and he pulled it open. My goodness. He was gorgeous, tall and broad in a worn black leather jacket over a gray sweater and faded jeans. His hair was brushed back from his face, making his features even more striking.

He parked one black boot against the bottom of the door, holding it open, and said, “Hey there, beautiful.”

His voice was rough and sweet at once, making every inch of her tingle. “Hi. What are you doing here?”

“Taking you on our date.”