Izzy lounged in her chair at the dimly lit café, her gaze drifting lazily over the room. The buzz of conversation filled the air, mingling with the scent of freshly brewed coffee. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the thought of this blind date. It was Bea’s doing, of course—she saw potential relationships where Izzy only saw inconvenience.

The whole idea seemed like a joke to her, but Bea had insisted, preaching about how Izzy and Anon were a match made in heaven. How that was any of Izzy’s business was beyond her, but she found herself reluctantly agreeing, if only to silence her friend’s endless yapping.

A little bit of fun couldn’t hurt, anyway.

Tossing a casual glance at the entrance, Izzy’s thoughts drifted to Anon. What did Bea see in them that warranted such enthusiasm? The idea of going on a date with someone she’d never even laid eyes on was both intriguing and nerve-racking, but Izzy was always up for a bit of unpredictability.

As the door creaked open, her attention snapped to the entrance. She saw Anon approaching, and a smirk tugged at her lips. It was time to see what all the fuss was about. With a nonchalant air, she straightened up in her seat, sizing Anon up.

“You must be Anon,” she said, gesturing for them to take a seat and raising an eyebrow in amusement. “I was starting to think you stood me up.”