"You sure, you won't have dinner with me?" Zach asked when he pulled up in front of Jessie's apartment building.
"No, thanks. I think I'm just going to have some cereal for dinner and watch a little television."
"Okay," he said, disappointed. "If you change your mind, call me." He blew her a kiss as she exited the car.
She smiled, shut the door, and walked up the stairs to her front door. She keyed in her code, and the door clicked open. As she watched Zach edge his way into the traffic, a loving feeling warmed her center. The anger she'd felt after the black rose incident last week had subsided. She was no longer suspicious and even felt guilty for thinking such a thing. Everything about him told her he was sincere.
Inside, her elderly neighbor was struggling with a plastic bag of garbage. Jessie rushed over and took the bag from her.