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the last time you kissed the opposite sex?” Starr questioned, cocking her head. “And me and grandma, don’t count.”
    “What do you know about kissing?” he asked, and then immediately realized he didn’t really want an answer.
    Starr stared at him and waited.
    “Never mind,” her father said, rubbing his temples. “What’s the tip?”
    “I’m glad you asked.” She smiled. “Instead of waiting for the end of the date for that big awkward moment, you should warm her up throughout the date with small kisses.”
    Daniel frowned.
    “You know, when you pick her up, you hand her flowers-you are taking her flowers, right?”
    “Flowers.” He nodded. “That’s a good idea.”
    “Oh, boy. You’re worse off than I thought.”
    “No, I just...forgot.” His forehead wrinkled. “What am I doing?” he mumbled. “I’m going to make a fool of myself.”
    “No you’re not. Just thank your lucky Starr that you have her to help you come off smelling like a rose.”
    His father’s lips sloped unevenly as he tugged one of her pigtails. “Thank you, lucky Starr.”
     
     
     
    “What do you mean you have a date?” Bernie questioned over the phone. “Since when?”
    “Since yesterday-or really this morning,” Gia answered as she flitted in and out of her walk-in closet. After a lifetime of having a great metabolism, she grudgingly admitted that if she wanted to remain her current size, she would have to start a medieval practice called exercise.
    But for right now, she had a devil of a time trying to find something that flattered her widening hips and rounding bottom. In the end, she settled on a tried and true staple in every woman’s closet: the little black dress. It wasn’t too dressy or too casual. It was just-perfect.
    “Why didn’t you tell me?” Bernie whined. “Is he ugly or something?”
    “Hardly.” Gia squeezed her foot into her favorite pumps and twirled a final time in front of a full-length mirror in the bedroom. “I’m nervous,” she admitted, and then belatedly remembered that she still had the phone tucked beneath her ear.
    “Ooh. He must be really good looking,” Bernie commented. “What does he do for a living?”
    The doorbell rang and a million butterflies burst from their cocoons inside of her stomach.
    “I have to go. He’s here.” Gia flattened a hand over her heart at the instant memory of Daniel. “Wish me luck.”
    “Good luck and I want details tomorrow.”
    Gia smiled and disconnected the call. At the doorbell’s second chime, she hand ironed the front of her dress, and then went to answer the door.
    When she finally pulled it open, she was stunned to discover that her memory had a faulty wire. The man standing before her was even more devastatingly handsome than she remembered. “Hello.”
    “Hello,” he greeted in a seductive baritone.
    His instant smile was infectious and she found herself standing there with a grin that stretched from ear to ear.
    “I, uh, brought these for you.” Daniel presented a bunch of white carnations and chrysanthemums.
    She sucked in a surprised breath and gushed at the beautiful arrangement.
    “I hope you like them,” he said, and then nervously leaned in and brushed a kiss against her cheek.
    Pleasantly surprised, Gia fluttered a hand to her cheek and blushed. “What was that for?”
    “I hope it was okay,” he said. “I was advised that it was best to get the kiss out of the way.”
    Gia forced a frown. “But now we don’t have anything to look forward to.”
    “Of course we do.”
    Her brows rose in curiosity.
    “The second kiss.”
    Gia was smitten by Daniel’s boyish charm. “I better put these in some water. Would you like to come in?”
    “I thought you’d never ask.”
    She turned and strolled toward the kitchen. “These are beautiful.”
    “I’m glad you like them.”
    “I love them.” Gia inhaled the fragrant scent.
    “I love the dress,” Daniel praised. “You look beautiful.”
    Gia’s smile