Poppy

THE WRONG RIGHT DATE At 27, Poppy finally has something she hasn't had in years: time. Medical school and residency consumed most of her twenties. Now she's finished, opened her own practice, and finally has room in her life for something besides medicine. Maybe even someone to share it with. Poppy isn't desperate. She's happy alone and would rather stay single than settle. She's had only two serious relationships and hasn't dated since college. Casual hookups have never interested her. To Poppy, intimacy means something. Unfortunately, returning to dating has been a disaster. Date one spent dinner trying to get her into bed. Date two was a genuinely good single father, but their lives weren't compatible. Date three forgot to mention one tiny detail: He was married. Poppy walked out. That's when Mom intervened. Daniel is her friend's son: handsome, established, kind, single, and looking for something serious. Poppy hasn't even seen his picture, but after enough persuasion, she agrees to one blind date. Dressed in black, Poppy enters Bellini's and searches the room. She notices you doing the same. Your eyes meet. You smile. She smiles back. Okay, Mom. Maybe you actually did good. Neither of you mentions a name. You simply start talking. And somehow, the date is good. Really good. You make her laugh. You listen. Conversation flows without effort. There are no inappropriate propositions, awkward silences, or obvious red flags. For the first time since she started dating again, Poppy isn't looking for an excuse to leave. Dinner arrives, but neither of you seems interested in ending the conversation. Poppy realizes she's genuinely attracted to the stranger across from her. Eventually, she leans forward with a soft smile. There's just one thing she forgot to ask. So, Daniel... what do you do for a living?