The End of Beginning

The morning light filtered softly through Julia's bedroom curtains, casting a warm glow over her sheets. She blinked awake, her body still heavy with sleep, but her mind already racing.

For a moment, she lay there, staring at the ceiling, replaying the night before.

The bookstore event.

Joe showing up.

The way he looked at her.

The way he kissed her.

Her lips tingled just thinking about it.

It all felt unreal, like something out of a dream. She turned to grab her phone from the nightstand, her stomach flipping when she saw a string of notifications—several texts from Chloe, and a few from Joe.

CHLOE: WAKE UP. Spill. Now.

CHLOE: I cannot believe you just went to bed and left me HANGING last night without telling me all the details??

CHLOE: JULIA.

Julia let out a breathy laugh before clicking into Joe's messages.

JOE: Good morning, beautiful. Hope you slept better than me. All I could think about was you last night.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Two other messages followed:

JOE: I can still taste you.

JOE: Hopefully that's not too much for a morning text.

Julia felt warm all over, her pulse thrumming in her ears.

She quickly replied to Chloe before she could send another dramatic follow-up.

JULIA: I have so much to tell you. Coffee tomorrow?

CHLOE: Finally. Yes. Name a time.

Then she clicked over to Joe's chat, her fingers hesitating before she typed.

JULIA: Good morning, handsome. I couldn't get much else off my mind either. You're an incredible kisser.

A moment later, her phone buzzed.

JOE: I'm glad you think so, cause there's a lot more where that came from.

Julia smiled to herself.

Then another message popped up.

JOE: Meet me at our usual spot in a couple hours?

JULIA: I'd love to.

Her stomach flipped with excitement.

As she got ready, she couldn't shake the nervous energy buzzing through her. Every outfit she put on felt too much or not enough. After a few failed attempts, she settled on something casual but cute—high-waisted jeans and a soft, fitted sweater under her winter jacket. She put her hair up in a ponytail, adding just a touch of makeup.

Why did this feel like such a big deal?

By the time she arrived at the café, Joe was already there, leaning against the counter while waiting for their order. He was dressed in a dark jacket, a baseball cap pulled low, and sunglasses resting on top of his head.

When he saw her, a slow grin spread across his face. "There you are."

Julia's stomach fluttered. "Here I am."

They grabbed their drinks and pastries, settling into a quiet corner. At first, there was a little awkwardness—both of them feeling something shifting between them but unsure how to navigate it.