After Jack left, a faint sense of loneliness settled inside the office. My computer screen was open, the papers lay in front of me, yet I couldn't focus on any of them. Even though my fingertips brushed against the keyboard, I couldn't press a single key. My mind was stuck on the lunch we had hours ago, on our laughter, and on that mysterious warmth in his eyes.
It felt as though my heart was wandering around in the open; its rhythm out of order, keeping its own strange tempo. I turned my gaze to the coffee cup on my desk. It was still warm. I rolled it between my hands, and as I stared inside, I felt as if I wasn't looking at coffee but at the minutes I had spent with him. Someone I hadn't even known just a few hours earlier was now at the very center of my thoughts. It seemed strange to fall this quickly, but to be honest… I hadn't felt like this in a long time. My heart had been quiet for so long. Now it was lively, fluttering like an excited child.
The chime of a message on my phone broke through those sweet thoughts. I looked at the screen. It was Jack. My heart raced again.
"Thank you for today. I never thought my first day would turn out this good. I owe you."
I closed my eyes for a moment. A smile appeared on my lips without me even realizing it. It was such a simple, yet so genuine message… it warmed me from the inside out. I thought for a moment about what to write back. I didn't want to form long sentences. Just something simple and sweet.
"It was unforgettable for me too. If lunch replaced coffee, then you owe me nothing. 😊"
The moment I hit send, a little wave of panic hit me. Was I too sincere? Would it be misunderstood? But it was too late now. I didn't need to hide my true feelings, did I?
It was almost a quarter past five. I finished the final checks of the day, organized the files. As I shut down my computer, his voice was still in my head. The way he said "Miss Emily" echoed in my ears. His voice wrapped each word in such a gentle way. I closed my drawer, grabbed my coat. I gave myself a quick glance in the mirror. My eyes were shining. And in that moment I knew… I was already under his spell.
By the time I hit the road, the sky was beginning to darken. As that melancholic yet peaceful evening air wrapped around the city, the radio started playing one of my favorite songs. The lyrics seemed to echo the feelings within me. I looked out the window; the traffic was almost gone. The night's coolness slowly drifted into the car, while inside me, a strange warmth spread.
When I got home, I changed and stood by the window. The city lights were slowly coming on. People were carrying the weight of the day back to their homes, while I stood alone, taking a long walk into myself. My heart whispered gently:
"It could be him… he could be the one to change your life."
That thought unsettled me. Maybe what I feared wasn't trusting someone, but believing in someone again.
I glanced at my phone once more. Silence. No message. But just as my fingers hovered over the screen, a new notification popped up. My heart skipped in a brief rush of panic. It was Jack again.
"Tomorrow, I want to greet you with coffee. If you'll accept…"
So short, so simple… yet with a sincerity that touched my heart in every word. The sentence circled through my mind several more times. I smiled. Then my fingers began typing almost on their own:
"I'm already looking forward to tomorrow morning, Mr. Jack."
I don't know if a star fell across the sky in that moment, but inside, I had already made a wish.