***
Tess
The great thing about being an entrepreneur was that I could work from anywhere. Today, I’d chosen the new store as headquarters. Well, what would eventually become the new store. Right now, it was still empty, except for the sofa, which had been delivered that morning. I was sitting on it, replying to emails in between feeling up some new fabric samples. We didn’t have internet yet, so I was using my phone as a connection hot spot.
I didn’t just come here for the quiet—I wanted to get used to the vibe of this place.
It still seemed a little surreal that Skye and I were already opening our second store, that everything was going so well for both of us. We had about a trillion things that needed to be done in the next two months, but we were used to the hustle.
Once I decided on my favorite fabrics, I placed an order with the supplier. I got up from the couch and started stretching a little, because my shoulders were stiff. Midway through my stretching routine, I saw a delivery guy dressed in dark-blue in the window display. He waved at me, and I immediately headed to the door, opening it.
“Ms. Tess Winchester?”
“Yes.”
“I have a lunch delivery for you.”
I recognized the restaurant immediately. Oh wow. But why would they send me one? And how did they know where I was?
I tipped the delivery boy generously and hurried back to the couch. I spread the napkin covering the basket on the couch, clapping my hands at the sight of all the goodies: freshly baked bread, a selection of cheese and ham, and peach marmalade.
I pressed a hand to my stomach, overcome with giddiness. I couldn’t even wrap my mind around it, but...had Liam sent this? He had to; there was no other explanation.
I was so excited that I barely managed to keep still enough to text him a pic of the basket.
Tess: Did you send this?
His answer came right away.
Liam: Of course I did. How many others know that peach marmalade is your favorite?
He remembered! I thought maybe the restaurant had just included it as a standard package.
Tess: Thanks! This is the perfect lunch. Why did you send it?
Liam: So you know I’m thinking about you :)
I grinned at the screen before hugging the phone to my chest. I couldn’t believe he’d actually written that! Or sent me the basket.
This day had already started great, but it was only getting better. My heart gave a mighty sigh while I wolfed down the food. I’d never dated anyone who treated me like this.
After finishing everything, I placed the empty basket strategically in the middle of the room so I could see it while typing at my laptop. It totally made this empty space happy. Yeah, most people laughed at my notion of happy or sad spaces, but it was just something I felt. I couldn’t explain it. And this one definitely had happy vibes; it just looked a bit abandoned without any furniture in it.
The best part was that after the opening, our offices would actually be here. This layout had two back rooms, and both had windows. We were putting desks in one, and the other would be a storage room. Possibly we’d turn it into a workshop too, but we decided to wait until the room was ready to see if we were inspired while inside it or not.
God, I was so happy that I wasn’t even sure what to do with myself. I moved myself lower on the couch, putting one of the fluffy pillows over my face and grinning into it.
My phone chirped with an incoming message. I moved the pillow, peeking at the screen with one eye.
Liam: How was your lunch?
My heart wasn’t just sighing now; it was downright giddy.
Tess: Delicious.
Liam: Anything left over?
Tess: Not one bite.