Gemotions

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as Liam waited for Chloe at their usual spot, a quaint little café near the park. He fiddled with the strap of his messenger bag, his pulse quickening with each passing minute. He'd rehearsed the opening line of his story about the museum exhibit a dozen times in his head, just hoping it would come out right. He'd been wanting to tell her about it all week. Chloe walked in, a vision in a sunshine-yellow dress, and the words evaporated from his mind. He practically stammered a greeting, his cheeks flushing. “Hey,” he breathed, watching as she sat down, the sunlight catching in her hair. He knew he'd believed her stories about her work at the ‘consulting firm,’ but today, he’d overheard a conversation revealing a very different, and quite less impressive, reality.

He found himself staring at the way her lips curved into a smile as she told him about her day. He listened, captivated, barely registering the details of her life. The world seemed to shrink, focusing solely on the warmth emanating from her.