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That didn’t mean that he wouldn’t do his best to convince her. Tessa was like a habit he couldn’t quit. He had to have her.
He checked his reflection in the mirror before heading out. He had a stop to make before he showed up at the diner. Just a little something special for Tess. He wanted to show her exactly how special she was to him tonight, which meant going the extra mile.I would run over a hundred miles for her, he thought to himself as he smiled at his reflection.
Making his way down the stairs and out the door of Turn the Page, he headed west on Briar Road and walked into the only flower shop in town.
Wild Blooms was an appropriate name for the shop, as he was wanting something a little different for Tessa. He knew she loved daisies and the color yellow. It was why he had picked her up yellow daisies on their first date. But this called for something with an added touch of magic.
He gave the instructions to the florist, who hurriedly put together a simple yet exquisite bouquet. With a thanks and a generous tip to the florist, Daniel headed toward Lily’s with a song in his heart. This was it. This was their moment, and nothing could ruin that.
With an extra spring in his step and an aura of hope, he walked toward the diner. He couldn’t stop smiling the whole way there.
Chapter thirteen
Tessastrodethroughthedoors of Lily’s diner, ready to dig into a bacon cheeseburger and Daniel’s manuscript. She hadn’t stopped smiling since their phone call earlier. The way he had talked of her contributions had her nearly blushing. He obviously thought highly of her input, and it was something she had been craving since losing her book reviewer position—to know her voice on literature really mattered.
She was about to flag down Lily when she noticed that Daniel was already seated at their usual spot. With a smile, she joined him. To her surprise, her favorite meal—a bacon cheeseburger and a chocolate cheesecake milkshake—was already waiting for her. It was little things like that that made her realize that this thing with Daniel—it was different. He noticed the little things about her. He already knew her so well.
It wasn’t like she had done anything differently. Sure, she had been a little more open with him than with others. But she had never been one to create a false front. From the beginning, she had been clear with Daniel about who she was. And he seemed to appreciate that.
“Hey, running a little late, are we?” Daniel looked up at her with a smile.
It was then Tessa noticed that it wasn’t just their meals that were set on the table. There was also a beautiful bouquet. Yellow daisies, sunflowers, and roses were all tied up in a silver ribbon. It looked beautiful, sunny, and warm. Not only that, but every flower in the bouquet was safe for animals. Thoughtful—that’s what he was. He had considered everything.
She breathed softly as she sat down across from Daniel. “You didn’t have to do this.”.
“I know I didn’thaveto, but I felt like treating you. You have been such a great help on the book.” He hesitated, licking his lips. “And you have become really important to me, really.”
That caught Tessa off guard. It was candid, and it was direct. Neither was unheard of from Daniel, but this was vulnerable. This was something real. Not wanting to shy away from it, she reached across the table and gathered his hands in hers. “I feel the same way. About you, of course.” She said with a chuckle.
Daniel’s lips quirked up in a smile. “So, are you ready to read those final pages?” He reached down and pulled a stack of pages from the seat next to him, laying it down on the table between them.
Tessa was honestly itching to get her hands on the new pages. Daniel’s writing had flourished the last few weeks, and each new chapter he had shown her was brilliant. There was something about how he wrote his character now—so complex and full of life.
“Let’s see it, then.”
A light glimmered in Daniel’s eyes, and he pushed the pages toward her. “I think you’ll really like what I have done with the romantic subplot. There are some scenes that—I don’t know—really flesh out both characters, I feel.”
The next several hours were spent poring over the pages and discussing the tale. Tessa had to admit it was ramping up to a satisfying conclusion. She wanted to know where this story went, and she couldn’t deny that she also wanted to see where the story went with Daniel himself.
Sometimes it felt like the two of them were dancing around what was between them. They had talked in “maybes” for a while, but Tessa really wanted to see where this was headed. The more she thought about the relationship, the more it felt like it was leading somewhere important.
She had thought about the job offer more and more and realized that she no longer wanted it. That offer would lead her back to her old life. While it was glamorous and fun, her life here was meaningful and connected. It felt like her time in Lucas had changed her, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to go back to who she was before.
Slurping up the last of her milkshake, Tessa turned the last page. “This is brilliant. Like, really, truly brilliant. I can’t wait to see how you tie everything up in the end!”
Daniel’s cheeks colored as he slid the papers back toward himself. “Well, as I said, I think I have you to thank for a lot of it.”
Tessa waved away his words. “Psh. I was merely here to critique. You’re the one who put words to the page, and that is undoubtedly the most difficult part. What you’ve accomplished is remarkable. You should be really proud.”
“I—I am.” It seemed like it was a struggle for Daniel to actually say the words, but he smiled as he said them, all the same. “I have to say, though, the chapters have gone in a completely different direction than I had planned. But I think it works.”
Tessa nodded. “There issucha difference, but I think it suits the story.”
“Agreed.”
The two smiled at each other across the diner table for a moment, completely lost in each other. That is, until Lily broke in, walking up to the table with a pot of coffee in one hand.
“Dear, there you are!” She turned her bright smile to Tessa. “I was hoping you would stop by today. I have some delectable desserts that I am trying to decide between, and I thought you and your sweet tooth might be able to help a lady out.”
