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I tossed and turned in bed, but sleep would not come. I felt a rush of creative energy I hadn’t experienced in a long time. I hurried to my desk, opened my laptop, and pulled up the manuscript for Tides of Memory.
My fingers flew across the keyboard as words poured out of me. It was as if a dam had burst, and my emotions flooded the page. I wrote about love, loss, joy, hope - all the feelings I’d kept bottled up came rushing to the surface.
I’d struggled to find inspiration in the past, often staring blankly at the screen as doubts and insecurities clouded my mind. I feared I didn’t have any original stories to tell. But tonight, the words flowed effortlessly for the first time in forever.
The evening’s conversations had sparked fresh story ideas and created the perfect fodder for the settings and characters in my book. Alexander had reignited my passion for life, and my passion for writing. For the first time in forever, I couldn’t type fast enough to keep up with the creativity surging through me.
I became lost in my writing; the hours slipping by unnoticed. It was liberating to channel everything I was experiencing into my work. As my fingers flew across the keyboard, I felt like I was in a trance; the words pouring directly from my heart onto the page.
All the nostalgia, excitement, and romantic tension found expression through my prose. Memories of my childhood days spent on the beach with my father washed over me as I describedthe seaside setting. My nervous energy around Alexander emerged through my characters’ flirtatious banter. And the simmering attraction between us translated into passionate scenes between the hero and the heroine.
Writing became an outlet for the whirlwind of emotions inside me. With each new chapter, I was capturing this magical time in my life. My manuscript was becoming a tangible record of falling in love.
My eyes grew heavy as I finally finished another chapter. I saved my work and closed the laptop, a content smile lingering. As I drifted off to sleep, my mind replayed highlights from the evening - Alexander’s smile, our flirtatious banter, the tenderness of his kiss. This influx of inspiration was just what I needed to embrace my fresh start and continue my journey of self-discovery. Morning would come soon enough, but for now, I savored the magic of this night.
Chapter 12
I arrived at the office with a spring in my step, eager to see Alexander after our intimate dinner last night. But when I got to my desk, his office was dark and empty. A pang of disappointment hit me. Was he avoiding me after that tender kiss goodnight? Had I misread his signals?
My overactive imagination started spiraling with self-doubt, but I tried to shake it off and focus on my work. As I reviewed the potential ad copy for The Secret Garden of the Stars, my mind wandered back to Alexander. How his blue eyes crinkled when he laughed, how he looked in his jogging gear on the beach...
Around mid-morning, Lucia popped her head into my office. “Morning, Etta! I forgot to say - no morning meeting on Wednesdays. Alexander had to head up to Santa Rosa for his regular weekly appointment.”
I let out an internal sigh of relief. Of course, his absence had nothing to do with me. Lucia gave me a perceptive glance, like she could read my thoughts.
“So, how was your dinner last night?” she asked with a playful lilt.
“It was nice. We just did some brainstorming about upcoming projects.” I tried to sound nonchalant.
“Mmhmm...” Lucia wasn’t buying it, but she just smiled. “Well, I’ll let you get back to work. Let me know if you need anything!”
After she left, I shook my head and laughed softly to myself. Lucia didn’t miss a thing. I dove back into the layouts, my earlier worries subsiding.
I decided to head over to Whisper of Pages, eager to tell Marla all about my dinner with Alexander. The cozy bookshop immediately enveloped me in its familiar comfort as I walked in.
“Etta!” Marla called out from behind the counter. “Back again so soon?”
I greeted her with a hug. “I can’t stay away! It’s going to be my new happy place.”
Marla’s eyes lit up mischievously. “Sooo...a little birdie told me you had dinner at Casa D’Oliva last night with a certain silver fox publisher...”
I laughed, not even surprised that the word had already spread. “Remind me never to trust Carolyn with any secrets.”
Marla waved her hand. “Oh please, we live for gossip in this sleepy town. Now spill!”
Over cups of chamomile tea, I told Marla about my intimate dinner with Alexander. She listened eagerly, letting out little gasps and squeals at all the romantic details.
“Etta, that’s so exciting!” she exclaimed. “I know you two will make the cutest couple.”
I blushed deeply at the thought. “I mean, it was just one dinner...” But even as I said it, I knew my feelings for Alexander ran much deeper than that.
Marla passed me a knowing look. “Mmhmm...well, I expect to get all the updates on this budding office romance!”
I laughed and promised I would keep her filled in.
As Marla and I chatted over tea, she suddenly perked up. “Oh! I have something to show you.” She led me over to a cozy nook near the back of the shop, where a new display featured classic romance novels.
“I set this up yesterday,” Marla said, gesturing to the book table. “It’s some of my favorite romantic tales through the ages.”
