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“See you tomorrow,” he said, barely containing his grin.
“See you.”
Alissa didn’t stop smiling the entire drive home.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
Alissa hummed to herself as she added a little extra cream into her coffee. She already knew she’d need a second cup at some point in the day once her happy buzz faded. Dane had occupied her thoughts all night, so she didn’t sleep much. All of their ideas for the magazine and talk about chasing dreams had her invigorated and ready to work on her novel despite the early hour.
She flitted around the kitchen, debating whether to grab a bite to eat yet, when Monica came downstairs.
“Good morning!” Monica said. “You beat me down here.”
“I did. I was just staring at the ceiling, waiting for an appropriate hour to get up, so I figured I’d just hop up and get the day started.” Alissa sipped her coffee. “I’m too amped up.”
“Is it because of your date?”
“Yeah.” Alissa grinned thinking about how easy it all felt, like she and Dane had clicked in a way they never had before. He had looked so handsome sitting across from her, his spring green eyes intent on hers as he listened. “It was perfect. We ended up talking until The Crab closed and we kissed.”
“That’s so exciting!” Monica pulled a big purple mug from the cabinet. “Are you going out again?”
“I’m not sure.” Alissa bit her bottom lip. “I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to be catching feelings right now. Plus he’s my boss, and even if this is a small town, that’s kind of unusual.”
“It seems like you’ve made a lot of changes lately but they’ve all been for the better. Falling for someone seems like just another good thing. And honestly, it’s not that weird to date your boss around here. You have a common passion that most people don’t have around here.”
“True!” Alissa cupped her mug with both hands, savoring the warmth. “It’s all so exciting, and so much all at once. Moving here, my job, Dane’s ideas, my book.”
Alissa had gotten up early before work most days to work on it, and she was excited to take her coffee upstairs to dive back into it again. She was three-fourths of the way through and loving it. Every time she looked out onto the ocean, new scenes popped into her head.
The sunrise was the most inspirational part of the day to her. It was as if the sailor and the siren were out there somewhere and she was just writing down how their relationship was unfolding.
“How’s your book going?” Monica opened the fridge and came out with cream.
“It’s great. I’ve already sent my old college professor the first half and she really liked it. She thinks she has a publisher in mind and knows some people there, so my manuscript will go to the top of the list once it’s done.”
“Wow, that’s incredible!” Monica put a touch of cream in her coffee and stirred it. “When do you think you’ll be done with the book?”
“Soon, if I keep going at this rate. I already know how the story is going to end, so I just have to stick the landing, so to speak.” Alissa topped off her coffee, then added more cream.
“We’ll have to do something for your book’s release!” Monica pushed her glasses up on her nose, looking past Alissa’s head. “A signing and an event. The library would be so perfect for that! And if it came out in the spring or summer, we could do something on the lawn. I’ve been meaning to do more events like that.”
“Whoa, slow down.” Alissa laughed. “I have to actually finish it. And while my professor thought I had a good shot, nothing’s been guaranteed yet.”
“I’ve read your writing forThe Outletand what you’ve told me of the story sounds amazing,” Monica said. “I just know you’ll be published. And I’m going to buy copies for each library in here and for the library in town.”
Alissa’s worries faded—Monica’s belief in her bolstered her confidence. Between her novel, the new magazine, and her feelings for Dane, a whole new world of opportunities was opening up for her. She had no idea where they were going to take her, but she was excited to find out.
* * *
Dane leaned back in his chair, putting a leg up on his desk the way he did when he was alone in the office. His phone burned a hole in his pocket, waiting to be looked at. Had Alissa texted him? It was only eight in the morning and they had ended their date less than twelve hours before.
He caved to his instincts and pulled his phone from his pocket. No texts, but he wasn’t disappointed. He opened a new one to Alissa, his thumbs hovering over the screen. She was going to be there in an hour, maybe less. Was texting overkill?
He really liked her. It had been ages since he’d been on a date where he went home feeling like he was walking on air. And he knew Alissa had a good time too, so he texted her. Why bother trying to hide the fact that you were into someone?
DANE: Hey, I had a nice time. Thank you for coming to dinner.
Response bubbles popped up immediately.
