I had to officially turn in my resignation but I had been putting it off.
"Leaving this job, it's..." I trailed off, lost momentarily in the thought of abandoning the world I had worked so tirelessly to conquer.
"Scary," Thomas supplied, leaning against the doorframe, his presence an unspoken promise of support.
"Exhilarating," I corrected, the word tasting like freedom on my tongue. I signed the letter with a flourish, sealing my past and opening the door to our future.
"Let's toast to new beginnings," he suggested, pouring two cups of coffee from the flask he'd brought, the aroma of Caffeinated Bliss' signature blend filling the room.
"Only if we're using those hideous mugs Cole insists are vintage," I quipped, my heart lighter now that the decision was made.
"Hideous? They're collector's items!" Thomas feigned offense, handing me a mug adorned with a cartoonish reindeer wearing sunglasses.
"Collector's items for a blind recluse, maybe." My laugh danced around the room as I sipped the comforting warmth, finding solace in the familiar taste.
"Alright, let's get started," Thomas said, rolling up his sleeves. Together we huddled over my laptop, compiling lists of contacts and ongoing projects, intertwining our lives with every keystroke.
"Think anyone will notice if I recommend your cat Whiskers as my replacement?" I joked, blue eyes alight with mischief.
"Only if Whiskers can negotiate contracts like you—though he might be better at dealing with the rat race here." A smirk played on Thomas's lips as he helped organize me files.
"Touché," I said, tapping my nose, acknowledging his pun. I've drafted emails to all my clients explaining my departure."
"Think of all the new stories waiting for us in Amesbury." Thomas's hand found mine, grounding me once more.
"Stories where the protagonist doesn’t wear heels?" I mused, tilting my head.
"Flat shoes can be the heroine's choice footwear, too," he assured me. "Especially when she's walking through the winter wonderland that our town becomes every December."
"Or trudging through the mud come spring," I added, my tone equal parts sarcasm and sentimentality.
"Hey, mud can be romantic. Mud-fights, mud-pies..." He searched my eyes for the spark of adventure he loved so much.
"Only you could find the romance in dirt," I teased, but my heart swelled with affection for this man who could make even the mundane magical.
"Are you ready to send it?" Thomas nodded toward the resignation email, its cursor blinking in anticipation.
"Ready," I breathed out, pausing for just a heartbeat before clicking 'Send.' It was the click of finality, of farewell to skyscrapers, and hello to starlit skies.
"Look at that," he said, as a notification popped up confirming the email had been sent. "You've just set us on a path sprinkled with pine needles and lined with bookshelves."
"Sprinkled with pine needles and potential," I corrected, standing to wrap my arms around him. "I'm ready for our next chapter, Thomas."
"Me too, Felicity. Our everyday dreams await," he whispered, his embrace a prelude to all the tomorrows we would share.
"Everyday dreams," I echoed, the phrase a beacon guiding us home.
"Found something yesterday," he said, handing me a wrapped package with a flourish. "A little something to write our next chapter."
I peeled back the paper to reveal a leather-bound journal, its cover embossed with an intricate design of intertwined trees – their roots digging deep, branches reaching skyward. I opened it to find the pages filled with handwritten notes, sketches of Caffeinated Bliss, and snippets of poetry.
"Each page, a day we've dreamed of," Thomas explained, watching me. "From opening a bookstore to hosting literary nights under the stars. It's all there."
"Thomas, this is... it's us," I breathed out, voice thick with emotion. My fingers traced the contours of the dreams we'd woven together, my heart swelling with a sense of permanence that hadn't been there before.
"Every dream needs a home," he quipped, a twinkle in his green eyes.
I laughed, brushing away a tear that had dared to escape. "And you're quite the architect."