Tessa

Tessa was editing a batch of engagement photos when the knock came.

Moose bounded to the door, tail wagging.
Tessa tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and padded over, swinging it open.

Graham stood there, one hand shoved deep into his pocket, the other balancing two coffees and a folder.

He looked…weirdly nervous.

“Morning,” he said gruffly.

Tessa smiled. “Morning. What’s all this?”

He shifted, awkward.
“I…uh. Thought you could use some coffee. And maybe some help.”

Tessa blinked. “Help?”

He handed her the folder, almost bashfully.
“I put together a basic accounting system for you. Business expenses, invoice tracking, tax deductions…stuff you should have. If you want it.”

Tessa opened it, scanning the neatly organized pages.

Her heart twisted.

No one had ever done something like this for her.
No one had looked at her dream and thought how can I help make it last?

She swallowed around the lump rising in her throat.

“This is…Graham, this is incredible,” she said, voice a little wobbly.
“I wouldn’t even know where to start with all this.”

He shrugged like it was nothing, but his ears were pink.
“It’s not a big deal.”

“It is to me,” Tessa said, hugging the folder to her chest.

Graham shifted again, then cleared his throat.

“Also…there’s something else.”

Tessa raised an eyebrow, amused.
“You’re full of surprises today.”

He gave a half-smile.

“One of my clients — big commercial real estate firm — they need a photographer for a series of promotional campaigns. Property shoots, branding materials, all that.”

Tessa’s mouth dropped open slightly.

Graham continued, tone careful.
“I told them about you. Showed them some of your work. They loved it. They want to hire you.”

Tessa stared at him, stunned.

“You…recommended me?”

He nodded once. “You’re good, Tessa. They’d be lucky to have you.”

She blinked rapidly, trying to keep it together.
Nobody back home had believed in her this way.
Not like this.

She set the coffee and the folder down, took a breath — and launched herself at him.

Graham caught her, grunting a little, but his arms came around her immediately.

Tessa laughed into his chest.
“You’re the best grump I’ve ever met,” she mumbled.

He chuckled, low and warm, his hand smoothing down her hair.

“Glad to be of service,” he murmured.

When she tilted her head up to grin at him, he dipped his head slightly — and for one electric second, it felt like he might kiss her.

Might finally, finally cross that invisible line between almost and everything.

But instead, he brushed his thumb along her jaw, tender.

“We’ll get you set up right,” he said quietly.

Tessa leaned into his touch, heart hammering.

Maybe she hadn’t just stumbled into a new city.

Maybe, just maybe, she had stumbled right into her future.