Tessa

The night spun out like a dream.

People flooded the coffee shop — some familiar faces from the neighbourhood, a few from the art world (thanks to Lucy’s endless connections), even a journalist from a popular city blog.

They lingered at her photographs, marveled aloud at her colors, her emotion, her eye.

Every time someone asked about purchasing a print, Tessa felt like she might float straight out of her body.

And when the offers for future work started pouring in — brand collaborations, magazine spreads, even a local gallery asking for a meeting — she honestly thought she might cry.

She caught Graham watching her from the corner more than once — his arms folded across his chest, that small, rare smile pulling at his mouth.

Proud.

Steady.

Hers.

By the time the last of the guests trickled out, Lucy and Miles loaded up the leftovers, pressed kisses to her cheeks, and left her alone with him in the warm, glowing café.

The door clicked shut behind them, and silence bloomed.

Soft music still drifted from the speakers.
The string lights twinkled above.
Moose snored under one of the tables.

Tessa turned to find Graham wiping down the counter — unnecessary, mechanical — avoiding her eyes.

She crossed the room in slow steps, feeling the emotions stack higher and higher in her chest until she could barely breathe.

Without thinking, without second-guessing, she reached up, grabbed the front of his sweater, and tugged him down into a kiss.

---

Graham

It was clumsy at first — surprised, unsure — but then her hands slid up into his hair, and Graham’s brain flatlined completely.

He froze for a split second, stunned, before gently pulling away just enough to search her face.

“Tessa,” he rasped, voice frayed at the edges.
“You’re emotional right now. I — I don’t want you to think you owe me anything because of tonight.”

Tessa blinked up at him, beautiful and soft and real.

Her fingers tightened in his sweater.

“I’ve wanted to do that for a while,” she whispered.
“And tonight just felt… perfect.”

For a man who prided himself on logic, on caution — Graham made the quickest decision of his life.

He kissed her back — properly, fully — his hand cupping her jaw, anchoring her to him as if the world might tilt otherwise.

Tessa sighed into him, melting like she’d been waiting for this, too.

When they finally broke apart, he rested his forehead against hers, breathing hard.

“Be with me,” he said roughly.
“Not just… this. Really with me.”

Tessa laughed, a bright, shaky sound, and nodded.

“Was wondering when you were going to ask,” she teased.

He smiled against her skin — wide, unguarded.

“I’m new at this,” he murmured.

“Good thing I’m not,” she whispered back.

And right there, under the glow of the lights and the smell of coffee and the hum of everything that had been building between them since the moment she crashed into his world —

Graham Carter and Tessa Morgan stopped being mismatched strangers.

They became something stronger.
Something certain.