THREE

Julia woke the next morning feeling surprisingly relaxed.

For a few blissful moments, she simply lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling with a faint smile. It had been a long time since she’d woken up without the weight of responsibilities pressing down on her shoulders.

She couldn’t quite explain why she felt so at peace.

Maybe it was because, while she was here, she didn’t have to think about the endless problems waiting for her outside these walls. There were no business worries, no family expectations, and no thoughts of the future she had been trying so hard to avoid.

Just peace.

Smiling to herself, she pushed those thoughts aside.

Instead, she found herself looking forward to seeing Craig.

The mere thought of him made her heart flutter with excitement. At the same time, a hint of nervousness crept in. She couldn’t help wondering if he would be in a good mood after everything he had shared with her the night before. Opening up about such a painful chapter of his life couldn’t have been easy, and she hoped she hadn’t unknowingly made him relive memories he would rather forget.

With a quiet stretch, Julia climbed out of bed and made her way into the bathroom. She searched the cabinet for a spare toothbrush but found none, so she settled for using the mouthwash instead. After washing her face, she reached for a clean towel and gently patted her skin dry.

Only then did her reflection catch her attention.

She was still wearing Craig’s oversized T-shirt.

Without realizing what she was doing, she lifted the fabric to her face and took a slow breath.

It carried the faint scent of his cologne, and somehow, it made her smile.

Julia lowered the shirt, staring at herself in the mirror with growing confusion.

What is happening to me?

She had never felt anything like this before.

Ever since meeting Craig, she had found herself thinking about him far more than she should. She wanted to hear his voice, make him smile, and spend more time with him. More than that, she found herself wishing she could be there through both his happiest moments and his darkest ones.

The realization made her heart skip a beat.

Could this really be love?

She immediately shook her head.

No… it can’t be.

Or… could it?

Finally, Julia let out a small sigh and pulled herself away from the bathroom mirror.

There was no point standing there overthinking feelings she couldn’t even make sense of.

She decided the best thing to do was to stop thinking about them altogether.

Maybe seeing Craig would help distract her.

With that thought in mind, she stepped out of the room and made her way to the living room. To her surprise, it was empty.

“He must still be asleep,” she murmured to herself.

For a brief second, the thought of waking him crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed it.

That would be rude.

Besides, she didn’t even know which bedroom belonged to him.

Julia couldn’t help laughing softly at herself.

What is wrong with me this morning?

Ever since she’d opened her eyes, her thoughts had been all over the place, and somehow, every single one of them seemed to lead back to Craig.

Shaking her head with an amused smile, she decided the best way to quiet her restless mind was to keep herself busy.

“I’ll just make breakfast,” she said to herself. “I hope he doesn’t mind.”

She made her way into the kitchen and soon busied herself preparing breakfast.

A few minutes later, she heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

She turned around.

Craig stood in the doorway.

He was dressed simply in a grey T-shirt and a pair of jeans. His hair was still slightly damp, making it obvious he had just finished showering. The light stubble along his jaw was just as neatly trimmed as it had been the night before, and his striking blue eyes somehow seemed even brighter this morning.

Julia couldn’t take her eyes off him.

No matter how many times she looked at him, she couldn’t help thinking he was incredibly handsome.

He really did look like the charming prince she’d teasingly compared him to the night before.

A small pang tugged at her heart.

By this time tomorrow, she’d probably be back to her normal life…

…and she might never see her prince charming again.

Then another thought quietly slipped into her mind.

Or would I?

That, she realized, was entirely up to her.

“Julia, is that you?” Craig called, turning his face toward the sound of movement in the kitchen.

For reasons she couldn’t explain, the simple question tugged at Julia’s heart.

Seeing him instinctively searching for her, knowing he couldn’t see where she stood, filled her with an overwhelming sadness. More than anything, she wished he still had his sight.

“Yes,” she replied softly. “Good morning.”

The words came out strained, her voice wavering ever so slightly.

Craig frowned.

“Are you alright?” he asked, concern evident in his voice.

Julia quickly blinked away the tears threatening to spill.

“I’m fine,” she said, clearing her throat before forcing out a small laugh. “I’m just cutting onions. Gosh… they really sting.”

Craig accepted her explanation without questioning it.

“You really shouldn’t have gone through the trouble,” he said kindly. “I was planning on making breakfast for both of us.”

Julia turned to him in surprise.

“You cook?”

A small smile appeared on Craig’s face.

“Yes, I do.”

He slowly made his way to the breakfast bar and settled onto one of the stools with practiced ease.

“I live here by myself,” he continued. “I had to learn how to do a lot of things on my own. I didn’t want to become a burden to anyone.”

His words made Julia’s smile fade for a brief moment.

There it was again.

That guilt.

That quiet determination to never inconvenience anyone.

She wished he didn’t have to think that way.

Trying to lighten the mood, she grinned.

“Well, in that case, I guess I really impressed you with last night’s dinner.”

Craig let out a soft chuckle.

“You certainly did.”

He smiled warmly.

“Believe me, it was delicious. I could eat it every day and never get tired of it.”

Julia stared at him, momentarily speechless.

Was he serious… or was he just trying to make me feel better?

Either way, hearing those words from Craig made her happier than she cared to admit.

His compliments made her feel special.

And if she was being completely honest with herself…

She could listen to that rich English accent of his all day without ever getting tired of hearing it.

“If you’d like,” Craig said, “I could teach you the few meals I know how to make.”

Julia’s eyes lit up.

“Really?”

He nodded with a smile.

“Of course.”

“I’d love that.”

The thought of spending more time with him made her happier than she expected.

“So,” Craig asked, “what are you making for breakfast?”

Julia couldn’t help smiling.

“I’m surprised you’re even asking.”

Craig tilted his head thoughtfully for a second before a look of realization crossed his face.

“Sandwiches,” he said with a laugh. “Right… I completely forgot.”

Julia burst into laughter, and soon Craig was laughing along with her.

The kitchen, which had once felt unfamiliar, was now filled with warmth and easy conversation.

___

After breakfast, Julia returned to the guest room to freshen up.

She stepped into the bathroom to turn on the shower, allowing the water to warm up before walking back into the bedroom.

As she reached for the hem of Craig’s oversized T-shirt, she hesitated for a brief moment.

She had grown surprisingly attached to it.

It was soft, comfortable… and somehow, wearing it made her feel close to him.

Reluctantly, she pulled it over her head and laid it neatly on the bed.

Dressed only in her underwear, she was about to head back into the bathroom when she heard a knock at the door.

Before she could answer, the door slowly swung open.

Craig stepped inside, carefully holding a neatly folded set of her freshly washed clothes in one hand and a new toothbrush in the other.

Julia’s eyes widened.

Instinctively, she crossed both arms over her chest, her face flushing a deep shade of red.

Craig, completely unaware of the situation, remained standing near the doorway.

“Julia?” he called gently.

She didn’t dare make a sound.

Please don’t come any closer…

She held her breath, silently praying he wouldn’t realize she was standing only a few feet away.

When no answer came, Craig called again.

“Julia?”

Craig took a few careful steps toward the bathroom before suddenly stopping.

The faint sound of running water reached his ears.

A small smile crossed his face.

“She must already be in the shower,” he murmured to himself.

Not wanting to disturb her, he quietly changed direction and made his way toward the bed instead. Feeling his way carefully, he gently placed her neatly folded clothes and the new toothbrush on top of the bedspread.

Without making another sound, he turned around and walked out of the room, softly closing the door behind him.

The moment the door clicked shut, Julia let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

“Oh, thank goodness,” she whispered, pressing a hand against her racing heart.

That had been far too close.

She couldn’t even imagine how embarrassing it would have been if Craig hadn’t been blind. The thought alone made her cheeks burn.

After taking a moment to calm herself, she walked over to the bed.

Her eyes immediately fell on her clothes.

They were freshly washed, neatly folded, and smelled clean.

She blinked in surprise.

He washed them?

A warm feeling spread through her chest.

She hadn’t even noticed they were missing.

When did he take them?

He must have quietly collected them sometime after she’d changed the previous evening, washed them, and even remembered to get her a toothbrush.

The realization made her smile.

Craig really was one of the most thoughtful people she had ever met.

Her smile lingered for another moment before she shook her head at herself.

You can admire him later, her subconscious teased. Right now, you should probably take your shower before another awkward situation finds you.

Julia laughed softly.

“I think that’s a very good idea.”

Picking up her clothes and toothbrush, she hurried into the bathroom, making sure to lock the door behind her this time.

Once she was fully dressed, Julia made her way back to the living room.

The moment she stepped inside, she realized Craig wasn’t alone.

Standing beside him was a young man with dirty blond hair styled into short spikes, striking blue eyes, and sharp, well-defined features. He was undeniably good-looking.

For the briefest moment, his appearance reminded her of Jeremy.

A shiver ran down her spine.

Just the thought of Jeremy was enough to drain away the happiness she’d been feeling all morning.

He was her reality.

Craig… wasn’t.

No matter how much she enjoyed being here, she couldn’t keep pretending the life waiting for her outside this house didn’t exist.

She needed to stop letting herself get carried away.

Ever since she’d arrived, Craig had occupied almost every one of her thoughts.

“Julia?”

Craig’s voice gently pulled her back to the present.

She blinked and looked toward him.

“Are you alright?” he asked, concern immediately creeping into his voice.

Only then did Julia realize she had been standing there in silence, completely lost in her thoughts.

Both Craig and the stranger were looking at her with worried expressions.

She offered them an apologetic smile.

“Yeah… I’m fine. Sorry, I guess I zoned out for a moment. I just had a lot on my mind.”

Craig tilted his head slightly.

“Is it something you’d like to talk about?”

The genuine concern in his voice warmed her heart.

She shook her head with a reassuring smile.

“No. It’s nothing you need to worry about. Really.”

Craig remained quiet for a second before giving a small nod.

“If you say so.”

He didn’t press any further, and Julia silently appreciated that.

“This is my best friend, Tyler,” Craig said, gesturing toward the young man beside him. “The one I’ve been telling you about.”

Tyler stepped forward with an easy smile and extended his hand.

“It’s nice to meet you.”

Julia smiled back as she shook his hand.

“Nice to meet you too. I’m Julia.”

“Craig told me about what happened with your car last night,” Tyler said. “He asked me to bring a mechanic with me this morning, so that’s exactly what I did.”

Julia’s face brightened with gratitude.

“Thank you so much. I really needed that.”

Tyler chuckled.

“No problem at all. Besides, when Craig asks for a favor, I know it’s usually important.”

Julia couldn’t help smiling.

It was easy to see why Craig valued Tyler’s friendship so much.

From their brief conversation, Julia realized Tyler wasn’t English like Craig. His American accent made that obvious.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Tyler introduced her to the mechanic he had brought along.

Together, they headed to the spot where Julia had left her car, and the mechanic immediately got to work inspecting it.

Since there was nothing they could do but wait, the three of them returned to the house.

Over mugs of hot chocolate and a plate of cookies, the conversation flowed effortlessly.

Tyler shared a few funny stories, Julia found herself laughing more than she had in weeks, and every now and then Craig would join in with a quiet remark that somehow made them laugh even harder.

Time slipped by without any of them noticing.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Julia wasn’t thinking about work.

She wasn’t worrying about her father’s company.

She wasn’t thinking about Jeremy.

She was simply… happy.

It amazed her how one unexpected night had introduced her to two genuinely kind people.

Perhaps her car breaking down hadn’t been such terrible luck after all.

Almost an hour later, the mechanic finally finished repairing her car.

When it came time to pay, Craig insisted on covering the cost before Julia even had the chance to protest.

“You’ve already done enough,” she said.

“Besides, I have my cards with me.”

Craig simply smiled.

“Then you can save them for another day.”

Julia couldn’t help laughing softly.

She was grateful for his kindness.

Once Tyler and the mechanic stepped outside to make sure everything was ready, Julia and Craig found themselves alone in the living room once again.

She looked around the room that had felt so unfamiliar the night before.

Now…

…it somehow felt difficult to leave.

“Craig,” she began softly, “thank you for letting me stay here.”

A gentle smile appeared on his face.

“You’re an angel.”

Craig chuckled.

“I think you’re giving me far too much credit.”

“No,” Julia said with a sincere smile. “I’m not. You welcomed a complete stranger into your home, took care of me, helped me with my car, and made me feel comfortable from the moment I arrived.”

She lowered her eyes for a moment.

“I’ll never forget your kindness.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” Craig replied warmly. “I only did what I hope anyone else would have done.”

He paused before adding with a small smile,

“And… I really enjoyed your company.”

Julia felt warmth spread across her cheeks.

The admission made her heart flutter.

She had enjoyed every moment she had spent with him too.

Taking a quiet breath, she gathered the courage to ask the question that had been on her mind ever since she’d realized she would be leaving.

“Craig…”

He turned his attention fully toward her.

“Yes?”

She hesitated for only a second.

“Would it be alright… if I came to visit you whenever I’m free?”

The question hung gently in the air between them.