Gage busied himself in the kitchen, expertly brewing a fresh pot of coffee. Nicole sat at the counter, watching him with interest. As he worked, she asked him a question, her voice casual.
"Have you ever done it with your girlfriend?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Gage looked up, a hint of surprise on his face. "What?" he repeated, his voice low.
Nicole's smile was mischievous. "Sex," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Gage's expression turned thoughtful, and he nodded slowly. "Yes," he said, his voice measured. "Why, haven't you been with your boyfriend?"
Nicole's laughter was sudden and unexpected. "No, I am not going to sleep with anyone like this," she said, her voice firm. "I want to do it with someone I feel comfortable with, someone I trust."
Gage's eyes narrowed slightly, his expression intrigued. "Oh, so you're looking for someone special," he said, his voice low.
Nicole shook her head, her hair rustling softly. "No, not at all," she said, her voice firm. "I'm just looking for the right man. I'm not looking for someone special. In fact, I don't want to get married, but yes, I want to have sex."
Gage's laughter was deep and rich, filling the kitchen with a warm, joyful sound. "You're looking very desperate," he teased, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Am I safe?"
Nicole's face turned bright red with embarrassment, and she slapped his shoulder playfully. "Shut up, Gage," she said, laughing.
Gage grinned, handing her a steaming cup of coffee. "Here's your coffee," he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
Nicole took a sip, her eyes closing in appreciation. "Hmm, nice coffee," she said, her voice soft. "You're right, you do make very good coffee."
Gage smiled, looking pleased with himself. "I told you," he said, his voice smug.
As they sipped their coffee, Gage turned to Nicole with a thoughtful expression. "Well, I need your help too," he said, his voice low. "I need someone to help me arrange the books in my little library."
Nicole's eyes lit up with interest. "Okay, by the way, I love books," she said, her voice enthusiastic.
Gage's smile was warm. "Maybe that's why we're good friends," he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Writer and reader, a perfect match."
Nicole laughed, feeling a sense of connection with Gage. "Of course," she said, smiling.
Nicole's eyes scanned the bookshelf, her fingers trailing over the spines of the books. She stopped at a familiar title, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Hey, this is the book of the same anonymous author," she said, turning to Gage. "Are you also his fan?"
Gage looked up from the book he was arranging, a hint of surprise on his face. "How do you know that?" he asked, his voice low.
Nicole's smile was radiant. "I love his poems very much," she said, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "He writes very beautifully. There's some magic in his poems."
Gage's expression turned thoughtful, and he raised an eyebrow. "By the way, you're praising another writer in front of one writer," he said, his voice tinged with amusement.
Nicole's laughter was musical. "Why are you jealous?" she teased, her eyes sparkling with mirth.
Gage's smile was warm. "No, I'm not," he said, his voice low. "But I have to admit, I'm a bit curious. You haven't read anything written by me so far, so how can you praise someone else's work?"
Nicole's grin was mischievous. "When your book is completed, I'll be happy to read it," she said, her voice playful.
Gage's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. "When my book is completed, I'll give it to you in the first copy," he said, his voice filled with promise.
Nicole's eyes lit up with excitement. "Thank you very much," she said, her voice sincere.
As they stood there, surrounded by books, Nicole's thoughts turned to the anonymous author. "Well, I don't understand why the author wants to keep his name anonymous," she said, her brow furrowed in puzzlement. "He can be very famous. His writing is very unique."
Gage's expression turned thoughtful. "Maybe he likes a life of anonymity," he said, his voice low.
Nicole's eyes widened in surprise. "People do so much to be famous, and the one who has so much talent still doesn't want to come in front of the world," she said, her voice filled with incredulity. "He should come in front of everyone and show what he is."
Gage's smile was gentle. "Everyone has their own choice," he said, his voice soft.
Nicole nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Yes, you're right," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I have to go. Your work is also over."
Gage nodded, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled. "Okay, see you later," he said, his voice low.
Nicole smiled, feeling a sense of connection with Gage. "Sure, bye," she said, her voice soft. With a wave, she turned and left, leaving Gage to his books and his thoughts.
As the days went by, Nicole and Gage's friendship continued to blossom. They spent countless hours together, exploring the city, trying new restaurants, and engaging in deep conversations. Their connection grew stronger with each passing day, and they found themselves feeling more and more comfortable around each other.
Ashley, who had been observing their friendship from the sidelines, couldn't help but notice the strong bond between Nicole and Gage. One day, as they were all hanging out in the living room, Ashley turned to Nicole with a mischievous glint in her eye.
Ashley walked into the living room, where Nicole was sitting on the couch, scrolling through her phone. Ashley plopped down beside her, a curious expression on her face.
"You and Gage seem to be getting along really well," Ashley said, raising an eyebrow.
Nicole looked up from her phone, a hint of a smile on her face. "Yeah, we do," she said, nodding. "We have a lot in common."
Ashley's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I can see that," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You two are practically inseparable. Friends are not usually that close, Nicole."
Nicole shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "We just click, I guess," she said, trying to downplay the situation.
Ashley leaned in, her voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "Then why don't you lose your virginity with him?" she whispered, her words sending a flush to Nicole's cheeks.
Nicole's eyes widened in shock, and she quickly looked around the room to make sure no one was listening. "Shut up, Ashley!" she hissed, her face burning with embarrassment.
Ashley burst out laughing, her eyes shining with mirth. "Oh, come on, Nicole! I'm just joking!" she exclaimed, holding her sides as she laughed.
Nicole's face remained red, but she couldn't help but laugh along with Ashley. She playfully rolled her eyes and shook her head, trying to brush off the embarrassing moment.
****
The beautiful summer day, casting a warm glow over the lush green gardens where the wedding ceremony was taking place. The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers, and the soft chirping of birds could be heard in the distance.Nicole, looking stunning in her white wedding gown, stood at the entrance of the aisle, her father's hand holding hers. She took a deep breath, her eyes shining with happiness, as she prepared to walk down the aisle to meet her groom, Gage.She began her walk, all eyes turned to her, and a collective gasp of admiration filled the air. Nicole's father, beaming with pride, smiled at her, and she smiled back, her eyes sparkling with joy.As she made her way down the aisle, Nicole's gaze swept across the crowd, taking in the familiar faces of friends and family. Her eyes landed on Mr. Harrison, Gage's father, who was sitting in the front row, a huge smile spreading across his face.Nicole's heart swelled with affection as she looked at Mr. Harrison.
Nicole felt a wave of disappointment wash over her as she hung up the call with Mr. Harrison. She had been hoping that he would know where Gage was, that she could finally talk to him and make things right. But now, it seemed like she was back to square one.She walked over to a nearby bench and sat down, feeling defeated. She buried her face in her hands, trying to process her emotions. Why did she always have to make things so complicated? Why did she always have to push away the people she loved?As she sat there, Nicole's mind began to wander back to Gage.She suddenly remembered something that made her heart skip a beat. She quickly grabbed her bag and stood up, her mind racing with possibilities. Without hesitation, Nicole walked back into the airport.****The sun was setting over the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the small island that Gage owned. The island was a private sanctuary, a place where Gage could escape the chaos of the world and find solace in nature. And
The plane taxied down the runway; Nicole's mind was a whirlwind of emotions. Gage's words from the book kept echoing in her mind, reminding her of the depth of his love for her. She couldn't shake off the feeling that she was running away from something precious, something that could have been hers if only she had realized it sooner.The thought of Gage giving his heart to her, and now, unknowingly, giving her a part of himself through their baby, was almost too much to bear. Nicole felt a pang of guilt and regret, wondering how she could have been so blind to Gage's feelings.Suddenly, she stood up, her movements abrupt and decisive. The flight attendant, caught off guard, hurried over to her. "Ma'am, please sit down. We're about to take off."But Nicole didn't listen. She grabbed her bag and began to walk towards the exit, her eyes fixed on the door. The flight attendant tried to stop her, but Nicole pushed past her, determined to get off the plane."Ma'am, you can't just get off th
Nicole stepped down from the stairs, her eyes fixed on the floor as she made her way to the front door. Her dad, sister, and Lucas were all standing in the living room, watching her with a mix of sadness and understanding.Ashley walked towards her, concern etched on her face. "Nicole, do you really want to go?" she asked, her voice soft.Nicole nodded, her eyes welling up with tears. "I need to go, Ash," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Now that Mom is gone, this house just feels empty. I'm not used to being here without her. I need to get out of here and start fresh somewhere else."Her father, Henry, walked towards her, his eyes filled with compassion. "We understand, baby," he said, his voice gentle. "We'll miss you, but we understand that you need to do this."Nicole's eyes overflowed with tears as she hugged her father tightly. It was a moment of closure, a moment of healing, and Ashley couldn't help but feel a sense of joy seeing her sister and father reunited like
Nicole stepped up to the microphone, her eyes scanning the crowd of mourners gathered to pay their respects to her mother. She took a deep breath and began to speak, her voice calm and steady."My mom was an incredible woman," she started, her words echoing through the silence. "She was a great wife, a great mom, and a great person. She had every opportunity to leave us, to start a new life after our dad left. But she chose to stay with us, to raise us on her own, and to give us the best life possible."Nicole's voice cracked slightly as she spoke, but she continued, her words pouring out from the heart."As a daughter, I have to admit that I failed my mom. I never understood her, I never appreciated her sacrifices, and I never thanked her enough for everything she did for me. She always put Ashley and me first, always prioritizing our needs above her own. And yet, I repaid her by being selfish, by running away from her when she needed me most."Nicole's tears began to fall, streaming
The doctor emerged from the room; Nicole and her father stood up, their hearts racing with anticipation. They walked towards the doctor, their eyes fixed on his face, searching for any sign of hope.But the doctor's expression was grim, his eyes cast downward. He seemed to be struggling to find the words to say."Doctor?" Nicole asked, her voice trembling with anxiety. "What's going on? How's my mom?"The doctor didn't respond, his silence hanging in the air like a heavy weight."Doctor, please," Nicole asked again, her voice growing more urgent. "Tell me what's going on. Is my mom okay?"The doctor still didn't respond, his eyes fixed on the floor.Nicole's anxiety turned to desperation, and she reached out and grabbed the doctor's collar, her hands shaking with fear."Tell me!" she demanded, her voice hoarse with emotion. "What's going on with my mom?"Her father intervened, gently prying Nicole's hands off the doctor's collar."Nicole, honey, stop," he said, his voice calm and soot