Steal My Girl

1.

CHAPTER ONE
WESLEY
-

I met her in the summer, while attending a celebratory get together for one of my clients whom just recently finished building and furnishing the house I designed for him. This client was her older brother, building his and his newlywed wife's dream home, for them to start a family in. They invited me over for dinner, feeling that my work played one of the most important parts in fulfilling one of their biggest dreams, and they wanted to show their appreciation for that.

She was also in attendance, being she was family, after all. She seemed to have a close relationship with her older brother.

She was wearing a light coral sundress, with an allover ditsy floral print. Her long strawberry blonde hair was down in its natural waves, with one side pinned back in a white pearl decorated barrette. I couldn't refrain from admiring her every time she smiled, her perfectly straight teeth nearly as pearly white as the barrette.

After dinner, I stuck around to chat for a bit. I spent nearly the entirety of dinner building up the courage to introduce myself to her.

As I approached her, she shifted her focus from her phone screen, lifting her chin to look up at me, revealing the almost grey set of eyes that peered into mine.

"Wesley." I settled for a simple introduction, sticking my hand out for her to shake.

She quickly shut off her phone screen, shoving it into the small purse that hung off her shoulder.

She took my hand into hers, gently shaking it. Her hand was small and her palms were rather clammy, but I didn't mind. I sensed she felt anxious to be there, as I found I wasn't the only stranger to her that had been invited.

"I'm Macy. You're the... architect? Right?" She responded, still holding onto my hand.

I pulled back from the handshake, allowing both of our hands to fall to our sides. It flattered me that she paid enough attention to recognize who I was.

"Yes, I am the architect. This house turned out even more beautiful than I imagined when I was designing it. They did an immaculate job choosing paint schemes, and the furnishings make it all come together so well." I exclaimed, as my eyes scanned over the interior of the family room in which we'd been standing, conversing in.

"Mark and Jillian are so grateful for you. I know they had a long journey with designers of all sorts and you were the one who really understood their vision. You did an amazing job. It truly couldn't have been done without you."

She spoke with such gratitude, with the most sincere grin on her face. I admired that about her. She didn't need to be benefitted directly to find appreciation in the situation. Rather, the joy of her older brother was what brought her joy of her own.

I stuffed my hands in my pants pockets, with just my thumbs poking out. A grin of my own formed upon my face, hearing her sentiments towards my work.

"Well, thank you. I'm very pleased to have worked with such a wonderful family, all around. I'm excited for them and their journey with starting a family, too."

I spoke with her for a short while longer, mostly on the topic of the house and her brother's future plans.

When I left, I felt a sense of regret for not making an effort to get to know her, rather than sticking to the subject of her brother's successes. After all, I was only the architect, invited simply to show their appreciation for my work. It felt intrusive for me to try to work my way in with my client's sister.

At the same time, I felt sorrow thinking that would be the first and only time I'd ever see her. Though, boy, was I wrong.

-
2 MONTHS LATER
-

I was at a coffee shop, making my typical coffee run before heading to a consultation for another home project. I decided on a whim to try a new coffee shop, after one of my neighbors had spoken so highly of it.

I had some time to spare, given the consultation wasn't for another hour, so I decided to sit at a booth and enjoy the ambience. I was working out finishing touches on a previous house design using a software on my laptop, when I caught glimpse of a figure in my peripheral.

At first, I thought nothing of it. I figured it may have been someone passing by or perhaps a server stopping to clean a table beside me.

"Wesley?" A feminine voice sounded, the figure backtracking to return to my peripheral view.

The voice sounded familiar, but not one I was all too familiar with, not enough to recall the name without first seeing the face. When I shifted my focus from my laptop to the female figure standing beside my booth, my heart may have skipped a beat.

I didn't expect to see her there.

"Macy! Good morning!" I exclaimed, closing my laptop to allow her my undivided attention.

She was smiling ear to ear, radiating pure joy.

"You remember me! It's been awhile. Mind if I sit?" She requested, pointing towards the empty booth across from me, with the hand that was free of a mug.

"Be my guest."

She set her mug down on the table between us, before taking a seat in the booth opposite from me. She then slid her purse off of her shoulder, setting it in the booth beside her, tucked between her and the wall.

"What are you drinking?" She asked me, motioning towards my already half empty mug.

"Oh, just a dark roast. Couple of sugars. How about you?"

"Vanilla chai made with oat milk and a couple packets of stevia. I try to avoid sugar and dairy. Of course I'm making myself look good this morning but I'm not the best at sticking to it." She chuckled.

She picked up her mug, swirling it around a few times before taking a small sip.

"Hey, you're doing better than I am." I praised her, watching as she placed her mug back on the table.

"So how is business? I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Her eyes trailed down to my laptop as she referenced the evident reason I had it out in front of me.

"Oh, no, you're fine. I was just working on a house that isn't due to start construction for another few months. Business is going good. I have another consultation here in a bit, just thought I'd kill some time."

I raised my wrist to peer at my watch. The time read 9:27 AM. My consultation was set to start at 10:00.

Macy took another sip of her tea, that time holding the mug between both of her hands afterwards. I presumed it was to warm them. It was October in Ohio. The weather was already beginning to get a little chilly.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that. Oh! I have exciting news to share with you!" Her eyes lit up upon the thought of said exciting news.

"And what is that?" I asked her, curious to hear what she had become so excited for.

"My brother's expecting. Jillian's pregnant!" She beamed.

I raised my eyebrows in shock that it happened so soon, but I found myself sharing Macy's excitement.

"Oh, wow! That is great news! They will have a little baby running around that beautiful house in a couple years time."

"Babies." She subtly corrected me, wiggling her eyebrows up and down as she took yet another sip of her chai latte.

"Babies?" I questioned, grasping onto her hint, though I needed her to reaffirm to be sure I understood correctly.

"Mhm," she hummed, prior to swallowing a mouthful of tea, "they're having twins."

"That is... amazing." I struggled to come up with the words to express my excitement for her brother, Mark, and his wife, Jillian.

I chatted with Macy as long as I could, before I ultimately had to head out to make it to my consultation on time.

"See you around." I said to her, as we parted ways with a short embrace.

That time, I felt it was more likely I'd see her again. I still didn't have the courage to ask for her number, but I told myself I'd turn that coffee shop into my new go-to, and I'd let fate allow us to run into each other another morning or few, if it's meant to be.