Unexpected Love

3.

Liv sat curled up in her cozy reading nook, a cup of chamomile tea steaming beside her. Her tiny house was warm and inviting, filled with the scent of vanilla candles and the soft rustling of turning pages. Outside, the evening had settled in, with crickets chirping and a gentle breeze rustling the trees.

She was halfway through a new romance novel when her phone buzzed on the small table beside her. Liv reached for it absentmindedly, expecting a notification about a book sale or a message from a friend. But when she saw the name on the screen, she paused, her heart skipping a beat.

Stanley Pines.

The man she'd met at the bookstore earlier that day. He was charming in a rough-around-the-edges way, with that old-school vibe she found intriguing. His smile had been warm, and his humor—though a bit cheesy—had made her laugh. She hadn't expected to hear from him, though.

Curiosity piqued, Liv opened the message:

Hey Liv, it's Stan from the bookstore. Great talking to you today. Maybe we could grab a coffee sometime and chat more about books?

Liv smiled, a warm feeling spreading through her chest. It was a simple message, nothing too forward, but still sweet. Her initial reaction was to reply right away, but then she hesitated, her thumb hovering over the keyboard.

He seemed nice—really nice. But nice guys didn't always stay nice once you got to know them. And there was something else that gnawed at the back of her mind. What if he's married? He hadn't mentioned anything about a wife or kids, but that didn't mean he wasn't taken. She didn't want to be the kind of person who got in the way of someone else's relationship.

Liv bit her lip, torn between her attraction to Stan and her need to be cautious. She was no stranger to disappointments, and she didn't want to set herself up for another one. But then again, maybe she was overthinking it. It was just coffee, after all.

After a few moments of consideration, Liv decided to respond, but with a bit of guardedness:

Hi, Stan! It was great talking to you too. Coffee sounds nice, but I have to ask—are you married or in a relationship? Just want to make sure

She read the message over a couple of times before hitting send. It felt a little forward, but she needed to know. Better to be safe than sorry.

As she set the phone down, Liv returned to her book, though her mind was far from the story. She wondered what Stan's answer would be and if she was opening a door to something wonderful—or something complicated.

_________

Stan reclined in his armchair, staring at his phone. He hadn't expected Liv, to respond so quickly. When the notification chimed, he nearly dropped his phone in surprise. With a mixture of excitement and nervousness, he opened her message, expecting a simple reply.

Instead, the words on the screen made him pause:

Hi, Stan! It was great talking to you too. Coffee sounds nice, but I have to ask—are you married or in a relationship? Just want to make sure

Stan blinked at the screen, reading the message again to make sure he hadn't misread it. His brow furrowed as he processed her question. Married? He wasn't sure whether to be flattered or insulted. Did he really look that old to her? Sure, he was in his 50s, he had some gray hair and a few wrinkles, but married?

He scratched his chin, thinking it over. It wasn't the first time someone had mistaken him for being settled down, especially with how he looked after Mabel and Dipper. But it still caught him off guard.

"Do I really look like a guy who's married?" he muttered to himself, glancing at the old mirror across the room. He saw his reflection staring back at him—a little rough around the edges, sure, but not bad for his age. At least, that's what he told himself.

Stan considered how to respond. He didn't want to come across as defensive, but he also didn't want to miss out on the chance to spend more time with Liv. Besides, it was a good sign that she was cautious—meant she wasn't jumping into things blindly.

He started typing his reply:

Hey Liv, nope, not married or in a relationship. Just me and my old shack. But I appreciate you asking—shows you're careful, and I respect that. So, how about that coffee?

Stan reread the message, feeling satisfied with it. He hit send and leaned back in his chair, a grin spreading across his face. Sure, he might not be a spring chicken anymore, but he still had plenty of charm left. And if Liv wanted to know more about him, he was more than willing to share—over coffee, of course.

____________

Liv had tried to immerse herself in her book, but her mind kept drifting back to the message she sent Stan. She felt a little silly for asking such a blunt question, but it was important to her. The last thing she wanted was to get involved with someone who wasn't available.

When her phone buzzed again, she quickly set her book aside and picked it up, her heart beating a little faster. Stan had replied:

Hey Liv, nope, not married or in a relationship. Just me and my old shack. But I appreciate you asking—shows you're careful, and I respect that. So, how about that coffee?

Liv couldn't help but smile. There was something reassuring about his straightforwardness. He didn't seem bothered by her question at all—in fact, he seemed to appreciate it. And the mention of his "old shack" made her chuckle. It sounded so much like him.

Feeling a bit more at ease, she typed her response:

Thanks for understanding, Stan! I'd love to grab coffee sometime. There's a cute little café downtown that I think you'd like. When are you free?

She hit send and sat back, feeling a warm flutter in her chest. This felt like the beginning of something... interesting. Stan was different from anyone she'd met before, and she was curious to see where this could go.

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I don't know why but doesn't this chapter feel rushed?

Like sorry if it seems like that😭

Any feedback is welcomed

-Lanii🤍