Sweet Encounters

Chapter 22

Adrienne

The morning light streamed through the large windows of my apartment, illuminating the space with a soft, golden hue. I blinked awake, stretching lazily in bed, still feeling the warmth of the blankets wrapped around me. The events of the previous night felt surreal; I had never expected my ex to show up like that.

Glancing at the clock on the nightstand, I realized I had a few hours before I needed to check in with my online classes. Colin was already up, moving around the kitchen as the smell of fresh coffee wafted through the air.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up, padding across the plush carpet toward the kitchen. "Morning," I said, trying to suppress a yawn.

"Morning!" Colin replied, turning to me with a smile that made my heart flutter. He looked handsome in a fitted gray shirt and dark jeans, his hair slightly tousled. "How did you sleep?"

"Better than expected," I admitted, pouring myself a cup of coffee. "Thanks for staying over."

"Anytime," he said, leaning against the counter with a relaxed demeanor. "I have to head to work soon, but I wanted to check in on you before I left."

I nodded, feeling a rush of gratitude for his kindness. "I'll be okay. I've got a lot of assignments to catch up on today, but I'll manage."

"Good," he said, his eyes warm as they met mine. "Just don't forget to take breaks. I don't want you burning yourself out."

I smiled at his concern. "I promise I will. What time do you have to be at the bakery?"

"Just in a bit," he replied, checking the time on his phone. "I need to leave in a few minutes, but I'll text you during the day."

"Please do," I said, my heart racing slightly at the thought of staying connected. "And I'll let you know how my studying goes."

After a few more moments of comfortable conversation, Colin grabbed his jacket and slung it over his shoulder. "I'll be back after my shift. Maybe we can grab dinner or something?"

"I'd like that," I said, feeling warmth spread through me. "Have a good day at work!"

He leaned down to give me a quick kiss on the forehead before heading toward the door. "See you later, Adrienne."

As the door clicked shut behind him, I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering tension from last night. With Colin gone, I knew I needed to focus. I made my way to the living room, where I had set up my laptop the night before, and opened it up.

The first few assignments were straightforward-discussion posts and reading assignments for my psychology class. I settled into the couch, sunlight filtering in, and started typing away, immersing myself in the coursework.

But as I dove deeper into my studies, my mind kept wandering back to Colin. The way he'd stood up for me last night, how effortlessly he made me laugh, and the connection we were building all felt like a dream I didn't want to wake up from.

I tried to refocus, but thoughts of Jake intruded-his sudden appearance, his anger, and the way he had tried to push his way into my life again. Shaking my head, I forced myself back to the task at hand.

A couple of hours passed, and I was surprised by how much I had accomplished. The assignments were starting to come together, and I felt a sense of accomplishment. Just as I was wrapping up my last discussion post, I heard my phone buzz on the coffee table.

Reaching for it, I saw a text from Colin.

"Hey, how's the studying going? Don't forget to take breaks! 😄"