Sunlight filtered through the curtains of Lukas’s apartment, casting a warm glow across the room. Nina stirred awake, blinking against the soft light. She felt a comforting weight beside her and turned her head to find Lukas still asleep, his tousled hair falling across his forehead. A smile tugged at her lips as she recalled the previous night—the laughter, the shared memories, and the unspoken bond that had deepened.
Carefully, she shifted to sit up, trying not to disturb him. The soft couch creaked slightly beneath her, and she smiled at the sight of Lukas, blissfully unaware of her movements. Memories of their childhood flashed through her mind—lazy summer mornings spent lying on the grass, sharing secrets and dreams. It felt good to be in such familiar territory again.
Nina tiptoed to the small kitchen area, the smell of coffee wafting through the air as she prepared breakfast. She pulled out a couple of eggs and bread, feeling a warmth spreading in her chest as she recalled how they used to make breakfast together as kids.
As she cracked the eggs into the frying pan, the sound of sizzling filled the room, blending with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Just then, Lukas wandered into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
“Good morning, sleepyhead!” Nina chirped, trying to keep her voice bright.
“Morning,” Lukas mumbled, his voice still heavy with sleep. He leaned against the counter, glancing over at the stove. “Wow, it smells amazing! What’s cooking?”
“Just some eggs and toast. Nothing fancy,” she replied, grinning as she flipped the eggs in the pan. “I figured we should celebrate surviving another night together.”
“Surviving?” Lukas teased, a smirk growing on his face. “I thought we were thriving!”
Nina laughed, shaking her head. “Maybe ‘thriving’ is a bit strong, but we definitely had fun.”
“True. Last night was a blast,” he said, pouring himself a cup of coffee and taking a deep sip. He raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you trying to become my personal chef now?”
“Only if you promise not to burn anything,” she shot back playfully, turning to face him as she plated their breakfast.
“Hey, I was a master at making burnt toast,” he protested, crossing his arms in mock indignation. “It was an art form!”
“Right, an art form that involved setting off the smoke alarm,” she quipped, sitting down at the small table they had used as kids. “I think we were banned from the kitchen for a while after that.”
“Yeah, your mom wasn’t too happy about that,” Lukas said, chuckling. “I still remember her face when she walked in.”
“Pure horror,” Nina laughed. “I thought she was going to send us to culinary school just to save the kitchen.”
“Or to a fire safety course!” he added, grinning widely.
They shared a laugh, and Lukas took a seat across from her, digging into his breakfast. “This is really good, Nina. You’ve got skills.”
“Thanks! I’ve had practice since our kitchen disasters,” she replied, feeling a blush creep into her cheeks. “But I must admit, it’s more fun cooking with you than by myself.”
“Same here,” he agreed, a soft smile playing on his lips. “It’s nice to have someone to share the mess with.”
Nina raised her coffee cup. “To messes and memories!”
“Cheers to that!” he clinked his cup against hers, their eyes sparkling with shared joy.
“So, what’s the plan for today?” Lukas asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “Are we heading back to reality, or can we pretend we’re still on vacation?”
YOU ARE READING
Late to Love
RomanceLukas and Nina have been friends since school, always sharing a close bond that carried them through the years. Now in their late twenties, they both work at a magazine publishing company. Lukas as an editor and Nina as a creative director. Over t...
