They were best friends for years, sharing every secret except one. When Felix finally confesses his feelings, Josephine lets him down with a gentle lie: she's not interested in men. Heartbroken but determined to keep their friendship, Felix tries to...
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The morning sunlight streamed through the blinds of Josephine's office as she sat at her desk, staring intently at her computer screen. She was in the middle of designing a new advertising campaign for a client, her mind spinning with ideas as she pieced together images and catchy slogans. The hum of activity around her was comforting, but she couldn't deny that her thoughts drifted back to the dinner with Ryan the night before. The way he'd looked at her, the soft kiss they'd shared, and the excitement of calling each other boyfriend and girlfriend—it was all still fresh and vibrant in her mind, making her smile uncontrollably.
Her phone buzzed on her desk, pulling her from her thoughts. It was a message from Felix: "Hey, Jo! I need to take a rain check on apple-picking next weekend. I've got a date with this woman named Samantha. She seems really cool."
Josephine's heart leaped with excitement. She immediately texted back, "Oh my gosh! That's awesome! Don't even worry about it; I'm so happy for you! Tell me how it goes!"
Felix replies back with a squirrel giving a thumbs up.
Setting her phone down, she leaned back in her chair, letting out a relieved sigh. Felix was finally moving on. It was the best news she could hope for—she wouldn't have to keep up the "fake dating" lie with Larisa anymore to Felix anymore and she could just focus on her relationship with Ryan without worrying about Felix's feelings. Knowing he was putting himself out there made her genuinely happy. She could sense a weight lifting off her shoulders, and the sense of freedom was exhilarating.
The day passed in a blur of emails, meetings, and a series of small triumphs as she wrapped up her work. Later in the evening, she packed up her things, glancing at her watch. Ryan was still at his desk when she walked past his office on her way out. She tapped lightly on the glass door, catching his attention.
"Hey," she greeted, stepping inside. "Staying late again?"
He looked up with a tired smile. "Yeah, just trying to finish a project. But don't worry, I'll be out soon."
Josephine leaned in and kissed him lightly, savoring the sweet familiarity of it. "Don't work too hard," she teased. "See you tomorrow."
"Drive safe," he replied, his eyes lingering on her as she waved goodbye and left the building.
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After heading home to drop off her bag, she made a quick list and decided to do some grocery shopping. The evening air was brisk as she parked her car and headed into the local grocery store, grabbing a cart and strolling down the aisles.
She was mindlessly checking items off her list when she rounded a corner and accidentally bumped her cart into an older woman's. The woman's purse slipped off her shoulder and hit the ground, spilling its contents onto the tile floor.
