The morning after the wedding was a stark contrast to the lively chaos of the night before. The hotel lobby was subdued, the remnants of celebration lingering only in the faint scent of flowers and the soft rustle of staff tidying up. Jacob sat in a corner of the hotel café, his black coffee cooling as he stared at the untouched breakfast on his plate.
Last night felt like a blur—a mix of laughter, heartfelt speeches, and the magnetic pull of Diana Philips. The memory of her voice, her smile, and the way she'd stood beside him, even for brief moments, left him feeling both invigorated and unsettled.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of heels clicking against the tiled floor. Looking up, he saw Diana walking into the café, a leather satchel slung over her shoulder and a pair of sunglasses perched on her head.
Diana: (spotting him, smiling) "Well, look who's up early. I half expected you to sleep through breakfast after last night."
Jacob: (grinning) "Good morning to you too. Coffee helps."
She slid into the seat across from him, setting her bag down with a soft thud.
Diana: "You're not eating much. Rough night?"
Jacob: (shrugging) "Just thinking. About work, life... weddings."
Diana: (raising an eyebrow) "Weddings, huh? You're not one of those people who start planning their own after attending one, are you?"
Jacob chuckled, shaking his head.
Jacob: "No, not quite. But last night did remind me how rare it is to see something so genuine."
Diana's smile softened, her teasing demeanor giving way to something more thoughtful.
Diana: "It was a good night, wasn't it? Claire and Thomas deserve that happiness."
Jacob: "They do. Your speech, by the way—it was perfect."
Diana: (mock bowing) "Thank you, thank you. Years of sibling banter prepared me well."
As their conversation flowed, the waitress came by, refilling Jacob's coffee and bringing Diana a cup of tea.
---
Diana: (after a pause) "So, Jacob Daniels, what's next for you? Back to your high-powered meetings and late-night emails?"
Jacob: "That was the plan. I have a flight this evening."
Diana: "Ah, the glamorous life of business travel. Any room for adventure in that packed schedule of yours?"
Jacob hesitated, her question hitting closer to home than he expected.
Jacob: "Not as much as there should be. What about you? What happens after your sister's big day?"
Diana: (sipping her tea) "Back to the gallery. My life's not as glamorous as yours, but I like it. It's steady. Predictable."
Jacob: (curious) "The gallery? What do you do there?"
Diana: "I'm the curator. Art has always been my escape, and now I get to live in that world every day. Not a bad gig."
Jacob nodded, intrigued.
Jacob: "Art and business don't often cross paths, but maybe they should. Sounds like you've found your calling."
Diana: (grinning) "Or maybe I just got lucky."
Their easy banter was interrupted by the sound of a child's laughter. Turning, they saw Claire and Thomas entering the café, their arms linked and faces glowing with post-wedding joy.
Claire: (spotting them) "Diana! There you are. And Jacob, good morning."
Jacob: "Morning. Congratulations again, you two."
Thomas: (smiling) "Thanks, man. Diana told me you helped keep her sane last night. Appreciate that."
Diana: (rolling her eyes) "Don't inflate his ego, Thomas. He'll never let me live it down."
Claire: "Well, whatever you did, Jacob, thank you. Diana can be... intense sometimes."
Diana: "Excuse me?"
The group laughed, the camaraderie between siblings and new friends palpable.
---
After breakfast, the four of them parted ways, but not before Claire pulled Diana aside.
Claire: (whispering) "He seems nice."
Diana: (pretending not to understand) "Who?"
Claire: "Don't play coy, Diana. Jacob. You haven't smiled like that in ages."
Diana: (sighing) "He's just... different. But he's leaving tonight, so it doesn't matter."
Claire: (grinning) "If you say so. But maybe it's time you let something unexpected happen for once."
Diana didn't respond, but her sister's words lingered as she watched Jacob walk toward the elevator, his briefcase in hand.
---
Later that afternoon, Jacob stood by the hotel entrance, waiting for his cab. The thought of boarding his flight, returning to the grind, felt heavier than usual. As he checked his watch, a familiar voice called out behind him.
Diana: "Leaving already?"
Jacob turned to see her standing there, the sunlight catching her dark hair.
Jacob: (smiling) "Duty calls."
Diana: "Well, if you ever need a reason to slow down, the Philips family is pretty good at hosting memorable weddings."
Jacob chuckled, his grip tightening on his suitcase.
Jacob: "I'll keep that in mind."
They stood there for a moment, the unspoken words between them as tangible as the warm breeze.
Diana: "Safe travels, Jacob."
Jacob: "Take care, Diana."
As he climbed into the cab and it pulled away, Jacob couldn't help but glance back at her through the window. Something about this trip—about Diana—had shifted his perspective in a way he couldn't yet define.
And as Diana watched the cab disappear down the street, she felt the faintest stirrings of hope, a reminder that sometimes, even fleeting connections could leave lasting impressions.
The cab ride to the airport was quieter than Jacob had anticipated. His fingers drummed absently on his knee, his thoughts far removed from the stream of traffic outside. The city streets blurred past, yet his mind was tethered to the events of the past few days. He could hear Diana's laughter, see the way she tilted her head when she was lost in thought, and recall the quiet, unexpected moments they'd shared.
His phone buzzed with an email, snapping him back to the present. Another reminder about the looming meeting he was headed toward. He opened the email out of habit, skimming its contents, but his attention didn't hold. For once, the urgency of deadlines and presentations didn't feel as pressing as they usually did.
At the airport, he moved through the check-in process with mechanical precision. As he waited near the gate, Jacob sat with his notebook open on his lap, a pen loosely gripped in his hand. The pages were blank. His thoughts were too scattered, though not with business.
The buzz of his phone pulled him from his reverie. A message lit up the screen from an unknown number.
Unknown Number: Don't forget to enjoy your coffee without overthinking everything. Safe flight! - Diana.
Jacob stared at the screen, surprised and, for some reason, strangely amused. The corners of his mouth lifted into a small smile. He could picture her writing the message—probably with that calm, confident demeanor of hers, though perhaps with a hint of playfulness.
Without hesitating, he typed a reply.
Jacob: "Thanks for the reminder. I'll try my best. Take care of that gallery of yours."
He reread the text twice before sending it. Was it too casual? Too formal? He shrugged and hit send anyway.
---
Back at the hotel, Diana sat cross-legged on a terrace chair, her phone still in her hand. The soft evening light bathed the city skyline before her. Jacob's message made her chuckle softly. It wasn't like her to send a random text to someone she'd only just met, but something about Jacob had lingered with her.
Claire, carrying two glasses of iced tea, stepped onto the terrace. She stopped mid-step, her eyes narrowing playfully.
Claire: "Okay, spill. Who's making you smile at your phone like that?"
Diana: "No one important. Just Jacob. He's thanking me for wishing him a safe flight."
Claire: (setting the glasses down and raising a brow) "Jacob? Mr. Business Meetings and Black Coffee? You're texting him?"
Diana: "It's not like that."
Claire smirked, sitting across from her sister.
Claire: "Oh, I'm sure it's not. But you're texting. Which means you're thinking about him."
Diana rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her iced tea.
Diana: "It's just polite conversation. Not everything has to mean something, Claire."
Claire leaned back in her chair, feigning innocence.
Claire: "You're right, of course. But... sometimes it does."
Diana didn't reply, though her gaze lingered on her phone.
---
Days passed, turning into weeks. Jacob and Diana's occasional texts became more frequent. At first, their conversations were simple—updates about work, light jokes, and the occasional sarcastic comment. But as time went on, their messages grew longer, deeper.
Jacob found himself glancing at his phone during meetings, waiting for her name to appear on the screen. Diana, in turn, found herself laughing aloud at his quips or pausing mid-day to read his thoughts about some article or anecdote he'd shared.
One evening, Diana sent him a message that made him laugh aloud in his hotel room.
Diana: Guess who just spilled red wine all over an exhibit's centerpiece. Hint: not me, but I have to fix it.
Jacob replied immediately.
Jacob: "I need more details. Was it a client? An artist? Tell me everything."
Diana: "It was a very apologetic client. And let's just say the centerpiece was... expensive. My week just got more interesting."
Jacob: "Sounds like you've earned another breather. If I were there, I'd bring you coffee. Black, as usual."
Diana paused, rereading his reply. Her lips curved into a smile she couldn't quite hide. She typed a quick response.
Diana: "If you're offering, I won't say no."
---
A few days later, Jacob sat at his desk, his calendar open on the screen. Meetings filled nearly every day, but one weekend caught his attention. A rare two-day gap. Before he could overthink it, he opened his flight app and booked a ticket back to Diana's city.
As he hit "confirm," he picked up his phone and sent her a message.
Jacob: "Hypothetically, if I were free this weekend, would your gallery be open for a tour?"
The reply came almost instantly.
Diana: "Hypothetically, if you showed up, I might be able to clear my schedule for a coffee tour instead."
Jacob grinned at her words. He leaned back in his chair, a feeling of anticipation stirring in him.
For the first time in a long time, he found himself looking forward to something entirely unrelated to work.