Chapter 20 – Closer Than Yesterday

Saturday morning arrived with sunlight spilling through Emma's bedroom window.

For the first time all week, she woke without feeling like someone had replaced her head with a brick.

She stretched cautiously.

No dizziness.

No chills.

No pounding headache.

"...Finally."

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand.

Daniel: Feeling better?

A smile appeared before she could stop it.

Emma: Much better.

A few seconds later—

Daniel: Coffee?

Emma stared at the message.

Normally, that would have been an easy yes.

But after spending almost a week sick, the thought of getting dressed and going out suddenly felt exhausting.

She glanced around her apartment instead.

It wasn't perfect.

Architecture books were stacked on the coffee table. A blanket was still draped over the couch from the previous night. Half-finished building models occupied one corner of the dining table.

It felt... like home.

Her fingers moved before she had time to second-guess herself.

Emma: I don't really want to go anywhere today. Would you... want to come over instead?

The typing bubble appeared.

Disappeared.

Appeared again.

Daniel: I'd like that.

Emma stared at the screen.

Then buried her face in her pillow.

"...Why am I nervous?"

-

A little after seven that evening, the doorbell rang.

Emma took one last look around the apartment before opening the door.

Daniel stood there in dark jeans and a charcoal sweater, one hand tucked into his coat pocket while the other held a reusable grocery bag.

She blinked.

"...What's all that?"

"I wasn't sure what you'd feel like eating."

He held up the bag.

"So I bought options."

Emma peeked inside.

Pizza.

Potato chips.

Chocolate ice cream.

Sparkling water.

Her favorite gummy candies.

She looked back at him.

"...How do you know these are my favorites?"

"You told me."

"I did?"

"The day we stopped at the convenience store after the museum."

Emma frowned, trying to remember.

"...I don't even remember saying that."

"You said sparkling water tasted better than soda."

"I did."

"You also said chocolate ice cream fixes almost everything."

She laughed.

"I talk too much."

"I don't think you do."

Her smile softened.

"You remember everything, don't you?"

"Most things."

She stepped aside.

"Come in."

-

"You have a nice place."

Emma looked around the apartment.

"It's tiny."

"It feels like you."

She laughed.

"You said that last time."

"I meant it last time too."

She shook her head, smiling as she took the pizza boxes into the kitchen.

Daniel slipped off his shoes and followed her inside.

The apartment wasn't luxurious.

It wasn't even particularly tidy.

There were sketchbooks stacked beneath the coffee table, pencils scattered beside the couch, and tiny cardboard buildings sitting on every available shelf.

It looked lived in.

Creative.

Comfortable.

He liked it immediately.

-

Dinner disappeared surprisingly quickly.

Emma discovered Daniel liked pineapple on pizza.

"I can't believe this."

"What?"

"You seem so normal."

"I am normal."

"No."

She pointed accusingly at his slice.

"Normal people don't willingly choose pineapple."

Daniel took another bite.

"I disagree."

"You've just become significantly less attractive."

"That's unfortunate."

"It really is."

He smiled.

"You still invited me."

"...I regret everything."

"You don't."

"I don't."

She laughed before stealing a slice straight from his plate.

Daniel watched her with quiet amusement.

"That's mine."

"It was."

"You have your own."

"I like yours better."

"Scientifically?"

"Emotionally."

He nodded thoughtfully.

"I'll allow it."

-

The movie started twenty minutes later.

Emma curled up on one end of the couch beneath a blanket.

Daniel sat beside her, leaving enough space that their shoulders didn't quite touch.

By the middle of the film...

They did.

Neither of them moved.

Halfway through, Emma reached into the popcorn bowl balanced between them.

So did Daniel.

Their fingers brushed.

Emma looked up.

"...Sorry."

"You apologize a lot."

"I know."

"You don't have to."

She smiled sheepishly before taking another handful of popcorn.

A few minutes later, she laughed so suddenly at one of the scenes that she accidentally leaned against him.

She immediately sat upright again.

"Oh my God."

"What?"

"I just..."

She gestured awkwardly.

"...fell on you."

"I noticed."

"You should've said something."

"I didn't mind."

Her cheeks warmed.

"I'm beginning to notice that."

-

One movie became two.

The pizza boxes were empty.

The ice cream container sat forgotten on the coffee table with two spoons still inside.

Outside, the city had gone quiet.

Emma glanced at the clock.

"...It's almost midnight."

Daniel followed her gaze.

"I should probably head home."

The words surprised both of them.

Neither seemed particularly happy to hear them.

Emma walked him to the front door.

She rested one shoulder against the wall while he slipped on his shoes.

"I had fun."

"So did I."

A comfortable silence settled between them.

Neither reached for the doorknob.

Daniel looked at her.

"I'm glad you invited me."

Emma smiled.

"I didn't want to go out."

"I'm honored you wanted me here instead."

She rolled her eyes.

"You always know exactly what to say."

"I don't."

"You really do."

She looked at him for another second.

Long enough to notice the way his eyes softened whenever he smiled.

Long enough for her heartbeat to become impossible to ignore.

Daniel stepped closer.

Not enough to corner her.

Just enough that she could catch the faint scent of cedar from his cologne.

He gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

His fingertips barely grazed her skin before he leaned in and pressed a warm kiss against her cheek.

The same gentle kiss he'd given her outside her apartment a week earlier.

When he pulled away, Emma caught the sleeve of his sweater before he could take another step.

He looked down at her hand.

Then back at her.

"What is it?"

She swallowed.

"You kissed me last time."

"I did."

"I think..."

A nervous laugh escaped her.

"...it's my turn."

Daniel's smile was small but unmistakable.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

Emma stepped closer.

She meant to kiss his cheek.

She was absolutely certain that had been the plan.

But when Daniel turned toward her at the same moment, their lips met instead.

Both of them froze.

For one impossibly long heartbeat, neither moved.

Emma's eyes widened.

"I..."

Daniel smiled, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't think either of us is sorry."

Before she could answer, he closed the remaining distance.

One hand settled gently against the middle of her back, drawing her close until only a breath separated them.

His other hand lifted to cradle the side of her neck, his thumb resting lightly beneath her jaw.

His hands were large enough to make her feel completely enveloped.

Steady.

Protective.

Strong.

Yet his touch remained impossibly gentle, as though he was giving her every chance to pull away.

She didn't.

Instead, her fingers curled softly around the front of his sweater as she leaned into him.

Their second kiss was slow.

Unhurried.

It wasn't about urgency.

It was about finally allowing themselves to stop pretending they hadn't been falling for each other for weeks.

Everything outside Emma's apartment seemed to disappear.

The quiet hum of the refrigerator.

The traffic several floors below.

Even time itself.

When they finally drew apart, neither of them moved very far.

Their foreheads rested together.

Emma let out a tiny, breathless laugh.

"...I definitely wasn't aiming for your cheek."

Daniel smiled.

"I had a feeling."

She hid her face against his shoulder with a groan.

"I'm never going to recover from this."

He laughed softly, one arm wrapping around her just enough to hold her close.

"I hope you don't."

For the first time since they'd met, Emma realized she wasn't wondering whether Daniel felt the same way anymore.

She already knew.