Two more days passed.
The rhythm inside Evermere had become so natural that neither of them questioned it anymore.
Breakfast was quiet.
Alexander disappeared into the study shortly afterward.
Malissa spent most of her mornings in her room, refining her portfolio, updating her business profile and sending applications whenever she came across opportunities that interested her.
The rejection from two days earlier still lingered somewhere at the back of her mind.
Not painfully.
Simply as a reminder that the road ahead would probably be longer than she had hoped.
Even so, she refused to let it discourage her.
Every application she sent felt like one step closer to the life she wanted.
By late morning, she finally closed her laptop.
Her shoulders protested from sitting in one position for too long.
Stretching her arms above her head, she decided a break was long overdue.
Lunch sounded like a good idea.
Alexander sat near the large windows overlooking the gardens, a laptop open before him and a cup of coffee resting beside a stack of reports.
For once, he hadn't taken the work upstairs.
The kitchen welcomed her with streams of warm sunlight pouring through the large windows.
Outside, the gardens swayed gently beneath the breeze.
The peaceful view almost made it easy to forget the uncertainty waiting beyond Evermere's gates.
She opened the refrigerator, gathered a few ingredients and began preparing a simple lunch.
Nothing elaborate.
Just enough for herself.
As she reached for one of the spice jars, she realized it had been placed on the highest shelf of the cabinet above.
She frowned.
"I don't remember putting you all the way up there."
Standing on her toes, she stretched as far as she could.
Her fingertips barely brushed the bottom of the jar.
"So close..."
She tried again.
Still nothing.
One more attempt.
She let out a defeated sigh.
Without warning, another hand reached past her.
Long fingers wrapped easily around the jar before lifting it from the shelf.
At the same moment, her own fingertips brushed lightly against his.
It lasted less than a second.
Neither of them reacted.
Alexander lowered the jar into her hands.
"You should've asked."
His voice remained as calm as ever.
Malissa turned quickly.
"I didn't want to disturb you."
His expression remained unchanged.
"You wouldn't have."
For some reason, the answer caught her slightly off guard.
Perhaps because it had been said so simply.
As though the idea of her being a disturbance had never crossed his mind.
She looked at the jar now resting safely in her hands.
"Thank you."
He gave a small nod.
"You're welcome."
For reasons she couldn't explain, she didn't immediately move away.
Perhaps because this was the closest they had ever stood to one another.
Until now, she had always seen Alexander from across a dining table, inside the study doorway or moving through the house with effortless purpose.
Standing this close felt...
Different.
He was taller than she had imagined.
Much taller.
The top of her head barely reached his shoulder.
She had never considered herself particularly short.
If anything, she had always thought of herself as average.
Yet standing beside him made the difference unmistakable.
The sunlight spilling through the kitchen windows softened the sharp lines of his face.
He wore a cream cashmere knit sweater with a relaxed fit and a short zip neckline left slightly open, revealing the white shirt beneath. Paired with dark trousers that looked more comfortable than formal, the outfit carried the same quiet elegance he seemed to wear as effortlessly as everything else.
There was nothing particularly extravagant about what he wore.
Yet somehow it still suited him perfectly.
His dark hair looked slightly less disciplined than it usually did, as though he had absentmindedly run a hand through it while working.
His features remained composed.
Strong jaw.
Straight nose.
Calm eyes that carried their usual quiet confidence.
It struck her then.
Rather unfairly...
Alexander Marquez was very handsome.
Not in the loud, attention-seeking way magazine covers often portrayed successful businessmen.
There was simply something quietly striking about him.
Something difficult to ignore.
Before she realized she had been looking for too long, Alexander stepped back.
The moment disappeared as naturally as it had arrived.
"I'll leave you to it."
He turned toward the coffee machine.
Malissa blinked.
"Oh... right."
She cleared her throat and returned to the vegetables waiting on the chopping board.
A few moments later, the familiar sound of coffee brewing filled the kitchen.
She found herself smiling faintly.
"You really like coffee."
Alexander glanced briefly in her direction.
"I do."
"How many cups a day?"
"It depends."
"On?"
"The day."
She laughed softly.
"That's not really an answer."
"It usually is."
She shook her head, amused despite herself.
"I don't think I'll ever understand coffee."
"You don't have to."
"I've tried."
"And?"
"It still tastes bitter."
"It grows on you."
"I'm not convinced."
Alexander poured the coffee into his mug.
"You don't need convincing."
She looked at him over her shoulder.
"You're giving up already?"
"I've learned not everyone can be persuaded."
She smiled to herself.
That sounded exactly like him.
Quiet.
Simple.
Certain.
He picked up his mug.
"Enjoy your lunch."
"You too."
He left the kitchen without another word.
Malissa watched him return to his work before turning back to the stove.
The silence no longer felt uncomfortable.
If anything...
It had become strangely familiar.
Outside, clouds drifted lazily across the afternoon sky.
The house remained peaceful.
Evermere had developed its own quiet rhythm over the past month.
One built on routines neither of them had planned.
Later that afternoon, Malissa returned upstairs with another completed section of her portfolio.
She smiled with quiet satisfaction.
There was still plenty of work ahead.
Still more applications to send.
Still more opportunities waiting somewhere beyond rejection.
But for the first time in a long while...
The future didn't feel quite so intimidating.
Downstairs, Alexander resumed working in the living area.
Reports.
Conference summaries.
Financial projections.
The usual demands waiting patiently for his attention.
Yet somewhere in the back of his mind lingered the image of sunlight spilling across the kitchen floor.
He dismissed it almost immediately and returned to the documents before him.
Outside, the breeze continued rustling through the trees surrounding Evermere.
Inside, life carried on with its quiet, unspoken familiarity.
Neither of them realized it.
But without intending to...
They had already begun making room for one another.