Before all this, Curtis Harper had been the definition of reserved — the quiet, efficient man everyone respected but no one really knew. He liked it that way.
People called him distant, maybe even arrogant. He called it focus. He didn't chase friendships or attachments. A small circle of close friends — Jonah and a few others — was more than enough. Dating? He'd tried once or twice, but it never stuck. Women called him handsome, then cold. He called himself busy.
Love, he'd decided, was a distraction.
But lately… everything felt different. He moved differently. Spoke differently. Felt differently.
That morning, the winter sun hung low over the skyline as Curtis walked to work. The city was alive with chatter — horns, laughter, snippets of conversations. Normally, he'd tune it all out. Today, he matched its rhythm.
Two analysts from a rival firm fell into step beside him, animatedly discussing market trends. He added a few insights, effortlessly.
By the time they reached KAIA's front doors, they were laughing.
"Great feedback, man," one of them said, clapping him on the back. "See you at the meeting!"
Curtis smiled. "Looking forward to it."
Inside, a few colleagues exchanged glances.
Was that… Curtis? Smiling?
He settled into his desk, trading his coat for a crisp blazer. When his phone rang, he answered immediately — polite, calm, confident. His fingers moved swiftly across his keyboard, juggling calls and transactions, eyes flicking up now and then to acknowledge passersby with a nod.
There was a quiet hum about him now — approachable, focused, still professional but human. Late morning. He stood to stretch, heading toward the break room for water.
That's when he saw her.
Nadine — the catalyst for everything, the reason he'd asked Allie for help in the first place.
She stood by the counter, pouring coffee, her black hair gathered in a low, slightly messy bun, a few strands slipping loose to frame her face. Despite the casual style, her posture was as precise as ever — calm, composed, effortlessly elegant.
She looked up and smiled. "Hey, Curtis. Want some coffee?"
He froze for half a second. This is it, he told himself. Don't overthink it.
He smiled back. "No, thank you. Had some earlier. Just grabbing water for now."
She chuckled softly. "Fair. If you ever need a snack, there's trail mix and granola bars in the drawer."
"Thanks," he said, capping his bottle.
She hesitated, then added, "It's nice to finally talk to you. I thought we'd never get the chance."
He managed to keep his composure. "Guess it took a while, huh? But… yeah, I'm glad we did."
Their eyes met — brief, polite — before he walked out.
The moment the door shut behind him, a grin broke loose. He did it. He'd talked to her like a normal person. No awkward silences. No panic.
For the first time, he felt… proud.
He picked up his phone, instinctively wanting to text Allie. You won't believe this! But halfway through typing, he stopped.
Too weird. Too eager. He deleted the draft.
By lunchtime, Nadine appeared at his office door, leaning against the frame.
"Hey," she said. "A few of us are heading out for lunch. Want to join?"
He blinked. "Sure."
They went to a cozy bistro nearby, the kind with brick walls and pendant lights that made everyone look softer. Nadine sat across from him, her dark hair pulled loose from the bun now, a strand falling across her cheek when she laughed.
There was something grounded and genuine about her — professional but warm.
"So," she said, twirling her straw, "earlier you mentioned you already had coffee. Where do you usually go? Maybe I'll try it."
"Coppa," he said without hesitation. "It's this little café downtown. Best coffee in the city. Great atmosphere."
She smiled. "Coppa. Noted."
The table's chatter flowed easily — work, travel, food. Curtis found himself laughing, genuinely. Someone cracked a joke about investment memes, and he nearly spit out his drink.
By the end of lunch, his coworkers were eyeing him like they were seeing a brand-new person.
"Who are you and what have you done with Curtis Harper?" one joked.
"Seriously," another chimed in, "you're… fun now."
He just smiled, a little bashful but pleased. "Guess I'm evolving."
On the walk back, Nadine and the other women hung behind the group, whispering.
Kristi nudged the girl beside her. "Okay, seriously — how did we not notice him before?"
"He was scary," another laughed. "Now he's smiling and talking? He's a total catch."
Kristi smirked. "If I'd seen this version of him earlier, I'd have shot my shot months ago."
"Same," someone added. "What do you think, Nadine?"
Nadine watched him ahead — the way the afternoon light caught his sharp features, how easily he fit into the group. "He's… different," she admitted softly. "In a good way."
"Think he's dating anyone?"
"Probably," another replied. "But we'll never know. He's too private."
"Well, unless he's secretly married, he's fair game," Kristi teased, and the group burst out laughing.
Nadine smiled faintly, brushing a loose strand of black hair behind her ear, but her gaze lingered on Curtis a moment longer.
Near the end of the day, his phone buzzed — a company-wide group chat notification he normally ignored. This time, he opened it.
Team Celebration: Next Friday Night Bar Hop! Everyone's invited.
He hesitated only a second before hitting "Like."Maybe he'd go. Maybe he wouldn't. But the fact that he even considered it was proof enough — things were shifting.
He packed his things and left the office with a quiet sense of accomplishment. Coppa smelled like roasted beans and rain-damp wool coats.
The second he walked in, Allie spotted him from behind the counter and waved.
"Hey, stranger," she called. "What are we having today? Let me guess — cold brew and… lemon macaron?"
He grinned. "You know me too well."
"Of course I do."
She turned to prepare his order, humming along with the jazz overhead. When she returned, she leaned against the counter. "So? How was your day?"
Curtis's face lit up. "Honestly? Great."
He told her everything — the talk with Nadine, the lunch invite, the compliments, the group chat. He sounded almost boyish, excited in a way that made her heart warm.
"See?" she teased. "All that charm was just waiting to be unleashed. I'm telling you, Kit 2.0 is unstoppable."
He chuckled. "You think so?"
"I know so," she said. Then, with a playful tilt of her head: "But maybe time to show this new social butterfly has style, too. Mix it up a bit. Step up the wardrobe for your big night out."
Her tone was teasing — but Curtis took it seriously.
"You think I should?"
"Why not?" she said, sipping her coffee.
He hesitated. "Would you… help me? With that?"
The question hung in the air, unexpected and earnest.
For a moment, Allie just blinked. Her heart stuttered.
"Oh—uh, sure," she said quickly, forcing a grin. "Why not?"
Curtis relaxed, smiling — the kind of smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, but carried something deeper. "Thanks. Jonah hates shopping, and the others would rather die."
Allie laughed. "Then it's settled. We'll go after your shift next Thursday."
"Perfect," he said.
And as he walked to his usual table, coffee in hand, both of them felt the same quiet pull — soft, electric, and impossible to name.