Love, After All: Part 7

The days turned into weeks, and Jimmie and Daisy found themselves in a rhythm—one that felt easy, unforced. Their love was growing, not in grand gestures but in the quiet, consistent ways that mattered most.

Like how Jimmie always made sure Daisy’s favorite oat milk latte was waiting for her when she arrived at Bound & Bejeweled. Or how Daisy would send Jimmie voice notes of poetry she thought he’d like, knowing he secretly loved hearing her read.

One evening, they sat in their usual corner of the café, the air thick with the scent of fresh espresso and cinnamon pastries. Daisy had just finished a book, closing it with a satisfied sigh.

“You ever wonder if love is supposed to be this… peaceful?” she asked, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of her mug.

Jimmie looked at her, his head tilted slightly. “What do you mean?”

Daisy exhaled, choosing her words carefully. “I spent so much time thinking love had to be hard. That if it wasn’t painful, if it didn’t come with struggle, then maybe it wasn’t real. But with you…” She looked up, her hazelnut eyes soft. “It’s just easy.”

Jimmie reached across the table, taking her hand in his. “I used to think love had to be proven,” he admitted. “Like, if you weren’t constantly fighting to keep it, it wasn’t strong enough. But maybe real love doesn’t need to be fought for. Maybe it just is.”

Daisy smiled, her heart swelling. “So… you think this is real?”

Jimmie squeezed her hand. “Yeah. I do.”

And in that moment, sitting across from each other in a little bookstore café, surrounded by the scent of old pages and warm coffee, Daisy and Jimmie realized—love wasn’t something you braced yourself for. It was something you leaned into, something you nurtured.

And most importantly, it was something you chose.

Every single day.