The bell above the glass door chimed softly as Rebecca stepped into her favourite jewelry shop in Charlottesville. It was the kind of place with velvet-trimmed display cases, chandeliers that hung like frozen fireworks, and salespeople who spoke in calm, respectful tones. She wasn't looking for anything in particular...just browsing. Maybe a bracelet for her mother now that she was almost better, something small but meaningful and again maybe something for herself.
She moved slowly through the store, letting her fingers trail across the cool glass, admiring delicate gold chains, stunning earrings and rings like tiny crowns.
Then she saw her.
Regina Grant.
Looking almost exactly the same as she had in college....elegant, striking, and self-assured in that perfect way. She was standing near the back counter, examining a row of sapphire earrings, her reflection cast in the mirrored panel behind the display.
Rebecca paused. Her chest tightened.
She hadn't seen Gina in years not since the night she vanished from Jace's life, just when he'd needed someone the most. The memory of those months came back in a rush: Jace breaking, holding himself together by the thinnest thread after their sister passed. And Gina? Gone.
Before Rebecca could decide whether to approach or leave, Gina spotted her.
"Rebecca?" Her voice was light, surprised, and sounded rehearsed.
Rebecca forced a polite smile. "Gina. Wow. Been a while."
"I know," Gina said, stepping forward. "You look amazing. I heard about your mom.....how's she doing?"
"She's better, thanks. Recovering well."
"That's good to hear and congratulations on your wedding,I saw the pictures,you looked really amazing.
"Oh thank you,it's been almost a month now"
"Yh..of course ....uhm.... speaking of which. I've been meaning to reach out to Jace…" Gina hesitated, brushing a piece of hair behind her ear. "Actually, I've been trying."
Rebecca raised an eyebrow."You have?"
There was a bit of silence between them before Gina said, "I just want to talk. Clear the air. I made mistakes back then I know that. But I've changed. I didn't handle things well in college, but… I didn't stop caring about him."
Rebecca studied her for a long moment. "You left him when he could barely get out of bed. When everything fell apart, you disappeared."
Gina's face fell slightly. "I was young, scared. I didn't know how to deal with all of it."
"And you think you did right by leaving?" Rebecca's voice wasn't sharp, but it held weight. "He lost his sister. He was wrecked. And you?" She stopped herself. "Look, I'm not here to rehash the past. But Jace isn't that same boy you left behind,he isn't still where he was seven years ago, he's better and happier."
Gina looked away, fingers curling around her clutch. "I just want a chance to talk to him. I don't expect anything. I just want to… maybe see if there's still something there."
Rebecca exhaled, the tension lingering in her shoulders. "Well, he's not exactly alone right now."
Gina's eyes flicked back. "So there is someone else."
Rebecca didn't confirm or deny it outright. "I think what Jace needs is peace. No more noise. Nor his past knocking on the door."
There was another long pause. Gina swallowed hard.
"If you talk to him," she said quietly, "just… tell him I said hi. That's all."
Rebecca gave her a faint nod, offering no promises.
"Thank you" Gina said as she goes back to the earrings she was looking at.
Rebecca sighs and moves to the front desk to make a final decision on the jewellery she wanted.
.....
Later that evening, Rebecca stood in her kitchen, phone to her ear as she leaned against the counter.
Jace picked up on the second ring. "Hey, Bec."
"Hey. Got a minute?"
"Sure, what's up?"
"I saw Gina today."
There was silence on the other end. "Where?"
"At a jewelry store. She started talking to me. She wants to see you, Jace."
Jace sighed. "Yeah… she's been messaging. I haven't replied."
"I figured. She asked me to tell you. I didn't say much. But I did hint that you're not exactly... unattached."
He was quiet again.
"Jace," Rebecca said gently. "You don't owe her anything. You don't have to go back there. You're finally in a good place with someone who sees you. Don't let the past knock all of that over."
"I know," he said, but his voice was low. Conflicted.
"I'm just saying.....be careful,I know you really had a thing for her when you guys were together."
He nodded to himself, staring out his apartment window, the skyline twinkling like spilled stars. "Thanks, Bec. For telling me."
"Anytime."
As the call ended, Jace stayed still for a long moment.
His phone lit up again.
Gina,
"I ran into Rebecca today. She looked good. Alot of things have changed since I left. I'm willing to make things right Jace. I know I can't bring back the past seven years but I know I can start somewhere. Just give me a chance. I still love you and I know you do too. I'm eager to...."
He locked the screen without finishing the message. Amy's laughter echoed from the other room.
And still, the past lingered....quiet, persistent, knocking.
.....
The morning light streams into Jace's apartment. He and Amy are making breakfast together. Eggs sizzling, the smell of coffee in the air. Amy reaches for her phone to play music, and Jace's buzzes on the counter. She glances instinctively.
"Gina."
It's just a flash on the screen but Jace quickly grabs the phone, face blank. Amy raises an eyebrow.
"Gina? Who's that?" She asks.
Jace laughs a little too quickly. "Oh....uh, it's someone from a photography group I used to be in. She sends random event invites sometimes, like gallery things. Kinda spammy."
Amy nods slowly, but her smile is muted now. "Are you sure?, you seemed startled when your phone buzzed "
"Don't mind me, I'm ok" Jace said forcing a smile.
"Alright if you say so" Amy said and continued with the eggs.
"Any plans for the day?" Jace asked placing his phone face down on the counter.
"Nothing really, but I was thinking of going back to my apartment,it's been a while you know"
"Are you tired of staying with me?"
"No, that's not what I'm saying,it's been 3 weeks already "
"Do you see me complaining?" Jace asked as he walks to her and turns her to face him.
"No..... just that I don't have clothes here, I've been wearing yours throughout and..."
"Do you see me complaining about that either?... besides they look real good on you" He said as he rested his forehead on hers.
"As comforting as that sounds,I want to still grab some stuff from home" She said smiling.
"Alright if you insist " Jace said leaving her to return to where he was sitted before. "Want me to come along?" He added.
"Not really,I'd be fine" She said as she placed some egg in a plate and passed to him.
"Thanks"He said.
"I guess I'd be leaving after breakfast, will be back before U know it"
"Mmhmmm " He hummed.
Later that afternoon....
Jace walked into the room, the sound of his footsteps muffled by the music he was playing. He paused it when he saw Amy cross-legged on the bed with her laptop balanced on her knees, brow furrowed in concentration. The late afternoon light slanted through the window, catching the glow of her hair as she typed.
He smiled. "Hey, thought you were going to bring some of your stuff, what are you doing?."
Amy looked up, startled but smiling. "I was going to… but then I opened the document and couldn't stop."
He crossed the room, curiosity piqued. "Is that the book?"
She quickly angled the screen away from him. "Don't even think about it."
"Amy."
"Nope."
"Just a peek."
"It's not done yet," she said, grinning as he leaned in to try and look. She shoved his shoulder gently. "Jace. I mean it."
"Come on, I'm dying over here," he said, flopping down beside her on the bed with exaggerated drama. "Do you know how long I've waited to see you writing again? It's basically a miracle."
"Well, miracles take time," she replied, trying not to laugh. "You'll get to read it one day. Just not today."
"You're cruel."
"And you're nosy.
Amy let out a soft laugh as Jace leaned over her, trying to peer at her screen again.
"I swear, if you so much as breathe on this keyboard, I'll delete the whole thing," she warned, nudging him with her knee.
Jace raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. No touching the sacred draft." He shifted to sit beside her, the mattress dipping under his weight. "But I meant what I said.....I'm proud of you. Seeing you write again… it feels like something's right in the world."
Amy's face softened, her eyes briefly flicking down before she met his gaze. "It's not perfect. But it's mine. And it feels… good. Like I'm finding pieces of myself again."
Jace leaned in, his voice gentle. "That's all I've wanted for you."
She blinked, her expression caught somewhere between vulnerable and grateful. Then she smiled. "And all I want is for you to be patient and let me finish it before you go poking around."
He smirked. "Fine. I'll wait. But you better dedicate it to me or something. You can be like.... For Jace, who annoyed me into finishing this book."
She smiled rolling her eyes. "You'll get your dedication. Maybe... or you might even be a character."
"I'll be honoured" He said as he reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his touch lingering. And then he kissed her softly.
When they pulled apart, Amy rested her forehead against his. "You distract me." she said softly.
"Guilty," he whispered. "But I'll be quiet now. You write, I'll just… exist near you."
Amy laughed. "Fine. But don't blame me if you fall asleep and I use you as a desk."
He grinned and leaned back beside her, one arm draped loosely around her waist as she turned her attention back to the screen. They stayed like that, side by side.....her typing, him content just to be close.....as quiet murmur of the words she was writing filled the room.
He looked at her with so much love, then his expression softened. "Seriously… I'm just happy you're writing again. I missed this version of you."
She smiled, her fingers resting on the keyboard. "I missed her too."
He leaned in, brushing a kiss against her cheek, then her lips again but gentle and deepening with each breath they shared. She closed the laptop and set it aside as his arms slipped around her waist, pulling her closer. As she climbed on top of him,their kiss turned into more, their laughter fading into the hush of the room as they melted into each other on the bed, her unfinished book waiting patiently in the background.
The next day...
The soft bell above the entrance to Fictional Escapes chimed, a gentle melody against the backdrop of a rainy Thursday morning. The store was quieter than usual just a few loyal regulars browsing in cozy corners, sipping coffee and letting the scent of old pages throw them into a whirlwind of imagination.
Amy adjusted a stack of new arrivals by the front desk and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She had barely slept, she knew she shouldn't think about it but her thoughts knotted with Jace and the lingering question of who Gina really was. He'd dismissed it so casually.....just some photography group contact but something in his voice hadn't sat right.
She pushed the thought away. Today was Storytime Thursday, and kids would soon fill the children's section with noise and wonder. She needed her head in the moment.
The bell chimed again. A woman stepped in,she was tall, striking, dark-haired, and dressed in a beige belted coat and black boots, droplets of rain glistening on her sleeves. She carried herself with quiet confidence, her eyes scanning the shelves with practiced ease.
Amy glanced up from her organizing. "Good morning. Welcome to Fictional Escapes."
The woman offered a small, polite smile. "Morning. Omg, It's been… years since I came here. It has changed alot. Used to be my favorite place."
Amy's brows lifted with a friendly smile. "Really? That's sweet to hear. We've been around a while, though we did expand the romance and travel sections just before the spring."
The woman's smile faltered for half a second, as if surprised. "Yes… maybe that's why it looks a little different."
She turned her gaze back to the bookshelves in the romance aisle, fingers trailing over spines like she was feeling for something familiar. "I'm looking for something light… but with heart, you know? Something I can escape into for a while."
Amy nodded, stepping out from behind the desk. "You've come to the right section. I actually have a few favorites I always recommend, but there's one that really fits what you just described."
She reached over and picked out a bright pink paperback. The Spanish Love Deception.
"Enemies to lovers, fake dating, slow burn, emotional payoff. It's witty but not fluffy. There's depth under the charm."
The woman took the book, flipping through the first few pages. "Elena Armas…" she murmured.
Amy smiled. "Yes, Elena is one of my favourite writers and this book is amazing,It's kind of a slow start, but once it picks up, it's addictive. The banter is top-tier. And Aaron Blackford? Just wait till you read about the character."
The woman's lips twitched, the hint of a smirk. "You sound like you've read it more than once."
"Maybe a thousand times" Amy joked, laughing lightly. "It's my comfort book. I recommended it to someone really close to me, actually. He claims he skimmed it, but I think he liked it more than he lets on."
The woman looked up at that. Her eyes flickered.....interest or calculation, Amy couldn't tell.
"That's sweet," she said softly. "It's nice when someone pays attention to what we love, even if they don't really understand it."
Amy felt the moment stretch, just a little too long.
"Is this for a book club or just personal reading?" Amy asked, trying to shift the air back to neutral.
"Just me,"She said, tucking the book under her arm. "Though maybe I'm hoping it'll remind me of something I used to believe in."
Amy tilted her head. "Love?"
The woman chuckled. "Hope."
That reply lingered. Amy offered a gentle smile, still feeling something unplaceable about the conversation.
"Well, if you like that one, come back. I've got a whole list."
"I just might," The woman said. "Thanks… Amy, right?"
Amy blinked. "Yes. How did you know my....?"
The woman tapped the name tag on her sweater. "Name tag."
"Oh. Right," Amy laughed. "Of course."
The woman looked around the shop once more. "Still a charming place. I'm glad it's in good hands."
She walked toward the register, paid in cash, and left just as quietly as she'd come, her coat fluttering behind her like a closing curtain.
Amy stood still a moment, watching the door swing shut.
Something about her felt familiar. But no name came to mind.
The rain had slowed to a misty drizzle by the time the last of the storytime children left with their parents, giggling and waving goodbye. The shop quieted again, the hush almost too sudden. Amy stood by the front window with a warm cup of lavender tea, watching raindrops race each other down the glass.
But her mind wasn't on the rain. It wasn't even on the kids who had been particularly chaotic today. It was on her.....the woman who had walked in just before storytime and left with a copy of The Spanish Love Deception tucked under one arm and something unreadable in her eyes.
She couldn't quite place it, but something about the woman lingered in her head like the last lyrics of a Justin Bieber song she couldn't remember.
Her confidence had been effortless, but not flashy. She had spoken in that calm, detached tone people used when trying not to say too much. And then there was that moment when Amy had mentioned a close person which was Jace and him not admitting the book was good and something shifted. Just the faintest flicker.
Amy sipped her tea slowly, rolling it over her tongue. She was probably overthinking it. The woman had probably just caught the tone in her voice and guessed it was someone she cared about. And maybe the "hope" comment had just been poetic not personal.
Still, she found herself replaying it all in her head.
"I used to come here years ago…" "Maybe I'm hoping it'll remind me of something I used to believe in…" "Thanks, Amy."
All the woman's words.The last one stuck out. She had seen the name tag, yes but there was something about the way she said it. Familiar, almost affectionate. Like she knew more than she let on.
Amy set her cup down and crossed the room to the shelf where she had pulled the Armas book earlier. The book was missing, of course, but she stared at the empty space for a moment, as if it could explain what her gut was trying to tell her or what the woman was trying to hide.
Why couldn't she shake the feeling?
She glanced down at her phone, tempted to text Jace. But what would she even say?
"Hey, weird question.....do you know any tall, mysterious brunettes who pretend they've been here before?"
She smiled faintly at the ridiculousness of it. Still, she couldn't deny the faint unease sitting just under her skin.
The afternoon wore on. More customers came and went. A shipment of books arrived, and Amy immersed herself in unpacking them, shelving titles, and chatting with Sophie who popped in around five to help with receipts. She wanted to talk about her ringing suspicions with Sophie but refrained.....what could Sophie possibly know about the mysterious woman.... nothing.
But even then, that brief conversation looped back again and again in her mind.
When her shift ended and she packed up to head home, the streetlights were already blinking on against the dusk.
As she stepped outside and zipped her coat against the breeze, her phone vibrated.
It was a message from Jace.
"Hey.... missing you already..... ordered some Chinese food. Don't let it get cold".
She smiled, typing back a quick reply before tucking the phone in her pocket.
And though she didn't quite realize it, she drove slower than normal because something inside her was still curious.
She just didn't know it yet.