Accidental "I Do"

The Social Media Queen  “Jasmine, the skincare post just hit fifty thousand likes!” Jasmine Reese barely looked up from her screen, fingers flying across the keyboard as she typed out a reply to a client. Her colleague and best friend, Maya Chen’s voice cut through the office chatter like a gong, but Jasmine’s focus remained unbroken. “Fifty thousand already?” Jasmine said without missing a beat. She clicked to refresh her analytics dashboard. “Not bad. Let’s see if we can hit seventy by the end of the day.” “Not bad?” Maya scoffed, leaning dramatically against Jasmine’s cubicle wall. “Girl, you’re a genius. Your posts are basically a cheat code for engagement.” Jasmine finally glanced up, a smirk tugging at her lips. “It’s called knowing your audience.” “No, it’s called being the social media queen,” Maya teased. “Own it.” Jasmine shook her head but couldn’t hide her grin. Her campaign for a skincare brand wasn’t just trending — it was dominating. Notifications popped up in real-time: likes, retweets, comments, and tags. The numbers climbed so fast it was almost dizzying. Across the room, a small cheer erupted. Jasmine turned to see her team gathered around Derek, one of the copywriters, who was grinning ear to ear. “Another viral hit!” he shouted, holding up his phone like a trophy. Jasmine stood and walked over to join the group, clapping along. “Great job, everyone. This is what teamwork looks like. Keep it up, and let’s make the next one even better.” Her words were met with nods and smiles, her team feeding off her calm confidence. It was moments like these that made the late nights and endless brainstorming sessions worth it. As the team dispersed, Jasmine returned to her desk. Her phone buzzed with a text. Seeing her mother’s name light up her screen brought an instant warmth to her heart. 'I saw the campaign numbers. I’m so proud of you, sweetheart.' Jasmine smiled as she typed back: 'Thanks, Mom. Couldn’t have done it without you teaching me how to hustle. Dinner Friday?' Her mother’s reply came almost immediately. 'Wouldn’t miss it. Love you.' “Texting your mom again?” Maya asked, leaning over Jasmine’s desk with a knowing grin. Jasmine didn’t bother denying it. “She’s my biggest fan. You know that.” Maya sighed dramatically. “You and Celine are like the Gilmore Girls, but cooler. Makes the rest of us feel like we need to call our moms more often.” Jasmine laughed, shaking her head. “You should call your mom, Maya. It wouldn’t kill you.” “Maybe. But right now, we need to talk about something more pressing.” Jasmine raised an eyebrow. “Like what?” Maya leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Like when you’re finally going to propose to Tristan.” --- The midday rush at their favorite sushi café was just dying down when Jasmine and Maya slid into their usual booth by the window. Jasmine absently picked at her soup while Maya studied her with a pointed look. “Don’t think I’m letting this go,” Maya said, folding her arms. “You’ve been anxious for weeks. What’s the holdup?” Jasmine sighed, setting her spoon down. “I’m not holding back. I’m just… waiting for the right moment.” “And when is that? Next year? Next decade?” Maya teased, but her expression softened. “Come on, Jaz. You’ve been with Tristan for three years. He adores you. What’s there to worry about?” “I’m not worried,” Jasmine replied, though the words came out more defensively than she intended. “I just want it to be perfect.” Maya rolled her eyes. “Perfect is overrated. You’ve got the guy and a plan, right?” “Well… sort of,” Jasmine admitted, fiddling with her chopsticks. “I was thinking I’d do it on Valentine's Day. At his office, just the two of us. Something simple.” Maya gave her a skeptical look. “Simple is fine, but make sure it’s memorable. You only propose once, hopefully.” Jasmine couldn’t help but laugh. “Trust me, I’ve got it under control.” --- Back at the office, the afternoon slipped into its usual rhythm of meetings and deadlines. Jasmine’s desk was a whirlwind of activity, with files stacked neatly beside her laptop and sticky notes lining the edges of her monitor. “Hey, Jaz!” Derek called from across the room. “Got a sec to review the copy for the new campaign?” “Send it over,” Jasmine replied, waving him off as she clicked through her emails. A few minutes later, Maya appeared again, leaning casually against the edge of Jasmine’s desk. “Still drowning in work, I see.” “Always,” Jasmine said without looking up. “You know,” Maya began, her tone shifting to something more playful, “I’ve been here almost as long as you, and I’ve never seen you interact with anyone from upper management. Do they even know you exist?” Jasmine paused, glancing up with a raised brow. “They know I exist. They just stay out of my way, which I prefer.” Maya smirked. “You’ve been here three years, and you’re the Head of Social Media Marketing. Don’t you think it’s weird you’ve never crossed paths with the big shots?” Jasmine shrugged. “Not really. They trust me to do my job, and I trust them to stay in their offices.” “Fair enough,” Maya said, straightening up. “Just don’t forget about us little people when you’re running the whole company someday.” “Please,” Jasmine said with a laugh. “I’d never leave you behind.” “Good. Because I plan on riding your coattails straight to the top.” --- The clock ticked closer to five, but Jasmine wasn’t in any rush to leave. She liked the quiet that settled over the office in the late afternoon, when most of her coworkers had already packed up for the day. As she typed out the final notes for a client meeting, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was a text from Tristan. 'Dinner tonight? I’ll cook.' Jasmine’s heart fluttered. Tristan Graham wasn’t just her boyfriend — he was her safe harbor, her steady anchor in a whirlwind life. She smiled as she typed back: 'Sounds perfect. Can’t wait.' She leaned back in her chair, a soft smile lingering on her lips. Her life wasn’t just good — it was better than she’d ever imagined. A thriving career, a loving mother, a loyal best friend, and a boyfriend she couldn’t wait to spend forever with. With all that, everything felt like it was falling into place.