Meant To Miss, Destined To Meet

Chapter 6

Gina’s POV

I stared at the message for a full ten minutes before I let myself blink.

Hi, it’s Jack. I hope I’m not crossing any lines. I just wanted to say… I’m really glad you came in today.

Short. Gentle. Careful.

Like he wasn’t sure if I’d want to hear from him—and honestly, I didn’t even know myself.

I read it again.

And again.

Then locked my phone and threw it face down on the bed like it was on fire.

I wasn’t ready for this.

Not for kind words. Not for nice guys. And especially not for someone like him.

Because let’s be honest—Jack wasn’t just “some guy.” He was polished, rich, confident. He looked like the kind of man who had everything figured out. The kind of man who bought his coffee and his cufflinks in the same expensive district.

I was the girl who just lost her job and got kicked out of her apartment on the same day.

A guy like Jack doesn’t wait six months to meet a mess like me.

Except… apparently he did.

I sat there in silence, legs curled beneath me, Kira’s cozy throw blanket wrapped around my shoulders like armor. My hair was still damp from the shower and my throat burned from too much overthinking.

I hated how that message made me feel. Like something in me was softening. Like someone had finally seen me—and hadn’t looked away.

It terrified me.

I could still feel his voice in my ears: “Please let me buy you another cup so we could sit and talk...”

And the way he looked at me. Not like I was damaged. Not like I was a charity case.

He looked at me like I was something worth knowing.

A knock at the door pulled me back.

Kira peeked her head in. “Want to talk about the mystery man yet?”

I laughed under my breath. “He’s not a mystery.”

“Then why haven’t you replied?”

I hesitated. “Because... I don’t know what to say.”

She stepped inside, plopped down beside me, and took my phone without asking.

She read the message, then looked at me like I’d grown a second head. “This is the kindest, softest message I’ve seen from a man in, like, ever. What’s stopping you?”

“I’m not good at this,” I said. “At flirting. At trust. At—”

At believing someone could actually want me for more than a moment.

I didn’t say the last part out loud.

Kira nudged me gently. “It’s just a message, G. Not a proposal.”

She left me alone again. And after a few more minutes of back-and-forth with myself, I reached for the phone.

I opened the message.

Then I hit reply.

And for once, I didn’t overthink it.

Hi, Jack.

Thank you for the message. I don’t really know what to say, honestly.

But... I’m glad I walked in today too.

I hovered over the send button.

Then I hit it.

No fireworks. No epiphany. Just quiet.

And maybe—for the first time in weeks—a little bit of peace.

I put the phone down and laid back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

He probably wouldn’t reply right away. Maybe not at all.

And that was okay.

I didn’t know what this was.

But it felt… new. Not perfect. Not easy.

Just real.

And maybe that was enough—for now.