Accidentally Yours

S Bl S Series: Accidentally Yours Chapter 3: Stirring Up Something More

Chapter 3: Stirring Up Something More

Eli’s days had become a strange blend of routine and anticipation. Ever since that morning at the café with Nate, he’d been thinking about him more than he cared to admit. At first, Eli brushed it off—after all, it was just one of those random encounters that people had all the time. But every time he passed by the café, he found himself hoping he might run into Nate again. It wasn’t just the coffee, although he had to admit, the small thrill of the mix-up still amused him. It was something about Nate himself—the way he seemed so effortlessly confident, yet grounded. Eli hadn’t met many people like him.

For the next couple of days, Eli kept his morning routine the same. He woke up early, made sure his alarm was set, and tried to make it to the café before work. He hadn’t seen Nate since that day, and as much as he tried to convince himself it didn’t matter, he couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed every time he walked into the café and Nate wasn’t there.

That was, until Thursday.

It was a busy morning, and Eli had barely gotten out of the door in time to catch the bus. He didn’t even stop at the café, knowing that if he did, he’d miss it. He wasn’t about to be late to work again. So, with his usual black coffee in hand from the café’s take-out counter, he boarded the bus, hoping it would be a smooth ride to work.

But as luck would have it, his phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling his attention away from the traffic outside. A message notification. He fished it out of his pocket, glancing at the screen. It was from Nate.

“Hey Eli! You free tonight? We should grab a coffee, maybe catch up!”

Eli’s heart skipped a beat. Tonight? He hadn’t expected Nate to reach out so soon, but a smile tugged at his lips as he typed a quick reply.

“Sounds great. I’ll be free after 6. Where should we meet?”

He hit send and looked out the window as the bus rumbled on, a grin spreading across his face. He’d be seeing Nate again. This time, it would be different. They weren’t just two people bumping into each other randomly—they were actually making plans. Eli couldn’t deny the excitement creeping up his spine.

The rest of the day seemed to drag by, as if time was working against him. Finally, when the workday was over, Eli rushed home to change into something other than his work clothes. He wanted to look nice, but not too nice. Just casual enough to make it feel comfortable. He decided on a simple t-shirt and jeans. He grabbed his keys, made sure his phone was charged, and left the house with an eagerness he couldn’t quite explain.

When Eli arrived at the café, he spotted Nate almost immediately. He was standing near the counter, scanning the room with a slight frown, probably looking for Eli. Nate’s hair was slightly tousled, and he wore a dark jacket over a simple shirt. He looked good—effortlessly good. Eli’s pulse quickened as he approached.

“Hey!” Eli called out, and Nate turned to face him, his expression immediately softening when their eyes met.

“Eli! Glad you could make it,” Nate said, his voice light and warm.

Eli smiled, feeling a little bashful under the intensity of Nate’s gaze. “Yeah, wouldn’t miss it. How’ve you been?”

“Busy,” Nate replied, but there was a playful glint in his eyes. “But you know, same old. And you? Still surviving on black coffee?”

Eli chuckled, nodding as he took a seat across from Nate. “Yeah, you know it. I’m not fancy enough for the sugary stuff.”

Nate grinned. “I remember. I’ll keep my caramel macchiatos to myself, then.”

Their conversation flowed easily, like they’d known each other longer than just a few days. They talked about their favorite places to visit around the city, the strange things that had happened at work, and random observations about life that only seemed to make sense when you were talking with someone you could genuinely connect with. Eli felt his nerves easing with every word, every laugh they shared.

But then, in the middle of a conversation about their childhoods, something happened that made Eli freeze.

“Wait,” Nate said, suddenly looking serious. “Didn’t you say you have a sister? I thought you mentioned her the last time we talked.”

Eli blinked, a bit thrown off by the question. “Uh, no. I don’t have a sister.”

Nate’s brow furrowed. “But… I swear, you said you did. A younger one? I remember thinking she’d probably be a troublemaker or something.”

Eli shook his head, confused. “I’ve never had a sister, Nate. I only have an older brother. Are you sure you’re thinking of me?”

Nate looked embarrassed for a moment. “Oh, wow. I must have mixed you up with someone else. I do that sometimes… I’m pretty bad with names and faces, you know?”

Eli couldn’t help but laugh. It was such an innocent mistake, but it threw him off for a second. “No worries. It happens. I guess we both have our moments, huh?”

“Yeah,” Nate said, his tone lightening. “I guess I should pay more attention next time.”

They continued their conversation after that, but a strange tension had settled between them. Eli found himself wondering if the mix-up had been more than just a slip of the tongue. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Nate had been a little too confident in his assumption about Eli’s family. It wasn’t a huge deal, but something about it stuck with him. Was Nate just that bad with details, or was there something more he wasn’t saying?

As the evening wore on, Eli pushed the thought aside. He didn’t want to dwell on something so small, especially not when he was enjoying spending time with Nate. The night ended on a high note, with both of them laughing and making plans to hang out again soon. Nate even promised to get Eli the “right” drink next time, a playful hint at their last coffee mix-up.

Before Eli left, he asked, “So what’s the deal with your artwork? I’ve seen some of your paintings around the city.”

Nate’s eyes lit up at the mention of his passion. “Oh, I’m a painter. I work on a lot of abstract pieces, but I’ve been focusing on local landscapes lately. You should come to one of my exhibits sometime.”

Eli was taken aback, surprised by how easily Nate had shared that part of his life. “I’d love to see your work. You should definitely let me know when your next exhibit is.”

Nate grinned. “I will. Trust me, you’ll be impressed.”

As Eli walked home, the thought of the strange mix-up with the sister lingered in the back of his mind. It was a small thing, he told himself, but for some reason, it didn’t feel like it was just a mistake.

He decided to let it go for now. After all, sometimes the first misunderstanding was just a part of getting to know someone.

But deep down, Eli couldn’t help but wonder: What else about Nate was he missing?