Chapter 39: Run In.

Jane was hard at work, attending to customers with an energy that hadn't gone unnoticed. These days, her smile was more genuine, and her body language exuded a newfound confidence.

Her coworkers had also noticed the change, especially Mike, a colleague who had confessed his feelings to Jane some months ago. She had politely turned him down, explaining that she wasn't a fan of workplace relationships and, truthfully, wasn't attracted to him. But Jane's rejection had been so kind and considerate that Mike couldn't stay upset. She had treated him no differently afterward, and their friendship had remained intact.

Mike had just returned from a trip to Chicago, where he had visited family, and the changes in Jane caught him off guard.

"What's gotten into her?" he asked one of their coworkers, a woman named Rose.

"You haven't heard, Mike? Jane has a boyfriend!" Rose replied with a gleeful tone, clearly excited to share the gossip.