Chapter 66: New Beginnings

The next morning, I woke up beside Jason, feeling the lingering buzz from the gallery opening. We lay there for a while, basking in the afterglow of our success. "Can you believe we pulled it off?" I murmured, tracing circles on Jason's chest. Jason chuckled softly, his fingers running through my hair. "I can believe it. We make a good team." After a leisurely breakfast, our morning tranquility was interrupted by a call from Mike. His voice was unusually chipper. "Hey, you two! How about brunch today? I've got some news." Jason and I exchanged curious glances. "Sure, Mike," Jason replied. "We'll meet you at the usual spot." We headed to our favorite cozy café downtown. As soon as we slid into the corner booth, Mike's grin was infectious. "Rachel and I had a long talk," he began, practically bouncing in his seat. "We're taking a trip together. Going to visit a few pottery studios upstate and just… reconnect." Jason's eyes widened in delight. "That's amazing, Mike! Sounds like exact