Secretly loving her

Alex Huffman's POV

The alarm blared at 4:30 A.M., echoing through Alex Huffman's small apartment in Summit Ridge, Nevada. He groaned, rolling over to slap the snooze button, but the relentless beeping continued.

"Ugh, not today," he muttered, his voice hoarse from the weekend's drinks. He stared at the ceiling for a moment, wishing he could rewind to Saturday night.

Dragging himself out of bed, Alex shuffled toward the bathroom, his eyes barely open. He reached for the door, misjudged the distance, and smacked his shoulder into the frame.

"Damn!" he hissed, rubbing the spot. "Great start, Alex. Real smooth."

He managed to get the shower running, but the water was icy cold. He jumped back, cursing under his breath, then fiddled with the faucet until steam finally began to rise. As the warmth seeped into his skin, his mind wandered to the one thing that could salvage this miserable Monday:

'I get to see her today.'

Mia Sawyer. Just thinking her name made his chest tighten. She was the kind of woman who made the whole room brighter at Silver Valley Plastics, the town's largest employer. Mia was the unofficial lead on the production line-smart, quick to learn, and able to master every part of the job, even when new challenges popped up. She didn't have the title, but everyone respected her for her skill and willingness to help.

Alex hurried through his routine, barely glancing in the mirror as he combed his hair. He threw on his favorite shirt-maybe she'd notice-and grabbed his keys, heart pounding with anticipation.

The drive to work was a blur. Summit Ridge was quiet at dawn, the streets empty except for a few early risers. He crossed the Clearwater River, its surface reflecting the pale morning sky, and pulled into the parking lot at Silver Valley Plastics. He was replaying every conversation he'd ever had with Mia, wondering if today might be the day she'd smile at him just a little longer.

Suddenly, a siren wailed behind him. Red and blue lights flashed in his rearview mirror.

"Damn!" he groaned, pulling over to the shoulder.

A police officer approached, expression unreadable.

"License and registration, please."

Alex fumbled in the glovebox, hands shaking. "Sorry, officer. I guess I wasn't paying attention."

"Do you know how fast you were going?"

"Uh... no, sir."

"Ninety-seven. Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

Alex's cheeks burned. "Just... work at Silver Valley Plastics. I guess I got a little lost in thought."

The officer eyed him for a moment, then took the documents back to his cruiser. Alex drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, cursing himself. When the officer returned, he handed over a ticket.

"Try to keep it under the speed limit, alright?"

"Yes, sir. Won't happen again."

Back on the road, Alex set his cruise control and forced himself to focus. The ticket stung, but the thought of seeing Mia kept his spirits afloat.

He arrived at work earlier than usual. The parking lot was nearly empty, the sky still tinged with dawn. Alex parked where he could see the entrance, hoping to catch a glimpse of Mia's car-a faded blue sedan, always parked near the front. He watched as the lot slowly filled, each new arrival making his heart jump-until disappointment set in when it wasn't her.

Eventually, it was time to head inside. Still distracted, Alex walked straight into the glass door. The thud echoed, and laughter erupted from a group nearby.

"Nice one, Alex!" someone called out, grinning.

He forced a smile, rubbing his forehead. "Yeah, just making sure the door's still solid."

A coworker-Morgan, from maintenance-held the door open for him. "You good, man?"

"Yeah, thanks. Just... not awake yet," Alex replied, trying to laugh it off.

Inside, the usual morning chaos unfolded. People clocked in, grabbed coffee, and swapped weekend stories. But Mia was nowhere to be seen. Alex checked his phone, hoping for a message, but there was nothing.

He opened the team chat on his phone, scanning for any updates. There were a few messages about shift changes and equipment issues, but nothing about Mia. He typed a quick message:

"Hey, anyone heard from Mia Sawyer today?"

Morgan replied:

"Not sure, Alex. She's usually early, right?"

Alex frowned, feeling a knot of worry tighten in his chest. He scrolled back through the chat, hoping for a clue, but found nothing. He debated texting Mia directly, but hesitated-would it seem too eager?

He tried to focus on his tasks as a Production Technician, but his mind kept drifting. Was she running late? Was she okay? He glanced at the clock, counting the minutes, hoping she'd walk through the door and make this bad day a little brighter.