Dani Clayton stood by the window, gazing out at the sprawling, mist-covered grounds of Bly Manor. The early morning sun was just beginning to break through the fog, casting a soft glow over the estate. Despite the peaceful setting, her thoughts were anything but calm. It had been months since she had arrived at Bly, and though so much had changed, one thing had remained constant—the way her heart fluttered every time Jamie Taylor walked into the room.

The lyrics of Taylor Swift's "It's Nice To Have A Friend" played softly in her mind: "Something gave you the nerve to touch my hand..." That was how it had started—innocent, small moments between them. But those moments had grown into something more, something that Dani hadn't expected. And now, she couldn't stop thinking about Jamie.

Dani smiled to herself as she thought about Jamie, the estate's gardener She was tough, guarded, and a little rough around the edges, but there was a warmth underneath all that—one that Dani had come to cherish.

The creak of the door behind her pulled Dani from her thoughts, and she turned to see Jamie walking into the room, her familiar smirk already tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Morning, Poppins," Jamie said, her voice carrying that teasing lilt that Dani had grown to love. She was carrying a small potted plant, dirt still clinging to her hands.

"Morning," Dani replied, her smile widening. "How's the garden?"

Jamie shrugged, setting the plant down on the windowsill. "Same as always. But I reckon the flowers are feeling a bit neglected without you out there today."

Dani laughed softly. "I doubt that."

Jamie glanced at her, her expression softening as she wiped her hands on a rag. "You all right? You look like you're a million miles away."

Dani hesitated for a moment, biting her lip. She didn't want to admit that she had been thinking about Jamie, about the way her heart seemed to race every time they were alone together. But there was something about Jamie—something that made her feel safe enough to be honest.

"I'm fine," Dani said, her voice a little quieter. "Just... thinking."

Jamie raised an eyebrow, leaning against the windowsill. "Care to share what you've been thinking about?"

Dani blushed, looking down at her hands. "It's nothing. Really."

Jamie's smirk softened into a gentle smile, and she stepped closer to Dani, her voice dropping to a softer tone. "Come on, Poppins. You know you can talk to me."

Dani swallowed, her heart pounding as Jamie stood so close, her presence both comforting and overwhelming at the same time. She wanted to say something, to admit how she felt, but the words seemed to get stuck in her throat.

Before Dani could find the courage to speak, Jamie reached out, gently touching Dani's hand with her own. It was a small gesture, but it sent a jolt of warmth through Dani's entire body. She looked up, meeting Jamie's eyes, and in that moment, everything else seemed to fade away—the haunting memories of Bly, the weight of the past. All that mattered was Jamie.

"It's nice to have a friend," Jamie said softly, her fingers lingering on Dani's hand. There was something unspoken in her words, something that made Dani's breath catch in her throat.

"Yeah," Dani whispered, her heart racing. "It is."

They stood there for a moment, the silence between them filled with everything they weren't saying. Dani's pulse quickened, her mind spinning as she wondered if Jamie felt the same way, if the little moments they shared—the late-night talks, the teasing smiles—meant something more.

But before she could say anything, Jamie stepped back, her usual smirk returning. "Anyway, I better get back to the garden. Those flowers won't tend to themselves."

Dani nodded, trying to hide her disappointment as Jamie turned to leave. "Yeah, of course."

As Jamie walked toward the door, Dani found herself blurting out, "Jamie, wait."

Jamie paused, glancing over her shoulder. "Yeah?"

Dani's heart pounded in her chest, and before she could second-guess herself, the words tumbled out. "I've been thinking about you."

Jamie froze, her smirk fading as she turned fully to face Dani. Her eyes searched Dani's, as if she was trying to figure out what exactly she meant.

"You've been thinking about me?" Jamie repeated, her voice careful, unsure.

Dani took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly. "Yeah. A lot, actually. And I... I don't know what it means. But I think—no, I know—I feel something for you. And I can't keep pretending I don't."

Jamie stared at her for a moment, her expression unreadable. Dani's stomach twisted with anxiety as she waited for Jamie to say something—anything.

Finally, Jamie took a step closer, her eyes softening. "You're not the only one who's been thinking."

Dani blinked, her heart leaping in her chest. "What?"

Jamie smiled, and this time it wasn't teasing or guarded—it was real, open. "I've been thinking about you too, Poppins. Probably more than I should."

Dani's breath caught in her throat, and for a moment, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had spent so long wondering if she was imagining things, if the connection she felt with Jamie was all in her head. But now, hearing Jamie say it out loud, it felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Dani asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jamie shrugged, though there was a vulnerability in her eyes that Dani hadn't seen before. "Didn't want to scare you off. Didn't know if you felt the same way."

Dani smiled, stepping closer to Jamie, her heart pounding with excitement and nervousness all at once. "I do. I really do."

For a moment, they just stood there, the space between them shrinking as they both seemed to gravitate toward each other. Dani could feel her pulse quicken as Jamie's hand gently brushed against hers again, this time more deliberate, more certain.

"I'm not good at this," Jamie admitted, her voice quiet. "I'm not good at letting people in. But with you... it's different."

Dani smiled softly, her heart swelling with affection for the woman standing in front of her. "It's different for me too."

Jamie hesitated for a moment, as if she was still trying to work up the courage, and then she leaned in, pressing a soft, tentative kiss to Dani's lips. It was gentle at first, almost as if Jamie was testing the waters, but when Dani kissed her back, everything seemed to click into place.

The kiss deepened, and for the first time in a long time, Dani felt like she could breathe. All the tension, all the uncertainty that had been weighing on her seemed to melt away in that moment, replaced by something warm, something real.

When they finally pulled apart, Jamie rested her forehead against Dani's, her breath coming in soft, shallow puffs. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Dani laughed, her heart soaring. "No. Not bad at all."

Jamie grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "You're stuck with me now, Poppins."

Dani smiled, her chest filling with warmth and joy. "Good. I wouldn't have it any other way."

They stood there for a moment longer, wrapped up in each other, the weight of the world outside Bly Manor fading into the background. For the first time since Dani had arrived at Bly, she felt like she had found something—someone—that made everything worth it.

As they finally pulled apart and began to walk back toward the garden, Dani couldn't help but feel a sense of peace settle over her. She had no idea what the future held, but for now, in this moment, everything felt right.

"It's nice to have a friend," Dani thought, the lyrics echoing softly in her mind once more. And maybe, just maybe, it was nice to have something more than that too.