“Nice to meet you, Charlie. I’m Aiden. Would you maybe want to grab a cup of coffee with me sometime?”
I tilt my head, pretending to think. “That depends. Do you think you’ll be able to spot me in a crowd this time?”
20
Charlie
Two Years Later
I’m frantically running around my bakery to get everything set up. Today is the day! We’re gettingengaged! And by “we,” I mean Claire, because obviously Eli gets us as a set.
Glancing around this beautiful space I curated, I can’t help but let out a dreamy sigh. I did it! Charlie’s Batter Co. is more than just a bakery—it’smy baby. I opened the bakery a year ago and we instantly took off, quickly becoming part of the heartbeat on Main Street.
From the outside, it looks exactly how I imagined it the night I first sketched it out on a napkin—a French-inspired storefront with open glass doors and windows that let passersby see the freshly baked goods inside.Flower pots line the front of the store, creating a warm and inviting display.
The moment you walk in, you’re wrapped in the warmth of vanilla, cinnamon, and freshly baked bread from the ovens. Directly to the left of the entrance are glass cases stacked with golden croissants, cream-filled pastries, and of course, my best sellers, the sourdough discard brownies. Multiple magazines have tried to get the recipe. Everyone wants to mimic the gooey, decadent, double-fudge brownies. Who knew sourdough discards could turn into a cult favorite? Doughbi-Wan, my faithful starter, was practically a silent partner in keeping this place alive. Marble bistro tables are scattered on the right, and each table is paired with bentwood chairs in soft cream, giving off the Parisian bakery vibe.
The bell above the bakery door chimes, and I glance up just in time to see Aiden walk in with a box tucked under one arm. My breath hitches the way it always does when he fills a doorway—broad shoulders, easy stride, that air of quiet confidence that makes it impossible to look away. I’ll never get over how handsome he is. His jawline looks even sharper now that he’s trimmed his beard shorter. He’d grumbled about “surgeon practicality” and how the shorter beard made it easier to get those beard covers on for the surgeries, but I wasn’t complaining. Not one bit.
He landed a residency position at Brooksdale Medical Center, just like he wanted. It’s still a two-hour drive from Everly Falls, but we make it work. Balancing a long-distance relationship and starting a business was tough, but Aiden never lets me forget how worth it we are. Every morning, without fail, I wake up to a text from him—sometimes hours after he’s been on call, sometimes before the sun even rises. On the days he knows I’m running on fumes, lunch and dinner magically appear at my door. And when he realized I was skipping too many meals, he set up a weekly meal-prep subscription so I’d still have something warm and home-cooked waiting for me.
It’s in the little things he does—the quiet thoughtfulness, the way he loves so completely, caring for others without ever asking for anything in return. Aiden isn’t just a green flag—he’s the whole damn field.
“Hi there, princess. You need help?” His familiar voice carries across the bakery, warm and a little weary. He’s probably exhausted from driving after his shift. I make a mental note to whip up his favorite coffee of the season—white chocolate peppermint mocha. He’s dressed in a pair of gray slacks and a blue polo with the sleeve rolled up to his elbow, his forearm on full display. Am I drooling? I swipe my thumb over the corner of my mouth to confirm. I’m good. For now.
“Yes, please!” I break into a full grin as he rounds the glass case. “Will you help me with the banner so I don’t have to drag the step ladder out? You know how much I love exploiting our height difference.”
His lips tug into the faintest smirk, and he shakes his head. “One of these days, you’re going to climb that ladder and realize I’ve spoiled you rotten.”
“Not today.” I shove the rolled banner into his hands, making my way toward the vases of flowers I’ve haphazardly started arranging. “Besides, why risk my life when I have you?”
His eyebrows quirk in amusement. “Risk your life? It’s a step stool, not Angel’s Landing.”
“Exactly,” I toss back, missing our banter. “I’m not built for heights. I’m built for cakes.”
He laughs, low and throaty, making the butterflies in my stomach take flight. He works so hard, and some days, his shift can take a mental toll. Any time I can make him laugh, it’s like a small victory.
“Lila and Jade are on their way to help finish the setup, and Eli said he’d have Claire here by seven,” I say, grabbing some rubber bands to secure the balloon garland for the fifth time. These garlands are harder to put together than those YouTube videos make them out to be. I severely underestimated the amount of time it would require, hence why I am still behind in setting up.
Glancing at the clock, I say over my shoulder, “Claire hasno ideahe’s popping the question tonight. I’m honestly shocked I haven’t spoiled it already.”
“You?” Aiden teases as he easily stretches to pin the banner where I’d been struggling. “Not being able to keep a secret? Shocking.”
“Hey, in my defense, it’s been torture. Especially when I suggested we go for a pampering session and get our nails done, she gave me the most suspicious side-eye, because she knows Ineverhave polish. Too risky for the bakery.”
He glances over his shoulder at me, eyes warm with amusement. “Let me guess, you caved and told her you just wanted ‘sister bonding time?’”
I groan. “Exactly. And she bought it…I think. But I swear, the girl’s going to sniff it out before Eli even pulls the ring out of his pocket.”
Aiden finishes hanging the banner with ease, as we step back and admire his handiwork. Jade and Lila’s voices drift in from the front door.
“He did not,” Jade says.
“What didn’t he do?” I ask, walking over to my best friends for a quick hug.
“Lila says her new beau set up a scavenger hunt for her in the airport while she had a layover between flights. He got all his coworkers in on it, and she basically spentthe morning reliving the scene straight out of a Hallmark movie,” Jade says, almost in disbelief.
“I know, it was so much fun. He’s really sweet, and I’m so in over my head,” she says dreamily.
