They finished their muffins and coffee, and then somehow two hours had passed and they were still sitting at the table, talking. About everything and nothing. About Jake's mother in Manchester and whether he should visit more often (yes, obviously). About Lucy's dreams of traveling and whether she was brave enough to actually do it (Jake thought she was). About their mutual insomnia and whether they should just start hanging out at 3 AM since they were both awake anyway.
"I could teach you about classic westerns," Jake offered. "I have about forty of them on DVD."
"DVDs? What is this, 2005?"
"I like having physical copies. Streaming services are unreliable."
"You're secretly eighty years old, aren't you?"
"I'm secretly a man who appreciates the classics. There's a difference."
Lucy was laughing, really laughing, and she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this relaxed. This present.
Her phone buzzed. Uncle Walter.
Uncle Walter:How's your day off going, Lulu?
Lucy glanced at Jake, who was studying her bookshelf of cookbooks. She typed back:
Lucy:Really good actually. I have company.
Uncle Walter:??? You have company??? On your day off??? Who???
Lucy:Jake Morrison. We're taste-testing muffins.
Uncle Walter:JAKE MORRISON IS IN YOUR APARTMENT???
Uncle Walter:I'm telling Rei immediately
Uncle Walter:So proud of you honey
Lucy set down her phone, smiling.
"Everything okay?" Jake asked.
"Uncle Walter is threatening to tell everyone in Timber Falls that you're in my apartment."
"Is that a problem?"
"No. Actually, I don't think it is." Lucy stood and walked over to where Jake was examining her cookbook collection. "For three years, I've been hiding. Not just from relationships—from everything. From wanting things, from taking risks, from living. And I'm tired of it."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that tomorrow, you're going to call that scout and turn down the offer. And I'm going to start looking into culinary schools and travel programs and what it would actually mean to sell the bakery. And we're going to go on a real date and see what happens."
"You make it sound easy."
"It's not easy. It's terrifying. But I think—" Lucy stepped closer, closing the distance between them. "I think maybe it's time we both stopped being scared."
Jake reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his hand lingering on her cheek. "You still have flour. Right here." He brushed his thumb across her cheekbone.
"Occupational hazard."
"I like it."
They stood there, inches apart, the apartment warm and quiet around them. Lucy could feel her heart hammering, could see Jake's pulse jumping in his throat. This was it. The moment where everything either changed or stayed exactly the same.
"Jake?"
