"We're just—it's new. We're figuring it out."
"Good for you," Jerry said kindly. "It's about time you had some fun."
"And Jake's a good kid," Tom added. "Kept to himself too much these past few years. Nice to see him coming out of his shell."
Uncle Walter arrived at 9 AM with a knowing expression and two coffees.
"Don't start," Lucy said.
"I wasn't going to say anything."
"You're smiling."
"I'm happy for you. Is that a crime?"
Lucy accepted the coffee he offered. "Everyone knows. Mrs. Henderson saw me leaving Jake's building at 4:30 and apparently held a press conference."
"This is Timber Falls. Of course everyone knows. They're excited—you've been single for five years. They want you to be happy."
"They want to gossip about me."
"That too. But mostly the happy thing." Uncle Walter settled at Lucy's corner table. "How was Monday night? Really?"
Lucy felt herself smile despite the embarrassment. "Really good. He cooked chicken and it wasn't terrible. We watched old westerns. We talked about our dads and our futures. And then we just... existed together. It was nice."
"Nice is good."
"Nice is great, actually." Lucy sat down across from him. "But also terrifying. Because now it's real. Now people know. Now there are expectations and what if we mess it up? What if—"
"Lucy. Breathe."
"I'm breathing."
"You're spiraling. There's a difference." Uncle Walter reached across and squeezed her hand. "You're allowed to just see where this goes. You don't have to have the whole relationship figured out after one date."
"I know. But my brain doesn't know."
"Your brain needs to relax. Speaking of which—are you still meeting Shayna tomorrow?"
"Yeah. 2 PM at Giuseppe's."
"Want company?"
"Jake's coming with me."
Uncle Walter's eyebrows rose. "Jake's going with you to the bakery sale meeting?"
"He offered. For moral support."
"That's... significant. You're letting him in on major life decisions after one date."
"I know it's fast but it doesn't feel fast? It feels like we've been building toward this for three years and we're finally just acknowledging it."
"Then trust that. Trust yourself." Uncle Walter stood. "And ignore the Knitting Circle. They mean well but they're ruthless gossips."
After he left, Lucy tried to focus on work, but her mind kept drifting to Jake. To Monday night, to the way he'd held her while they slept, to the coffee he'd made her at 4:30 AM like it was the most natural thing in the world.
To the lunch date they had planned for today.
