The rain eased into a light drizzle as Amelia and Ethan walked side by side through Willow Bay. The streets were quiet—the kind of quiet that wrapped around them like a soft blanket. Amelia didn't speak at first, and neither did Ethan. Their silence wasn't uncomfortable. It was steady. Warm. Familiar.
Every now and then, their hands brushed.
Every time it happened, Amelia felt a small spark flicker inside her chest.
Not fear.
Not panic.
Something gentler.
When they reached the bakery at the corner of Maple Street, the warm smell of fresh bread curled through the air. Ethan glanced at her.
> "Hungry?"
Amelia's cheeks warmed. "A little."
He smiled—the kind of smile that held a hundred quiet emotions.
> "Come on. My treat."
Inside, the bakery was cozy and golden, with soft music playing in the background. A middle-aged woman behind the counter perked up when she saw Ethan.
> "Oh! Good morning, dear!" she beamed. "And who is this lovely lady?"
Amelia froze, heat rushing to her face.
Ethan's smile softened.
> "This is Amelia."
The baker's eyes sparkled with far too much curiosity.
> "Well, Amelia, any friend of Ethan's is welcome here."
Ethan looked extremely calm. Amelia wanted the floor to swallow her whole.
They ordered pastries and tea, then sat by the window. Rain tapped lazily against the glass, blurring the world outside.
Amelia tore a small piece of her pastry, trying not to meet Ethan's eyes.
"You know everyone here," she murmured.
He laughed quietly.
> "Small towns do that to people. You end up knowing everyone's stories—whether you want to or not."
Amelia smiled faintly. "Maybe that's why I liked Willow Bay. It felt… familiar."
"Or maybe," Ethan said gently, "it felt like a place you could start again."
Her breath caught.
There he went again—saying the things that reached too deep.
Amelia looked down at her tea.
"You make everything sound so simple."
"It's not simple," he replied. "But it doesn't have to be impossible."
Amelia opened her mouth to answer when she noticed something—
Ethan's hand resting on the table, close to hers.
Not touching.
Just… waiting.
She stared at it, her pulse tightening. Ethan followed her gaze and slowly pulled his hand back—
But Amelia reached out.
Her fingers brushed his.
A tiny touch.
Barely anything.
Yet Ethan stilled as if the world had stopped.
Amelia swallowed hard.
"I just… didn't want you to pull away."
Ethan's eyes softened with something deep and overwhelming.
He turned his hand over—slowly, giving her time—and let their fingers intertwine.
Amelia inhaled sharply.
Their first real touch.
Warm.
Steady.
Intentional.
Not accidental.
Not hesitant.
Real.
> "Amelia," he whispered, "you don't know what this means to me."
She looked down at their hands, her voice trembling.
"I'm trying to be brave."
"You already are."
For a long moment, they sat like that—hand in hand in the soft glow of the bakery, rain tapping gently outside, the world shrinking to the space between them.
Then Amelia reluctantly pulled her hand back, cheeks flushed.
"I should go open my shop."
Ethan nodded, though something tender flickered across his face.
> "I'll walk you."
When they stepped outside again, the drizzle had turned into a mist. They walked quietly until they reached Petal & Bloom.
Amelia paused at the door, heart beating too fast.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Ethan tilted his head. "For what?"
"For… this morning. For waiting. For not giving up on me."
He stepped closer—just enough that she could feel his warmth.
> "I'm not going anywhere, Amelia."
She inhaled shakily, meeting his eyes.
Maybe one day she'd be ready to say more.
Maybe one day she'd be ready to name the feeling that was slowly blooming inside her.
But today… she gave him something small, something real.
A soft smile.
> "See you later, Ethan."
He smiled back—warm, relieved, beautiful.
> "Later," he murmured.
Amelia slipped inside the shop, closing the door behind her.
And for the first time in a long time, the world didn't feel so heavy.
The rain didn't feel so cold.
And her heart didn't feel so alone.
Because she knew someone was waiting.
Patiently.
Gently.
For her.