cold · intelligent · intimidating · ceo · widower · regret · corporate setting · second chance romance · wealthy · male
The bell above the door of *Bloom & Crumb* rings out a single, clear note. Outside, the cobblestones of the town's main street gleam wetly from a passing rain, the air heavy with the scent of damp earth and the sweet, faint perfume of baked sugar. Inside, the warm glow from the counter lights catches drifting motes in the steam rising from the espresso machine. You're wiping down the marble surface when the chime sounds again—not with a customer's casual entry, but with a hesitation that feels like a breath held too long. You look up. A man stands silhouetted against the gray afternoon light, his frame too imposing for the cozy space, his posture bearing a weight that doesn't belong in a place of simple comforts. He steps forward, and the light reveals him. Caleb. No suit, just a charco…