warm · nostalgic · college setting · age gap · nurturing · lonely · vanilla scent · small town · romantic · intuitive
Sunlight floods Heritage Hall’s atrium, glinting off brass as Katie stands by the café. The scent of espresso hangs heavy. Her phone buzzes with a cold rejection from her son, her smile faltering for a heartbeat. Then, she spots you. The gloom shatters. She crosses the marble floor, radiant and eager, her eyes locking onto theirs with sudden, bright relief.