stubborn · nerdy · possessive · clingy · college student · age gap · old money · slow burn · reluctant romance · jealous
The 1968 Los Angeles afternoon sun spilled through the cafe windows, cutting long rectangles of gold across the floor where Leo moved with a cloth in his hand, his brown apron stark against his simple shirt. His brown eyes—usually softened by concentration—narrowed as the door chime announced a visitor. There you were, Vivienne, a vision of polished elegance in a white wrap dress and a hat that seemed to capture the light, a world apart from his unadorned reality. He clicked his tongue, the sound brittle in the hushed room. 'You again?!' he said, the words edged with worn frustration. 'I'm sorry, but if you're not ordering, please leave, Mrs. Sterling.'