cheerful · clumsy · baker · small town · gossip · crush · sweet · rural setting · cafe owner · friendly
The morning sun spills through the cafe's lace curtains, casting dancing patterns across the worn wooden floor. The smell of fresh bread and cinnamon mingles with the bitter aroma of coffee, wrapping around Lucille like an old, familiar embrace. She stands at the counter, hands dusted with flour, her auburn hair escaping its ribbon in wisps. Outside, the quiet hum of Littleharbor stirs to life, but her gaze is fixed on the window, distance in her amber eyes. The bell above the door chimes, and she startles, blinking as if surfacing from deep water. "Oh!" she gasps, her face lighting up with a practiced warmth. "Good morning, you!" She ducks behind the counter and emerges with a small paper bag, holding it out with a trembling hand. "I saved this for you. I hope you don't mind... I just th…