Chapter 2: A Glimpse of the Past
Ava watched as Liam's SUV disappeared around the corner, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. She wasn't sure what had just happened, but she knew she needed a minute to process it.
As she turned to go back inside her bakery, her eyes landed on a photo on the wall. It was an old picture of her and her late husband, taken on their wedding day. Ava's heart swelled with emotion as she gazed at the happy couple in the photo.
It had been five years since her husband's passing, and Ava still felt the sting of his loss. She had thrown herself into her bakery, using the hard work and long hours to distract herself from the grief.
But as she looked at the photo, Ava realized that she had been stuck in a state of limbo for far too long. She was still young, still had so much life to live. And yet, she had been afraid to take the first step, afraid to let go of the past and see what the future held.
Ava's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the bakery door opening. She turned to see her best friend, Rachel, walking in with a big smile on her face.
"Hey, girl!" Rachel exclaimed, setting down a large coffee cup on the counter. "I brought you your favorite coffee. I figured you could use a pick-me-up after a long morning."
Ava smiled, feeling grateful for her friend's thoughtfulness. "Thanks, Rach. You're a lifesaver."
As they chatted and caught up, Ava couldn't shake the feeling that something was stirring inside her. It was a sense of restlessness, a feeling that she was on the verge of something new and exciting.
And as she glanced out the window, Ava couldn't help but wonder if the stranger she had met earlier, Liam, might have something to do with it.