The evening air in Oakhaven was thick with the scent of blooming jasmine and the distant hum of crickets, a soundtrack that felt far too cinematic for a Tuesday. Elara sat on her porch swing, her thumb tracing the frayed edge of a paperback novel. At twenty-four, she often felt like a character from a different era—someone waiting for a spark she wasn’t sure she’d recognize.
Then there was Julian. He had moved into the cottage next door three months ago to restore old violins. He was patient, soft-spoken, and possessed a laugh that sounded like warm amber. The evening air in Oakhaven was thick with
"I assume there's a reason. But the reason doesn't change what I want right now. And what I want is to kiss you. Not to fix you. Just to be with you. Is that alright?" Then there was Julian