chapter 18

Chapter 17: The weekend passed in a haze. Lila went through the motions of running the café, but the weight of Ben’s revelation still hung heavy in the air. Every time she saw him, her mind would flicker back to that moment when he’d told her about Emily, about their engagement, and about the things he hadn’t shared before.But despite everything, Ben was still here. Still present. Still trying, even though things were more complicated than they’d been before. She didn’t know how to process it all, or whether they could just pick up where they left off. But what she did know was that her feelings for him hadn’t disappeared. They were still there, maybe even stronger than before.On Monday morning, the café was unusually quiet. It had been raining all morning, and the usual crowd of regulars seemed to be staying away, bundled up in their homes instead of coming in for their morning caffeine fix. Lila was behind the counter, wiping down surfaces, lost in thought when the doorbell jingled.She looked up, expecting to see a customer—or at least, someone looking to escape the dreary weather.But to her surprise, it was Ben.He stood at the door for a second, looking unsure, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket. He hesitated before stepping inside, giving her a small smile.“Hey,” he said softly.Lila blinked, caught off guard. She hadn’t expected to see him here, especially not so early, especially not after the way things had been left on Saturday. “Hey,” she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. “What’s up?”Ben shrugged, his eyes flicking around the café as if trying to find something to focus on. “I... I just wanted to check in. I’ve been thinking about everything. About us.” His gaze met hers, and for the first time in a few days, there was a vulnerability in his eyes that made Lila’s heart ache. “And I realized that I don’t want to lose this. I don’t want to lose you.”Lila’s breath caught in her throat. She couldn’t hide the way her heart fluttered at his words, the sincerity in them. She wasn’t sure what this meant—whether they could move forward, or whether this was just another confusing step—but she wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe that they could make this work.“I don’t know, Ben,” she said quietly. “I’m still processing everything. I’m not sure what to think about all the stuff you told me. I need time.”He nodded, his face softening. “I get it. I know I’ve thrown a lot at you, and I know it’s complicated. But I’m willing to take it slow. I just... I don’t want to keep pretending like I’m not here for you.”Lila’s chest tightened, the weight of his words sinking in. She could see the earnestness in his eyes, the way he was trying to reach her. It wasn’t easy for either of them, but maybe, just maybe, they could find a way through it.“Well, I’m not pretending, either,” she said, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I just need to know that you’re really in this. Not just for the idea of us, but for what we’re actually building, you know?”Ben took a step forward, closing the distance between them, and there was something gentle in the way he looked at her. “I’m in this for you. For us. No pretending, no more secrets. I swear.”Lila swallowed, her heart thudding in her chest. It was hard to ignore the warmth that spread through her at his words, at the way he was standing there, open and vulnerable. She didn’t want to fight this. She didn’t want to hold back anymore, but she needed to be sure.“I’m not going to rush it,” she said slowly. “But... maybe we could take a step forward. Together. Slowly, but together.”Ben’s face broke into a smile that made her heart skip a beat. “I’m okay with slow. I just want to be with you, Lila.”It felt like a promise, even if neither of them could fully understand what that meant yet. But it was a start. And sometimes, that was all you needed.Later That WeekThings started to shift, subtly at first. The tension between them wasn’t gone, but it was softer, more manageable. They found their rhythm again—working side by side, laughing together, even sharing small moments of silence where their thoughts felt connected without words.Ben came by the café more often, sometimes just to grab a cup of coffee or chat while Lila worked. He was careful with his words, with his actions. No more pushing; no more rushing. He was here, and that was enough—for now.One afternoon, Lila decided to take a break from her usual routine. The café was quiet, and she had a sudden idea. She grabbed a tray of her signature lemon curd muffins and slipped out from behind the counter.Ben was seated near the back, flipping through a magazine. He looked up when he saw her approach, his eyebrows raised in surprise.“Thought you might like a treat,” she said, a playful glint in her eye.Ben smiled, his eyes lighting up. “Is this your way of bribing me?”“Maybe,” Lila said, setting the tray in front of him. “But you’ve been here enough to know I don’t need to bribe you to stick around.”Ben chuckled, picking up a muffin. “Fair point. But I’ll accept the gesture anyway.” He took a bite, his expression shifting as he savored the flavor. “God, these are amazing. I’m going to gain five pounds just from eating them all the time.”Lila rolled her eyes. “You’re so dramatic. It’s just a muffin.”Ben grinned, teasing, “It’s your muffin, Lila. That’s a whole different level of delicious.”Lila laughed, feeling a warmth spread through her. For a moment, everything else faded away—the past, the uncertainty, the complicated emotions—and it was just the two of them, sitting in the café, sharing something simple. It felt right.They didn’t talk about Emily. They didn’t talk about the unresolved things between them. For once, there was only the comfort of each other’s company, the easy familiarity of being in the same space, the shared warmth of something that was beginning to feel... like a new beginning.The rest of the day passed in a blur of soft smiles, light conversation, and small, meaningful moments that made Lila feel like they were finally here—not perfect, but real.And maybe that was enough. For now.