Chapter 10
ETHAN
Iwake up to the smell of coffee and Callie moving around the apartment.
The bed is empty beside me. I check my phone. It’s five thirty in the morning and she's already up, probably getting ready for the shop.
I find her in the kitchen, hair pulled back, wearing jeans and a Morning Star Donuts t-shirt. She's pouring coffee into a travel mug.
"Morning," I say.
She turns and smiles. "Morning, I tried to be quiet."
"You were, I'm just used to waking up early."
"Coffee's fresh, help yourself."
I pour a cup and lean against the counter. Watch her move through her routine. Checking her phone. Making a list. Gathering keys.
"What time are you opening?" I ask.
"Six. The morning rush waits for no one."
"Need help?"
She looks at me. "You don't have to do that."
"I know. But I want to."
"You have work."
"Nothing until nine, I can spare a few hours."
She considers this. "Okay. But I'm putting you on fryer duty."
"Wouldn't expect anything else."
We drive to the shop in her car. The streets are empty. Sky still dark. Everything quiet except the radio playing low.
She parks in the alley and unlocks the back door. Inside, she flips on lights and starts the ovens. I pour us both fresh coffee from the shop pot.
"Okay," she says, tying on an apron. "Glazed first. Then chocolate. Then whatever feels right."
"You really just wing it?"
"Every morning, it’s part of the fun."
I watch her work. Measuring flour and sugar. Mixing dough with practiced efficiency. She's done this thousands of times but there's still care in every movement.
"You love this," I say.
"What?"
"The shop. Making donuts. All of it."
She looks up. "Yeah. I do."
"It shows."
Something soft crosses her face. "Thanks."
I start on the fryer while she preps the dough. We fall into rhythm. She calls out what's ready, I fry it. Transfer to cooling racks. Start the next batch.
The work is meditative. Physical. Exactly what I need after yesterday's emotional intensity.
By six, the display case is half full and the shop smells like sugar and hot oil. Callie unlocks the front door. Flips the sign to open.
The first customer walks in at six-oh-five.
I work the register while Callie handles the kitchen. More customers filter in. Morning regulars who know what they want before they reach the counter. I take orders and box donuts and make change.
"You're new," a woman says as I hand her a bag.
"Just helping out."
"Well, you're doing great. Tell Callie I said hi."
"Will do."
The rush continues until seven-thirty. Then it slows. Just a few stragglers. I'm wiping down the counter when the door chimes.
Luke.
He stops when he sees me behind the register. "Well, this is new."
"Callie needed help."
"Uh-huh." He grins. "And you just happened to be available."
"Something like that."
He orders coffee and two glazed donuts. I pour the coffee and box the donuts. He pays. Takes his order to a corner table.
Callie emerges from the kitchen. Sees Luke. Her expression shifts to something careful.
"Hey," she says.
"Hey. Came for breakfast, hope that's okay."
"Of course it's okay. It's your sister's shop."
"Yeah, but..." He glances between us. "Things are different now. Didn't want to intrude."
"You're not intruding," I tell him.
"You sure? Because I can go."
"Luke." Callie crosses to his table. Sits across from him. "Stop being weird. Have your breakfast. Hang out if you want."
He relaxes slightly. "Okay. Thanks."
She gets up and returns to the kitchen. I go back to wiping counters. Luke eats his donuts and drinks his coffee. The shop is quiet. Peaceful.
"Can I say something?" Luke asks after a few minutes.
I look up. "Yeah."
"You're good for her. I can see it, in the way she is when you're around. She’s more relaxed. Happy."
"She makes me happy too."
"Good. That's all I want. For both of you." He takes a drink of coffee. "I know I've been weird about this. About you two. But I'm done with that. You have my blessing. Officially. No more doubts."
"Thanks, man. That means a lot."
"Just take care of her. That's all I ask."
"I will. I promise."
He nods. Finishes his coffee. Gets up to leave. Stops at the door.
"You working the shop now? Regularly?"
"Just helping out when I can."
"She could use a business partner. Someone to handle the front while she focuses on the baking."
"I have my own job."
"Remote job. That you do from your laptop, you could do from here just as easily."
I hadn't thought about it. But Luke's right. I could work from the shop. Help Callie. Be present in a way I couldn't before.
"I'll think about it," I tell him.
"You do that." He grins. "See you around, partner."
He leaves. The door swings shut behind him.
Callie comes out of the kitchen. "What was that about?"
"Luke being Luke. Suggesting I work here regularly."
"He did?"
"Yeah, he said you could use help with the front while you focus on baking."
She's quiet for a moment. "And what do you think?"
"I think he might be right."
"Ethan, you have your own career. You can't just give that up to work in a donut shop."
"I'm not giving anything up. I'm adding. My job is remote. I can do it anywhere. Why not here?"
"Because..." She trails off. "I don't know. It feels like too much."
"Too much how?"
"Like you're sacrificing for me."
I cross to her. Take her hands. "It's not a sacrifice if I want to do it. And I do want to be here. I want to help you build this. And I want to be part of your life in every way possible."
Her eyes go shiny. "You mean that."
"Every word."
She kisses me. Right there in the shop with the morning light streaming through the windows and anyone could walk in and see.
When we break apart, she's smiling. "Okay. But you're on fryer duty permanently."
"Deal."
The rest of the morning passes quickly. Customers come and go. I work the register while Callie restocks and preps for tomorrow. We move around each other easily. No awkwardness. No tension. Just two people working together.
Around eleven, the rush dies completely. Callie locks the front door and flips the sign to closed.
"Lunch break," she says. "You hungry?"
"Starving."
We walk to the deli two blocks over. Order sandwiches. Eat at a small table by the window. Outside, Hearts Bend moves at its usual pace. People shopping. Cars passing. Normal Monday afternoon.
"I talked to my landlord this morning," Callie says suddenly.
"Yeah?"
"The space next to the shop. It's been vacant for months. I asked about renting it. Expanding."
"What'd they say?"
"They're interested. We're meeting next week to discuss terms."
Pride swells in my chest. "That's great, Callie."
"I couldn't have done it without you. Without feeling settled enough to take the risk."
"You would've gotten there eventually."
"Maybe, but having you here makes it easier. It makes everything easier."
I reach across the table. Take her hand. "You make everything easier for me too. You know that, right?"
"I'm starting to."
We finish lunch and walk back to the shop. She unlocks the door and we step inside. The afternoon sun slants through the windows. Everything is clean and quiet. Waiting for tomorrow.
My phone buzzes. Work email. Client asking about timeline for the final deliverables.
I respond quickly. Provide an update and promise to have everything done by end of week.
"Everything okay?" Callie asks.
"Yeah. Just work stuff."
"You sure you want to do this? Work from here? It's going to be loud. Chaotic. Not exactly ideal for client calls."
"I've worked in worse conditions. Forward operating bases in Afghanistan were pretty loud and chaotic."
She laughs. "Fair point."
I cross to her and pull her close. "I'm sure. About this. About us. About everything."
"No doubts?"
"Not a single one."
She rests her head against my chest. I hold her there in the quiet shop. Outside, life continues. Inside, we just exist together.
My phone rings. Luke.
I answer. "Hey."
"Hey. You two done with work?"
"Callie is. I still have some stuff to finish."
"Right. The remote thing." He pauses. "I was serious this morning. About the partner thing. I think it could work."
"I know. I'm considering it."
"Good. Because she needs someone watching her back. Making sure she eats. Sleeps. Doesn't work herself to death."
"I can do that."
"I know you can. That's why I'm suggesting it." Another pause. "You love her."
It's not a question. But I answer anyway. "Yeah. I do."
"Then stick around, build something with her. Make me the third wheel instead of you being the interloper."
I laugh. "Deal."
"Good. See you this weekend. Dinner at my place. Bring Callie."
He hangs up. I pocket my phone and look at Callie. She's watching me with a soft expression.
"What?" I ask.
"Nothing. Just thinking about how much things have changed."
"Good change or bad change?"
"The best kind of change."
I pull her close again. Kiss the top of her head. We stand there for a long moment. Just holding each other in the quiet shop.
"I should finish prep for tomorrow," she finally says.
"Need help?"
"Always."
We spend the afternoon working side by side. She makes dough. I clean equipment. We talk about nothing important. Plans for the week. Luke's dinner invitation. The possibility of expanding the shop.
Normal conversation. Normal life. Nothing dramatic or complicated. Just two people building something together.
By four, we're done. She locks up and we walk to our cars. Stand in the alley between them.
"Your place or mine?" I ask.
"Yours. I want to see the cabin in the afternoon light."
"Fair enough."
We drive in separate cars. Her following me on the winding road to my property. When we arrive, the sun is starting to dip below the trees. Everything is gold and orange.
Inside, I make coffee while she wanders around. Looking at books. Touching things. Making herself at home.
"I could get used to this," she says.
"The cabin?"
"This. Us. Being together without all the weight we were carrying before."
I hand her a mug. "Me too."
We sit on the porch and watch the sun set. Don't talk much. Just exist in the space we've created. No more secrets. No more hiding. Just us.
My phone buzzes with an email from the client. Everything approved. Job complete. I can stay in Hearts Bend as long as I want.
"Good news?" Callie asks.
"The Denver job is done. I'm officially free to stay."
"And you want to stay?"
"Is that even a question?"
She smiles. "Just checking."
I set down my coffee and turn to face her. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to work from your shop. Help you build the business. And be the annoying boyfriend who's always underfoot."
"That sounds perfect."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
The sun disappears completely. Stars start appearing. Crickets begin their evening noise. Everything is peaceful and right.
"I love you," I tell her.
"I love you too."
Simple words. But they hold everything. Every choice we made. Every risk we took. Every moment of doubt we pushed through.
We sit there until it's fully dark, then we move inside, and make dinner together. We eat at the small table, and clean up side by side like we’ve been doing this for years.
Normal domestic life. Nothing extraordinary. Nothing dramatic.
Just us building something real, something that will last.
Later, we lie in bed. Her head on my chest. My arm around her shoulders. Both of us aretired but content.
"What are you thinking?" she asks.
"That this is exactly where I'm supposed to be."
"In bed?"
"With you. Anywhere with you."
She lifts her head. Kisses me softly. "Good answer."
We settle back into comfortable silence. My hand traces lazy patterns on her arm. Her fingers draw circles on my chest.
"Ethan?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For not giving up. For coming back. For choosing this even when it was hard."
"You did the same thing. You drove to Denver in the middle of the night. Faced Luke. Took the risk."
"We both did."
"Yeah. We did."
She yawns. I feel her body relax completely. Sleep claiming her.
I lie there awake for a while longer. Thinking about everything that led us here. All the months of wanting and denying and trying to do the right thing.
In the end, the right thing was choosing each other. Being honest. Trusting that love was worth the risk.
And it was.
Is.
Will be.
I close my eyes. Let myself drift. Safe in the knowledge that tomorrow we'll wake up together. Work together. Build something together.
No more doubt.
Not about this. Not about us. Not about anything.
Just certainty. Pure and simple and real.
And that's enough.
More than enough.
It's everything.