“sugar sweet something, huh?” tara echoed, lips curving in quiet amusement. “you’re not wrong — that place does sound familiar. though, to be fair, after a few years here, everything starts blending together. same facades, new names, different shades of paint. kairos loves a makeover.”
she folded her arms loosely, watching him scroll through his phone with a small, knowing smile.
“and yeah, nectar & crumb is mine — guilty as charged. but if you’re after a closed bakery, you might have to give me a sec to dig through the archives of my overworked brain. years tend to smudge into each other when you stay put long enough.”
a teasing glint sparked in her eyes. “you’re lucky i actually pay attention to my neighborhood, or you’d end up in the post office asking for croissants.”
a light pause, then softer, genuine:
“take your time, though. no rush. i’ll admit, now i’m curious what you’re really looking for.”