Chapter 4 — Stranger in a Tight-Knit Town

Riley

Riley pushed open the weathered door of the café, a small bell jingling above her head like a half-hearted attempt at welcome. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and something sweet—definitely scones, by the smell of it—wrapped around her, a sharp contrast to the crisp, cool air outside. She hesitated on the threshold, her gaze sweeping over the quaint scene before her: mismatched chairs surrounding well-worn wooden tables, a chalkboard menu written in loopy, uneven script, and shelves displaying jars of homemade jams and honey. The hum of conversation faltered slightly as heads turned her way, the locals’ curiosity as tangible as the aroma of coffee.