f lemon and vanilla filled the air as she carefully spread glaze over a batch of muffins, her hands steady despite the e

on her apron and made her way to the front of the cottage. Lucas stood on the porch, his frame

," Grace said, o

sy," he replied, holding out the coffee. "Pe

le, stepping aside to let hi

n table, his movements deliberate.

ches and plans, each page carefully annotated. He spread a few across the table,

her eyes scanning the intricate d

re was my career before I came here. This project is the

owed the lighthouse transformed into a vibrant community ce

h. The funding we've raised so far isn't enough to cover the full scope of the re

, you're looking for feedbac

act

might resonate most with the community. Lucas listened intently, his focus u

leaned back in his chair. "You've got a good e

baking. Speaking of which, would you like to

at," he replied, a rare

f him, watching as he took a bite. His expression

ble," he said, h

g a small surge of pride. "It's

window. "Your grandmother had a way of bringing

e struggled to find a response. Before she

. Thanks for your h

e said, walking

hing about Lucas that intrigued her, a depth she hadn't expected. He seemed to car

ldhood, but the sketches Lucas had shown her ignited a spark of curiosity. She packed a small picnic and

testament to years of neglect. Yet, even in its disrepair, it held a c

ew was breathtaking, the endless expanse of ocean meeting the horizon in a seamless bl

er attention, and she turned to see L

here," he said, his tone s

esturing to the lighthouse. "It'

potential. That's why I took on this project. It's more th

is passion. "You're really c

ply. "This is my chance to

nce grounding yet unassuming. They sat in companionable silence fo

this," Grace s

wh

gs-connections

of something deeper in his eyes. "I wasn't always.

, then asked, "

ty-money, status, recognition. But I lost sight of why I became an architect in the firs

own struggles mirrored in his words.

mitted. "But i

flowing easily. Grace found herself opening up in a way she hadn't in years,

amaraderie had taken root between them-a shared un

th a faint smile. "You should come to the next p

ght of her earlier doubts beginni

hing bigger than herself-a feeling she hadn't realized she missed. And