Page 16 of Beanful Wishes

“Oh, no!” she gasps, jumping back.

I leap up, instinctively moving to help, but then I hesitate. My hand clutches a single napkin that has the Coffee Loft Logo printed on it. My eyes are fixed on the dark stain on her chest.

Sophia doesn’t seem to notice. She’s already grabbing napkins, trying to salvage her drenched notes.

“I’ve got it.” I hand her the napkin and take over dabbing the paper.

“Well, that’s one way to make an impression,” she says with a self-deprecating laugh, pressing the napkin to her shirt.

As we clean up the mess, she starts talking, her words tumbling out in excitement. “So, I’ve been thinking. What if we expanded the Wishing Wall concept? Turn it into a community event to celebrate the start of fall.”

“This is why we’re here?” I raise an eyebrow, intrigued. “Go on.”

“We could get local businesses involved, maybe some artists too. Make it a real celebration of our community and the power of wishes.” She pauses, grinning. “Did you know that children’s book author is now booked solid? All from that one post about the custom book for Lily.”

“Seriously?” I’m impressed but not surprised. Sophia has a knack for this.

She nods enthusiastically, then looks down at her soggy notes with a rueful smile. “I had it all written down, but... well, you can see how that turned out.”

I lean in to look at the coffee-stained paper. Despite the smudges, I can make out enough to get a glimpse of her ideas. Ideas that will keep us spending time together for quite a while longer. “I think you’re really onto something here.”

She beams at me, then reaches out and takes my hand. Her touch sends a jolt through me. “I couldn’t have done any of this without you, Jake. Your dedication to the Wishing Wall, yourpositivity... It has restored my faith in humanity. In the goodness of people.”

I’m speechless for a moment, lost in the warmth of her hand in mine and the sincerity in her eyes. “I... thank you,” I say. “That means a lot.”

We stay like that for a moment, hands clasped, eyes locked. I’m acutely aware of how easy it would be to lean in, to close the distance between us.

Sophia clears her throat and pulls her hand away. I immediately miss its warmth.

“So,” she says, her voice a little breathless, “what do you think? Should we start planning this fall event?”

I nod, trying to gather my scattered thoughts. Her proposal would take the concept behind the Wishing Wall further, reaching parts of the community that would never set foot into Coffee Loft.

This feels like we’re on the cusp of something big. Something with the potential to spiral out of my control. Not just for the Wishing Wall or the community, but for us. Whatever this is between Sophia and me, it’s growing stronger by the day. And it’s scaring the heck out of me.

Chapter Seven

Sophia

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries fills the air as I settle into what’s quickly becoming my favorite corner of Coffee Loft. Jake slides onto the seat across from me, two steaming cups in hand. My fingers brush his as I take my Lofty Spiced Vanilla Latte, and I try to ignore the little spark that jumps between us.

“Ready to dive in?” Jake asks, his deep blue eyes twinkling with excitement.

I nod, pulling out my laptop. “Let’s see what people are saying about Michael and Lily’s day.”

We spend the next hour poring over comments, messages, and emails. The response is overwhelming, to say the least. People from all corners of Wilmington and beyond are loving the content, and quite a few of them are reaching out, asking how they can get involved with the Wishing Wall.

“Look at this one,” I say, turning my screen toward Jake. “It’s from a local bakery. They want to know if they can donate treats for future wish fulfillments.”

Jake leans in, his shoulder brushing mine as he reads. “That’s nice.” Something in his tone makes me look up. He doesn’t look as excited as I feel.

“That’s fantastic. We could set up a network of local businesses willing to contribute.” I jot down the idea, my mind already racing with possibilities. “And here’s another from a retired teacher. She’s offering free tutoring services if we ever come across a student in need.”

“The community’s really rallying around this, huh?” Jake’s voice is soft, filled with wonder along with the reluctance I noticed.

I look up at him. “It’s all thanks to you, you know. You started this.”

He shakes his head, a slight blush coloring his cheeks. “I don’t know about all that.”

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