Beyond the Blueprint

AVA

The persistent beeping of my alarm abruptly shook me out of sleep.

I cursed under my breath, still not accustomed to the early mornings, especially when my day started with Bella.

Making my way to the guest room next door, I gently roused my niece from her slumber.

“Get up, sleepyhead,” I cooed, admiring the tangle of chestnut brown curls framing Bella’s peaceful face.

Rubbing her eyes with a grin, she asked, “Is today Saturday?”

Her excitement at the prospect of joining me at the bakery on Saturdays never failed to warm my heart.

“No, honey, today is Friday. Just one more day before the weekend.”

She nodded, grinning back at me, and swung her legs out of her bed, ready to start her day.

After a quick breakfast and the usual drive to school, filled with Bella’s animated tales of her recent Valentine’s Day party, we joined the drop-off line.

Once I unbuckled her, my gaze shifted upward, catching Theo pulling up behind us in his sleek black SUV.

He offered a friendly wave, and I returned it with a smile, the flutter in my stomach betraying the effect his presence had on me.

“Hi, Bella!” Dakota greeted her with a grin, mirroring his father’s dimples.

Bella beamed. “Hi, Kota. Can we walk into class together, Auntie Ava?” she asked, her eyes shining with excitement.

“Of course, sweetie,” I replied, planting a kiss on her head. The two kids headed inside, their laughter echoing down the walkway.

Theo’s voice, low and velvety, reached my ears as he said, “It’s good to see you again, Ava.”

That voice of his had a way of making February feel a little warmer.

I looked toward him and felt…jealous. He was the kind of attractive that defied morning rituals; he could roll out of bed, not bother with a shower or brush his hair, and still look damn good.

I returned his smile.

“Yesterday’s party seemed like a hit. Bella couldn’t stop talking about it this morning,” I remarked, a light laugh escaping my lips.

“Same with Dakota.”

We lingered in an awkward silence, both unsure of where the conversation should lead.

Suddenly, my disheveled appearance—black leggings, oversized sweatshirt, and a messy ponytail—felt magnified under his gaze.

“Well, see you later, alligator,” I said, turning on my heel and heading back to my car.

“Goodbye, Ava,” he said to my already turned back.

See you later, alligator, I chided myself as I drove downtown, trying to shake off the unnerving effect that Theo had on me. ~Could I be any more awkward?~

Theo certainly stood apart from the men I’d recently dated on Tinder. At twenty-eight, my romantic history had mostly revolved around guys still navigating life’s uncertainties, selfish with their time, and unwilling to commit.

One of my most recent dates off the app had involved a guy insisting on teaching me how to play his favorite video game. Two hours later, I still didn’t understand the point of it.

I hated video games.

I heard through the grapevine of PTA chatter that Theo was much older, maybe somewhere in his mid-thirties. And it was apparent. He exuded the kind of maturity you’d expect from a genuine man.

Upon reaching the bakery, I threw myself into work, attempting to banish thoughts of the intriguing stranger. The construction racket droned on as Nora and I worked side-by-side, serving customers.

By 10 a.m., the breakfast rush had finally started to die down. The jingle of the bell above the bakery door drew my attention as Sebastian, the friendly guy overseeing the noise hazard next door, strolled in with a confident grin.

He had become a regular visitor, his morning coffee and bagels accompanied with the latest report from the neighboring sonic disaster.

Smiling playfully at Sebastian, I asked, “How much longer until you’re done making all of that clamor?”

“Should be two more weeks, but the owner of our construction company is stopping by today to assess the progress and see if we need to make any adjustments to our timeline.

“I won’t be happy for things to end, though.” Sebastian winked, leaning casually against the counter with a charming smile.

I smiled back. I knew that Sebastian found me attractive. Him dropping by almost always meant casual flirting.

But his childlike enthusiasm and the few conversations that we’d had about his interest in traveling and reading made me think he’d be more my sister’s type than mine.

“So…how about we take this coffee and bagel thing to the next level? Would you like to go out on a date with me this weekend?” he proposed, a wide grin lighting up his face.

I laughed. “I’m pretty sure every restaurant within the city limits of Austin is booked for the entire weekend, given that it’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow.”

“Oh, shit,” he responded, his grin intact, revealing that he had definitely not forgotten about the holiday.

“Well, what about next weekend, then?” he suggested.

Amused and a bit taken aback, I considered it.

Sebastian was undeniably cute, with dark hair and brown eyes, yet my thoughts unexpectedly veered toward Theo.

Theo intrigued me more than I cared to admit, but what were the chances he felt the same way about me?

Figuring it wouldn’t hurt to give things a shot with Sebastian, I agreed to the date.

Of course, just as I did, the front door swung open again, the bells chiming more like a warning alarm this time.

To my surprise, there stood Theo, his eyes meeting mine with a hint of curiosity. Sebastian, seizing the opportunity, gestured toward Theo.

“Guess what, boss? I just asked the hot bakery owner out on a date, and she said yes!”

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment, my eyes darting between Sebastian and Theo.

Theo chuckled at Sebastian’s bold announcement, a twinkle in his eye as he responded, “Well, Sebastian, you’re braver than most.”

Unfazed, Sebastian gave Theo a confident nod and headed toward the door, leaving the scene between us unsettled.

As Sebastian exited, Theo turned to me with a teasing smile before he walked to the counter.

“I hope he knows what he’s getting into. Dating the owner of a bakery isn’t a piece of cake, you know.”

“I should have known you’d have some good dad jokes up your sleeve. Think he’s up for the challenge?”

Theo leaned in, his voice low and flirtatious. “I can’t speak for Sebastian, but if I were in his shoes, I’d consider myself lucky to have a date with the captivating owner of this place.”

The subtle hint of intimacy in his words sent a shiver down my spine, and I stepped back to give myself some space to breathe as I cleared my throat.

“Happened to be in the neighborhood and in need of some breakfast?” I asked, trying to distract myself from the conversation.

“No, I’m the owner of the construction company handling the chaos next door.”

My stomach sank.

“Word on the street is the bakery owner’s been getting quite vocal about our construction noise. I figured I’d drop by and give her a taste of what’s to come.

“The original timeline was only two more weeks. But now that I’m here, I’m thinking we might have to stretch this out a hell of a lot longer,” he replied, flashing me that devilishly handsome grin once more.