Chapter 1: An Unexpected Surprise

The scent of freshly baked cinnamon rolls wafted through the air as I stood in the doorway of Sweet Cravings, my bakery. I inhaled deeply, letting the comforting aroma fill my senses. It was mornings like these that made me fall in love with Rosewood all over again—the gentle hum of the town waking up, the sun casting a warm glow over the cobblestone streets, and the sight of roses blooming in every garden. This little slice of heaven had been my home for five years, and I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

I brushed a stray lock of blonde hair behind my ear, adjusting my apron as I watched a small moving truck pull up to the house next door. My curiosity piqued immediately. We didn’t get new residents often, and in a town as small and tight-knit as Rosewood, a new neighbour was a big deal.

I leaned against the doorframe, squinting in the direction of the truck. A man stepped out, his back to me as he hoisted a box onto his shoulder. He was tall, with broad shoulders and dark hair that caught the morning light just right, giving it a slight chestnut tint. As he turned, his green eyes met mine, and I felt a little jolt in my chest. He was handsome—no, strikingly handsome—and for a moment, I forgot to breathe.

“Emma, the blueberry muffins are ready!” Lily’s voice snapped me out of my daze.

“Thanks, Lily!” I called back, tearing my gaze away from the new neighbour and stepping inside. My heart was still beating a little faster than usual as I made my way to the kitchen.

Lily, my assistant and friend, was pulling a tray of perfectly golden blueberry muffins out of the oven. She placed them on the cooling rack, her face flushed with pride. I smiled at her enthusiasm. Lily had been with me since I opened Sweet Cravings, and she’d come a long way from the nervous teenager who’d once burned a batch of cookies on her first day.

“They look perfect,” I said, inspecting the muffins. “Great job, as always.”

“Thanks, Emma,” she beamed, her dark eyes sparkling with happiness. “What’s with the look on your face? You seem… I don’t know, like you’re up to something.”

I laughed softly, shaking my head. “Not up to anything, but we do have a new neighbour. I was thinking about putting together a welcome basket.”

Lily grinned. “You’re too nice, you know that?”

“It’s a small town. It’s what we do,” I said with a shrug, though I could feel a small blush creeping up my neck. The truth was, I was more interested in meeting this new neighbour than I wanted to admit, even to myself.

I spent the next hour assembling a basket of treats. I carefully selected a variety of my best pastries: buttery croissants, rich chocolate éclairs, and a small loaf of my signature sourdough bread. I added a jar of homemade raspberry jam and a little card that simply read, "Welcome to Rosewood! - Emma."

By the time I was done, the morning rush had subsided, and the bakery had settled into a peaceful lull. I handed the reins over to Lily, grabbed the basket, and headed out the door.

As I approached the house next door, I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. It was silly, really. I’d met plenty of new people in my life, but something about this felt different. Maybe it was the way his eyes had caught mine earlier, or maybe it was just the excitement of something—or someone—new in town.

I knocked on the door, the sound echoing in the quiet afternoon. A moment later, the door swung open, and there he was, standing there with that same striking look. Up close, he was even more handsome, if that was possible. His green eyes were warm, with a hint of curiosity as they met mine again.

“Hi there,” I began, flashing what I hoped was a friendly, not-at-all-nervous smile. “I’m Emma Carter, your neighbour. Welcome to Rosewood.”

He returned my smile, his lips curving in a way that made my heart skip a beat. “Lucas Bennett,” he replied, his voice deep and smooth. “Nice to meet you, Emma.”

“I thought I’d bring over a little something to welcome you to the neighbourhood,” I said, holding out the basket.

Lucas’s eyes widened slightly as he took the basket from me, his fingers brushing against mine for the briefest of moments. “Wow, this is… this is amazing. Thank you. You really didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” I assured him. “I own the bakery in town, so I thought I’d give you a little taste of what we offer.”

“Sweet Cravings, right?” he asked, glancing at the card I’d tucked into the basket. “I passed by it earlier. The place looks great, and if these taste half as good as they look, I’m going to be your best customer.”

I laughed, feeling a bit of the tension in my chest ease. “I’ll hold you to that.”

He hesitated for a moment, then stepped back, opening the door wider. “Would you like to come in? I was about to take a break, and I’ve got some iced tea if you’d like some.”

I considered it for a moment. It was tempting, and I was curious to see what the inside of the house looked like, but I didn’t want to impose. Still, there was something about Lucas that made me want to get to know him better. Besides, this was a small town, and neighbours were supposed to be friendly, right?

“Sure,” I said finally, stepping inside. “I’d love to.”

The inside of the house was charming, with high ceilings, large windows that let in plenty of natural light, and a cosy living room that was already half-furnished despite the moving boxes scattered around. Lucas led me to the kitchen, where he poured us each a glass of iced tea.

“So, what brought you to Rosewood?” I asked, taking a seat at the kitchen table.

Lucas leaned against the counter, sipping his tea thoughtfully. “I needed a change of pace,” he said after a moment. “I was living in the city, but it started feeling too… chaotic. I’ve always wanted to live somewhere quieter, where people actually know each other’s names. Rosewood seemed like the perfect place.”

“It is,” I agreed. “Everyone here is like family. It’s a little quieter than the city, but there’s always something happening. And the scenery is beautiful, especially in the fall.”

“I can see that,” Lucas said, glancing out the window at the tree-lined street. “It’s already starting to feel like home.”

I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me at his words. “I’m glad to hear that. Rosewood has a way of doing that—making you feel like you belong.”

We spent the next half hour chatting about the town, his move, and my bakery. Lucas was easy to talk to, with a sense of humour that had me laughing more than I had in a while. There was an effortless connection between us that felt natural, even though we’d just met.

Eventually, I glanced at the clock and realized I’d stayed much longer than I’d intended. “I should probably get back to the bakery,” I said, standing up. “But if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. I’m just next door.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Lucas replied, walking me to the door. “Thanks again for the welcome basket, Emma. It means a lot.”

“It was my pleasure,” I said, giving him one last smile before heading out the door and back to my bakery.

As I walked back home, I couldn’t help but replay the afternoon in my mind. There was something about Lucas that intrigued me, something that made me want to get to know him better. And if the way he’d looked at me was any indication, I had a feeling he felt the same way.

Little did I know, this was just the beginning of something sweet and unexpected—a journey that would take us both by surprise in the best possible way.