The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air of Brew & Brush, the cozy café where Elise Harper spent her days juggling espresso shots and dreams. The morning rush was in full swing, with the clatter of ceramic mugs and the hum of conversation creating a familiar rhythm. Sunlight streamed through the large windows, glinting off the mismatched tables and the colorful murals Elise had painted on the walls—a favor to the owner, who'd let her work fewer shifts in exchange. Her artwork was everywhere in the café: vibrant swirls of abstract flowers, cityscapes at dusk, and, in one corner, a subtle sketch of a starry sky she'd added after last night's observatory visit.
Elise leaned against the counter, wiping her hands on her apron as she stole a glance at her phone. No new messages, just a reminder from Maya: Don't forget to tell me about Star Guy!! She rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips. Julian Kane. The astronomer with the quiet voice and eyes that seemed to hold entire galaxies. She hadn't stopped thinking about him since the stargazing event, though she'd never admit it to Maya. There was something about the way he'd spoken about the stars—like they were a language only he could read—that had stuck with her, sparking ideas for a new painting she hadn't yet dared to start.
"Elise, table six needs a refill!" Maya's voice snapped her back to reality. Her best friend was balancing a tray of pastries, her curly hair tied back with a bright yellow scrunchie that matched her energy. "And stop daydreaming about your cosmic crush."
"I'm not daydreaming," Elise shot back, grabbing the coffee pot. "And he's not my crush."
"Sure, sure," Maya teased, winking as she darted toward the kitchen. "That's why you've been staring into space all morning."
Elise ignored her, weaving through the crowded café to table six, where an older woman with a paperback novel smiled gratefully as she poured the coffee. The woman's quiet contentment reminded Elise of why she loved this place, despite the long hours and sore feet. Brew & Brush was a haven for dreamers—artists, writers, and wanderers who found solace in its warmth. It was the one place in Lumora where she felt like she belonged, even if her dreams of making it as an artist seemed further away every day.
As she returned to the counter, the bell above the door chimed, and a familiar figure stepped inside. Elise's heart did an unexpected flip. Julian Kane stood there, his navy coat swapped for a gray sweater, his dark hair slightly tousled from the autumn wind. He carried a worn leather satchel, and his eyes scanned the café with a hesitance that made him look out of place among the morning bustle.
Elise froze, her hand tightening around the coffee pot. What was he doing here? Lumora was huge—surely he didn't just happen to wander into her café. She caught Maya's eye across the room, and her friend's grin was practically audible. Don't you dare, Elise thought, but Maya was already heading her way.
"Elise, your VIP just arrived," Maya whispered, nudging her shoulder. "Go say hi. I'll cover the counter."
"I'm fine right here," Elise hissed, but Maya gave her a gentle shove toward the front. Muttering under her breath, Elise smoothed her apron and approached Julian, who was now studying the menu board with a faint frown.
"Hey," she said, her voice more casual than she felt. "Didn't expect to see you here."
Julian looked up, and for a moment, his expression softened, like he'd been caught off guard but wasn't unhappy about it. "Elise," he said, his voice warm but measured. "I didn't know you worked here."
She raised an eyebrow, leaning against the counter. "Really? You just stumbled into the one café in Lumora where I happen to be?"
He rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish gesture that made him look younger, less like the serious astronomer from last night. "Okay, maybe not entirely by chance. Dr. Cole mentioned this place has the best coffee in the city. Said it's a favorite for observatory staff."
Elise smirked, though her pulse quickened. "Dr. Cole, huh? So you're not stalking me?"
"Not unless you count following coffee recommendations as stalking," he said, his lips twitching into that almost-smile she was starting to recognize. "But I'll admit, seeing you is a bonus."
Her cheeks warmed, and she busied herself wiping down the counter to hide it. "Smooth talker. What do you want to drink?"
"Black coffee," he said. "Simple."
"Figures," she said, turning to pour him a cup. "You strike me as a no-frills kind of guy."
He chuckled, a low sound that sent an unexpected shiver down her spine. "You're not wrong. I spend most of my time with stars. They don't need much embellishment."
She handed him the coffee, their fingers brushing briefly as he took the mug. The contact was fleeting, but it left her oddly aware of the space between them. "So, what brings you out of your starry hideout?" she asked, keeping her tone light. "Don't astronomers sleep during the day?"
"Not all of us are nocturnal," he said, taking a sip. "I had some errands to run, and… I don't know. I guess I needed a break from the observatory. It's easy to get lost in the work."
Elise nodded, understanding more than she wanted to admit. She got lost in her art sometimes, too—hours slipping away as she chased the perfect shade of blue or the right curve of a line. "I get it," she said. "Sometimes you need to step back to see the bigger picture."
He looked at her then, really looked, like he was seeing past her apron and the café noise to something deeper. "Exactly," he said softly. "That's what I like about your sketches. They've got that… perspective. Like you're seeing more than what's in front of you."
Her breath caught. She hadn't expected him to bring up her art, let alone describe it like that. "You barely saw one page," she said, deflecting. "Don't go thinking I'm some artistic genius."
"I don't know about genius," he said, his eyes crinkling with humor. "But you've got something. I'd like to see more, if you'd let me."
The sincerity in his voice threw her off balance. She was used to compliments from Maya or the café regulars, but they were easy to brush off. Julian's words felt different, like he'd seen a piece of her she hadn't meant to show. "Maybe," she said, her voice quieter than she intended. "If you're lucky."
He smiled, and this time it was full, unguarded, lighting up his face in a way that made her heart stutter. "I'll take my chances."
Before she could respond, a crash from the back of the café made her jump. Maya's voice followed, laced with exasperation. "Elise! A little help here?"
Elise sighed, glancing at Julian. "Duty calls. Stick around if you want. The coffee's not that good, but the company's decent."
"I'll keep that in mind," he said, settling into a seat near the window with his coffee and satchel.
As Elise hurried to help Maya clean up a spilled tray of muffins, her mind was only half on the task. Julian was still here, in her space, drinking her coffee. It felt… strange. Not bad, just unfamiliar, like a new color she hadn't figured out how to paint yet.
The rest of the morning passed in a blur of orders and chatter. Julian stayed, pulling a notebook from his satchel and scribbling notes while occasionally glancing out the window. Elise caught herself watching him more than she should, noting the way his brow furrowed when he concentrated, the way his fingers tapped absently against his mug. He was different here, less like the astronomer lost in the stars and more like a regular guy—except no regular guy had ever made her feel so aware of her own heartbeat.
Around noon, the café quieted down, and Maya practically pushed Elise toward Julian's table. "Go talk to him," she whispered. "I've got this."
Elise glared but relented, grabbing her sketchbook from behind the counter as an excuse. She slid into the chair across from Julian, who looked up with a startled but pleased expression. "Mind if I join you?" she asked.
"Not at all," he said, closing his notebook. "Slow day?"
"Slow enough," she said, flipping open her sketchbook to a blank page. "Thought I'd draw something. Maybe you'll inspire me."
He raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. "Me? I'm not exactly a work of art."
She smirked, her pencil already moving across the page. "That's debatable. You've got this whole brooding astronomer thing going on. Very… drawable."
He laughed, and the sound was warmer than she'd expected. "I'll take that as a compliment. What are you drawing?"
She hesitated, then turned the sketchbook so he could see. It was a rough sketch of the café's window, with the city's skyline visible outside and a faint outline of a figure—him—sitting with a coffee mug. "Just playing around," she said, suddenly self-conscious. "It's not finished."
"It's good," he said, his voice earnest. "You've got a way of making ordinary things… more. Like they matter."
Her throat tightened. She wasn't used to people seeing her art that way, let alone saying it out loud. "Thanks," she mumbled, focusing on her sketch to avoid his gaze. "So, what about you? What's in that notebook? Star maps?"
"Something like that," he said, his tone shifting slightly, like a door closing. "Just some research notes. Nothing exciting."
She glanced at him, catching a flicker of something in his eyes—guarded, almost sad. "You sure about that?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. "You don't strike me as the type to carry around boring notes."
He hesitated, his fingers tightening around his mug. "It's… personal. Stuff I'm working through. About the stars, mostly. And maybe a little about me."
The vulnerability in his voice caught her off guard. She wanted to press, to ask what he meant, but something told her not to push. Not yet. "Fair enough," she said, softening her tone. "We've all got our stuff."
He nodded, his expression easing. "Yeah. We do."
For a moment, they sat in comfortable silence, her pencil scratching softly against the paper, his coffee cooling in his hands. The city hummed outside, but in that small corner of the café, it felt like they were in their own world, separate from the noise.
Then the bell chimed again, and a familiar voice broke the spell. "Elise Harper, slacking off already?" Clara, Elise's older sister, strode in, her lawyerly briefcase swinging at her side. She was all sharp edges—tailored blazer, sleek ponytail, and a no-nonsense smile that could intimidate anyone. "I came for my usual, but it looks like you're busy flirting."
Elise's face burned. "I'm not flirting," she snapped, slamming her sketchbook shut. "And you're early. Your lunch break isn't for another hour."
Clara smirked, glancing at Julian. "Who's this? New customer or new boyfriend?"
"Clara," Elise groaned, wishing the floor would swallow her. "This is Julian. He's… a friend."
Julian stood, offering a polite nod. "Nice to meet you. I'm just here for the coffee."
Clara's eyes narrowed, assessing him like he was a case file. "Uh-huh. Well, don't let my sister scare you off. She's prickly, but she's worth it."
"Clara!" Elise hissed, mortified.
Julian's lips twitched, but he kept his composure. "I'll keep that in mind."
As Clara sauntered to the counter to order, Elise buried her face in her hands. "I'm so sorry. She's… a lot."
"She seems nice," Julian said, his tone amused. "Protective, maybe."
"That's one word for it," Elise muttered. She glanced at him, expecting him to bolt after Clara's interrogation, but he was still there, watching her with that quiet intensity that made her stomach flutter.
"I should get back to the observatory," he said, standing and slinging his satchel over his shoulder. "But I'll be back. For the coffee, obviously."
"Obviously," she said, her voice dry but her smile genuine. "See you around, Star Guy."
He paused at the door, looking back with a smile that felt like a promise. "See you, Elise."
As the door swung shut behind him, Elise leaned back in her chair, her sketchbook forgotten. Her heart was racing, and for the first time in a long time, she didn't mind. But there was something about Julian—something he wasn't saying—that lingered like a shadow. What was in that notebook? And why did it feel like he was holding back?
What will Elise discover about Julian's secrets, and will she let him see the real her?