CHAPTER SEVEN – A BIG CRUSH

For the rest of the afternoon, Rebecca moved through her duties in a daze. She mixed dough and frosted cupcakes on autopilot, her mind replaying every moment of her encounter with Luca. More than once, she caught herself smiling at nothing, earning confused looks from her sister Nancy. As the day wore on and the bakery emptied of customers, Rebecca's excitement gave way to a gnawing anxiety. Would she ever see Luca again? What if their brief encounter was all there would ever be? The thought made her heart sink. By the time evening rolled around and the bakery closed for the day, Rebecca was a bundle of nervous energy. She volunteered for the night shift, hoping the solitude and familiar tasks would help clear her head. As she kneaded dough for the next morning's bread, Rebecca found herself humming softly. It was a habit she had picked up from her grandmother, who always said that happy bakers made the best bread. And despite her anxiety, Rebecca realized she did feel happy – happier than she had in a long time. In her mind, she began to construct elaborate scenarios where she might run into Luca again. Perhaps he would come back to the bakery, this time when her parents weren't around. Or maybe she would bump into him at the town square, and he would invite her for coffee. Each imagined encounter made her heart beat faster, a smile tugging at her lips. "Rebecca?" Her father's voice cut through her daydreams. "What are you doing?" Rebecca blinked, looking down at the dough in front of her. To her horror, she realized she had been kneading it far too long – it was now tough and overworked. "I... I got distracted," she admitted, feeling a flush of embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Dad. I'll start over." Malcolm frowned, crossing his arms. "This isn't like you, Rebecca. You've been distracted all afternoon. Is something wrong?" "No, nothing's wrong," Rebecca said quickly. "I'm just... tired, I guess." Her father didn't look convinced, but he nodded. "Well, try to focus. We can't afford to waste ingredients." As he left the kitchen, Rebecca took a deep breath, trying to center herself. She couldn't let her infatuation with Luca interfere with her work. Her parents were already on edge about her recent mistakes – she couldn't afford to give them any more reasons to doubt her. But even as she started a fresh batch of dough, Rebecca couldn't quite banish Luca from her thoughts. His face kept swimming into her mind's eye, his voice echoing in her ears. She wondered what he was doing right now. Did he like the turnovers? Was he thinking about her too? The hours ticked by, and Rebecca lost herself in the rhythm of nighttime baking. She shaped loaves of bread, prepared fillings for the next day's pastries, and cleaned every surface until it gleamed. All the while, her mind wandered between reality and fantasy, conjuring up images of Luca and imagining a life beyond the confines of the bakery. As she worked, Rebecca felt a sense of anticipation building inside her. For the first time in years, she felt truly excited about what the next day might bring. Would Luca come back to the bakery? Would she see him around town? The possibilities seemed endless, and Rebecca found herself looking forward to the future in a way she hadn't in a long time. It was well past midnight when Rebecca finally hung up her apron, the bakery prepared for the next day's business. As she locked up and stepped out into the cool night air, she paused for a moment, looking up at the stars twinkling above Gilda's Bay. For once, the small town didn't feel like a prison. Instead, it felt full of possibility. Somewhere out there, Luca Castelli was under the same stars. And maybe, just maybe, he was thinking of her too. With a smile on her face and a spring in her step, Rebecca headed home. Tomorrow was a new day, and for the first time in a long time, she couldn't wait to see what it would bring. As she walked, Rebecca allowed herself to indulge in one last daydream. She imagined running into Luca on this very street, the two of them taking a moonlit stroll along the bay. In her mind, he took her hand, pulled her close, and... Rebecca shook her head, laughing softly at her own imagination. She knew she was getting ahead of herself. After all, she had only met Luca once. But still, she couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed today. Something important. As she reached her front door, Rebecca took one last look at the starry sky. "Goodnight, Luca," she whispered, feeling both silly and exhilarated. Then she slipped inside, ready to face whatever dreams – or realities – the night might bring. As the clock struck midnight, Rebecca carefully eased open her bedroom window, wincing at every creak. She paused, listening intently for any sign that her parents had heard, but the house remained silent. With a deep breath, she swung her legs over the windowsill and climbed down the trellis, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and exhilaration. Her feet touched the ground, and she allowed herself a small, triumphant smile. She'd done it. She was out. Rebecca hurried down the quiet streets of Gilda's Bay, the cool night air invigorating after the stuffy confines of her room. She made her way to the old oak tree by the lake, where her friends were already waiting. "Becca!" Sarah whispered excitedly as Rebecca approached. "You made it!" "We were starting to think you'd chickened out," Jake added with a grin. Rebecca rolled her eyes, but she couldn't keep the smile off her face. "As if. You know me better than that." As they set off towards the center of town, Rebecca felt a bubbling excitement in her chest. She hadn't told her friends about Luca yet, and she was bursting to share the news. "So," she began, trying to sound casual, "the most amazing thing happened at the bakery today." Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Amazing? At the bakery? Did you finally perfect that croissant recipe or something?" Rebecca laughed. "No, nothing like that. I met someone. A guy." Her friends stopped in their tracks, turning to stare at her with wide eyes. "Rebecca Harrison," Sarah said slowly, "are you telling us you have a crush?" Rebecca felt her cheeks heat up. "I wouldn't call it a crush exactly. I mean, I only met him once. But... yeah, I guess maybe I do." Jake whistled low. "Never thought I'd see the day. Our little Becca, all grown up and falling for a guy." "Oh, shut up," Rebecca said, shoving him playfully. "It's not that big a deal." But even as she said it, she knew it wasn't true. Meeting Luca had felt like a big deal. It had felt like the start of something.