Gemotions

The scent of freshly baked bread filled the small bakery, and Clara hummed a tuneless song, pulling a tray of croissants from the oven. The bell above the door chimed, and she turned, beaming at the sight of him. Mark, her childhood confidant, stood in the doorway, exactly as she remembered him. Or, almost.

She'd stumbled upon his LinkedIn profile a week ago and learned he was in town for a conference. She knew she had to see him. She had spent hours preparing her little bakery to look the best, and here he was. Their eyes met, and she felt a jolt of pure excitement course through her. "Mark!" she exclaimed, her voice a little higher than usual.

He looked at her blankly. "Do I know you?" he asked, his brow furrowing. It was a simple question, but the way he said it… it landed. She pressed her lips together, her smile faltering for a fraction of a second. She ignored it. He was here, in her bakery. She pushed the unpleasant feeling aside. "I'm Clara, we grew up together," she chirped, gesturing towards a pastry. "Try one!"