was a place designed to slow the pulse and encourage the soul to lean in.
Across the small, polished wooden table sat Claire. Her presence was a vibrant counterpoint to the room’s quiet elegance. She possessed a smile that wasn’t a flash of teeth but a gentle unfolding, and eyes that seemed to genuinely absorb the world around her. Since we had met weeks prior, I had been eager for this specific confluence of good food, soft light, and uninterrupted conversation. I wanted this to be the beginning.
The hours
