Penny walked slowly down the street, the weight of what she had just learned heavy on her shoulders. Her steps were deliberate, but there was a sense of reluctance in each one, as though her feet were dragging her toward something she wasn't ready to face. She knew she had to talk to Chris—The Loaf and Ladle was a critical piece of the puzzle in Avon's survival, and she couldn't let him sell it without at least hearing his why. But as she approached the café, a knot twisted in her stomach.

Fear, guilt, and something else—something she wasn't ready to admit—swirled inside her. She hadn't thought about Chris in years, not like this. She had buried the memories of their time together deep in the past, thinking that leaving Avon had closed that chapter. But now, with each step closer to the café, she felt the pull of those memories rising to the surface. The laughter they'd shared, the quiet moments they'd spent in the very place she was walking toward, now seemed so distant—and yet so close. She could almost hear his voice, see his smile, the way his eyes had always softened when he looked at her.

Penny stopped just outside the café, her breath catching in her throat. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed it—this little town, this place, and the man who had once meant everything to her. She couldn't deny the way her pulse quickened, the way her heart pounded in her chest as she stood there. Was she just nervous about the situation, or was there something more? She wasn't sure, but she knew she had to face him.

Taking a deep breath, Penny pushed open the door to The Loaf and Ladle. The familiar warmth and aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked bread filled the air, wrapping around her like a nostalgic embrace. With fewer people in the restaurant than the day before, she could see the place better. The cozy interior was just as she remembered: wooden tables, mismatched chairs, and the clink of cups and plates. There was a quiet hum of conversation, the heart of Avon in every corner.

And then, there he was.

Chris Sweetser stood behind the counter, his back to her as he carefully arranged plates of food, his movements slow and measured, the familiar rhythm of the café still intact. She had expected him to be here, of course, but seeing him again was different—his broad shoulders, the way his dark hair fell over his forehead, and the way he seemed completely at ease in his element. It felt like no time had passed at all, and yet everything between them had changed.

Penny hesitated at the door, uncertain of what to do or say. The last time they'd spoken, she'd left without a word, breaking his heart in the process. How could she face him now, after all these years, especially with what she had learned? What had changed in his life? Did he even remember her the way she remembered him?

She could feel her pulse quicken again, her breath shallow, as she stepped into the café. The door's bell chimed softly, and Chris turned slightly, glancing over his shoulder at her. His eyes locked onto hers for a brief moment, and Penny could see the flicker of recognition in them before something more guarded quickly masked it.

"Well, if it isn't Penny O'Day," Chris said, his voice low and steady, though there was something in his tone that Penny couldn't quite place. It was a mix of surprise and something else—something she wasn't ready to interpret.

"Hi, Chris," Penny said, her voice sounding smaller than she'd intended. She cleared her throat, trying to steady herself, but the nerves were already there, threading through her words. "It's been a while."

He nodded, his expression unreadable as he wiped his hands on a dish towel. "That it has. What brings you back to Avon?"

Penny felt a lump form in her throat. She had come here for a purpose, to talk about Greely, LLC, and the threat looming over the town, but now that she was standing face to face with him, everything felt more complicated. "I—I need to talk to you about something important," she said, her voice shaking just a little. "It's about the offer you've received from Greely, LLC."

At the mention of the name, Chris's jaw tightened, and his eyes briefly flickered with something Penny couldn't quite interpret—perhaps frustration or resignation. He placed the dish towel down and took a step closer, his gaze now fixed on her.

"You've been poking around, huh?" he asked, his tone no longer as casual as before. "You should know, I'm not interested. I don't care what kind of offer they made. I'm not selling The Loaf and Ladle."

Penny swallowed hard, relief washing over her for a moment. But then she remembered everything else—what she had learned from the others, how the town was changing, how he might be feeling overwhelmed. "Chris, I know it's hard, especially with the competition. But I'm just trying to understand why this is happening. Why now? The town can't lose The Loaf and Ladle. It's too important."

Chris's eyes softened for just a moment, but then his expression hardened again, a flicker of something darker crossing his face. "I've been here for a long time, Penny. Long enough to know when it's time to let go." His voice was quiet but firm, and there was an ache in it that Penny couldn't ignore. "The offers—they're tempting. And Avon's not what it used to be. The town's changing, and I'm just trying to figure out what's next. Maybe it's time for a change, too."

The words hit Penny harder than she expected, her heart sinking in her chest. Chris wasn't just talking about selling his business; it sounded like he was talking about his whole life, about giving up the town, about everything that had tied him here.

Her throat tightened, the guilt that had been gnawing at her rising up once more. This was her fault. She had left without a second thought, had left him behind, and now here he was, standing before her, and everything seemed so broken.

"I'm sorry," Penny whispered before she could stop herself, the words tumbling out. "I didn't mean for it to get like this. I never meant to make you feel... like you had to do this alone."

Chris's gaze softened, and for a moment, there was a flicker of something between them—something that had been buried for years. His voice dropped to a softer tone. "We all make choices, Penny. And we all live with the consequences."

The air between them seemed to still, the weight of everything that had happened hanging heavy in the space. Penny could feel the familiar pull toward him, the connection they had once shared, and for a brief, fleeting moment, it was as if nothing had ever changed between them. But she knew better. Things had changed. They had both changed.

Penny looked at him, her voice barely a whisper. "I don't want to see this town change. I don't want to lose what makes it... ours."

Chris gave her a long, thoughtful look before he turned back to the counter, his face once again veiled behind a mask of practicality. "It's not ours." Chris hit the word hard with more emphasis. "But the people of Avon see what we can do. But the decisions... they're not easy."

Penny nodded, her heart heavy as she stepped back from the counter. She had to make things right, for the town, for Chris, for herself. But she wasn't sure if that was even possible anymore. The pieces of their past were scattered, and now, more than ever, she wasn't sure where they fit.