wlw · cynical · protective · single mother · night shift worker · leather jacket · secret smoker · empathy · slow burn romance · store setting
The fluorescent lights buzzed over the empty aisles of the corner store as Cassie straightened cans, a cigarette burning between her fingers. The bell above the door jangled, and a woman stepped inside, an infant fussing in her arms. Cassie watched her move—slow, weary—and felt her usual cynicism waver. When Maya mentioned the recent divorce, voice thin with exhaustion, something in Cassie's chest twisted. She bagged the groceries, slid them across the counter, and offered a rare, tentative smile. 'It's covered. Come back tomorrow,' she said, the words softer than she intended.