William lingered outside “The Haven Brew,” studying the café as if it were a blueprint for a building he had yet to construct. The drizzle from the morning had faded into a soft mist, leaving cobblestones damp and glistening. He took a deep breath and stepped inside. The familiar chime over the door rang sharply, echoing in the nearly empty room. Nora looked up from the counter, wiping her hands on a faded apron.
“I didn’t think you’d come back so soon,” she said, her voice cautious but curious.
“I told you I wasn’t here just to write a check,” William said, letting his gaze travel across the café. “I want to see what we’re working with before we start.”
The interior was modest, almost quaint, but the walls told stories of neglect. Peeling wallpaper, faded tables, and a few chairs scuff
