Lara stood in the middle of Sweet Haven, her hazel eyes blazing with determination, her curly brown hair tied back, her pink apron dusted with flour. Victor's threat to buy the building out from under them (Chapter 23) was a ticking clock—they had until the end of the week to outbid him. Ethan was beside her, his green eyes fierce, his black hair messy, his white shirt rolled up at the sleeves, a whiteboard in front of them covered in ideas.
"We're not losing this place," Lara said, her voice steady, her heart racing. "Let's do a massive bake-off fundraiser—get the whole community involved, especially the teens. They've been our biggest supporters."
Ethan nodded, his grin wide, his green eyes sparkling. "I'll set up a photo booth—bake and snap pics, make it a viral thing. #SaveSweetHavenForever." They got to work, rallying the teens, Chloe from the coffee shop next door, and even Maya, who brought her wedding planner energy to organize the event. The bakery buzzed with prep—tables outside, portable ovens, fairy lights, and a banner that read: "Save Sweet Haven – Bake with Heart!"
The day of the fundraiser was electric—teens baked cookies shaped like hearts, parents bought cupcakes by the dozen, and Ethan's photo booth drew a crowd, kids posing with frosting on their noses, hashtags trending online. Lara and Ethan worked side by side, their hands brushing as they handed out treats, their smiles real, their love a beacon. In a quiet moment, Ethan pulled her behind a table, his green eyes soft, his voice low. "No matter what happens, Lara, I've got you." He kissed her forehead, her heart melting, their bond unbreakable.
But as the event peaked, the lights flickered—then went out. A power outage swept the block, the portable ovens shutting down, the crowd murmuring in confusion. Lara's heart sank, her hazel eyes darting to Ethan, both of them spotting Victor across the street, his smirk visible through his shop window, a pair of wire cutters in his hand. He'd sabotaged them, cutting the power to stop their fundraiser, their last chance to save Sweet Haven slipping away in the dark.
To be continued…