Autumn Dream

Ooh! A good theory! We'll learn what happened eventually! But yes, big age gap! I'm glad you're enjoying it — thank you for reading! 🫶

Maybe he's a Sir Good Cat, after all 🐱

I'm glad the ending sadness is landing for everyone. Sorry not sorry 😂 It's definitely getting really real for Chasey!

He's slowly thawing! 💖 There is a reason! Funny enough, Chase is one of the only ones who doesn't know it yet. Everyone assumes he knows and he hasn't asked anyone else. He has heard the name already, actually — and so have readers. We just don't know that it was referring to Buddy! And Buddy does find Chase... annoyingly fascinating in some way. Definitely a sad/tender moment! Chase now has to learn to step fully into that role for her 😌 Thanks for reading! 🫶

He's an ice queen diva but he can melt. Probably. 😌 Sorry not sorry 😂 I did cry when I first wrote that part! Lots of tender moments in this story 💖

I love the theories! Pru definitely deserves a friend! 😌

LMAO. Buds certainly has some softening to do. He does have his reasons... Chase is a character, for sure. He's definitely a sweetheart, but he's also DEFINITELY not mature enough to fully learn when to bite his tongue. 😂Grew up way too fast in some ways, still a child in others... Thankfully, it's really only Buddy who gets under his skin... Glad you've been enjoying it! 🫶

Aw glad you enjoyed the introduction to Chase, Keysbridge, and its inhabitants! I laughed out loud at this 😂 He certainly didn't leave a good first impression!

It was hard to pretend that Prunella Hollow didn’t want someone to sit beside at lunch. But the spot beside her remained empty. And not because she didn’t try to fill it. She did. Every day, she performed small, polite offerings the way Chase said you were supposed to: she quietly shared extra glitter pens, complimented weather-appropriate clothing, and once traded her fruit snacks for someone else’s dirt and worms pudding cup because she’d been genuinely curious. …She was disappo

Buddy: Lol the slow burn is burning slowly but surely! Thank you for reading! 🫶

I really ran with my ability to yap endlessly for this story 🤣 But I'm glad you think so! I'd mused about splitting them up into shorter chunks, but most of the chapters have a specific theme or arc to them that I wanted to keep whole. So. You get giant chapters. LOL Lots of things going on with the growing cast! Pru is a trooper. And yes, interesting that Buddy keeps popping up. Why would he hang around... Thanks for reading! 🫶

Aw I'm glad it's landing that way! Definitely my intention to include and balance between lots of emotions — because that's just life! A little melancholy, a little happy, the ability to laugh at the good and bad — and a big, fragile ball of hope. 💖 And the food is definitely big for me here, because I think that's a big part of life for so many people too. Food as love and food as memory. Oh good, because I crack myself up writing some of these scenes. Glad to spread the joy 😂 Thank you! I love Buddy dearly. He's absolutely an onion. If an onion had a giant gooey marshmallow under the first layer. What? I didn't say that. Carry on. Thank you for reading! 🫶

Fair! This is a little bit enemies-to-lovers 😂 Poor Buds does have his reasons. The slow burn is slow-burning. But I think Violet clues us in to the real Buddy: In Keysbridge, his armor is up, he's angry about the situation that placed him there, and he's taking it out on Chase in particular — but softening slowly in spite of himself. Simon is a sweetheart. But yes, very bold and flirty 😂

Lol indeed!

I wonder, indeed... Poor Chase is still learning when to keep his mouth shut. 😂 They’re both young, though — still learning and maturing. And methinks they’re both enjoying their dynamic more than either of them lets on... Luckily, the actual baking seems to have most of Chase’s attention — even if a certain assistant manager is unusually good at distracting him.