After Phoebe had secured the apron around Theodore''s waist, she caught the bakery owner''s gaze. He was looking on with a warm, almost maternal smile that made Phoebe self-consciously lower her eyes. The owner, initially too polite to pry, finally gave in to his curiosity and asked with a hint of mischief, "Are you two a couple?"


    A blush crept onto Phoebe''s cheeks, a soft pink that confirmed more than any words could.


    The owner, sensing the delicate nature of their rtionship, leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, "He''s quite the looker; your boyfriend."


    With a small nod and a shy smile, Phoebe responded, "Thank you."


    The owner, ever the discreet facilitator of romance, guided them to a cozy nook away from prying eyes. "What would you like to bake today, or perhaps..." he trailed off, giving them the lead. Exchanging a brief, knowing nce, Phoebe and Theodore answered in harmony, "Cupcakes."


    Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, sharing a spark of connection before both looked away, their synchrony unspoken yet evident.


    The owner quickly brought over the necessary items and then left the sweet, couple-filled space, giving them some privacy.


    While Phoebe was preparing the cupcakes, Theodore was ''helping'' by her side. But, in reality, he was more of a yful hindrance. He picked up a freshly baked cupcake from the oven and offered it to Phoebe, "Have a taste." Phoebe, who had already eaten too much at the Italian restaurant, stepped back, "I really can''t eat anymore."


    Theodore put the cupcake back, unconcerned that it had already been touched by her, and took one for himself, his expression suddenly bingplex.


    Phoebe raised an eyebrow at him, "What''s wrong?"


    Theodore swallowed the cupcake with difficulty and took a gulp of the lemon water beside him, frowning, "It''s too sweet."


    After drinking a few more sips of water to wash away the sweetness, Phoebe nced at him, "Do you want some mint? It can neutralize the taste in your mouth." "You have mint?"


    "Yes," Phoebe said, removing her gloves and pulling out a mint from her bag, "I grabbed it at the restaurant earlier."


    Theodore took it, unwrapped the stic, and popped the mint into his mouth.


    Watching his cheeks puff up, Phoebe found him unexpectedly cute and smiled, continuing to prepare the batter for the next batch of cupcakes.


    In their three years of marriage, Phoebe had seen many sides of him, but she had never seen this yful and endearing side.


    She scratched her chin and couldn''t help but look at his puffed cheeks again, thinking to herself how adorable he looked.


    "What is it?" Theodore asked.


    "Nothing."


    Phoebe got the batter ready and began to pour it into the cupcake molds, evenly distributing it before setting it aside to bake. Just as she was about to prepare the frosting, her wrist was suddenly caught by arge hand.


    She turned to look, "What are you doing?"


    Theodore took her left hand and wrapped a thin strip of dough around her ring finger twice, twisting it into a flower shape. Phoebe was stunned, "What''s this?"


    Theodore''s eyes twinkled with a mixture of yfulness and something deeper. "Don''t you recognize it?"


    She pressed her lips together, a surge of emotion warming her eyes. She knew all too well what it represented, but his actions left her questioning his motives.


    Three years into their marriage, they had never formalized their union with rings. Yet here he was, making a bold, impromptu gesture that felt both assertive and tender.


    She stood there, the dough ring on her finger, wondering if this was just a whimsical act or if it signified a deeper intention from Theodore.