Page 26

“Exactly.” Claire clicked to a photo of an older man reading a newspaper near the window. “What if the campaign uses actual moments from the shop instead of styled product shots?”

One of the designers nodded. “Regular customers?”

“If they agree to it. The same table. The same order. The same barista. Little routines people recognize.”

Avery started writing. “We could build lines around those.”

“Like what?” Mrs. Sinclair asked.

Avery looked at Claire.

Claire smiled. “You’re the copywriter.”

“Right. Helpful.” Avery glanced down at her notes. “Okay. Maybe: Your table is waiting.”

Claire nodded slowly. “I like that.”

“Or Same order. Same corner. Every morning.”

“That one.”

One of the designers pointed toward the screen. “We could shoot the cup in the exact same place each morning but change the person.”

Claire shook her head. “Other way around.” Everyone looked at her. “Same person. Same place. Different mornings.”

Avery smiled. “Routine.”

“Exactly. What if we feature the regulars by name?” Claire suggested.

Avery winced. “That might feel invasive.”

Claire considered it. “You’re right.”

Mrs. Sinclair nodded. “Keep the intimacy. Lose the oversharing.”

By the time the meeting ended, the whiteboard was covered in phrases, photo ideas, and enough arrows to make Claire’s spreadsheet-loving heart happy.

Avery closed her notebook. “I’m starving. I didn’t have breakfast.”

Claire checked the time. She had skipped breakfast too. Again. “Same.”

Avery glanced at her. “Did you bring lunch?”

“No.”

“Take half my sandwich.”

“No,” Claire insisted. “You skipped breakfast. You need it.”

“So did you.”

“I’m fine, really. I usually skip more meals than I should.”

Avery laughed. “That’s not reassuring. So, what’s the rest of your day look like?”

Claire sighed. “That meeting was the easy part. I’ve got revisions, three emails I don’t want to answer, and approximately twenty-seven things on my to-do list.”

Avery laughed. “So, a regular day.”