The late afternoon sun drizzled golden light through the windows of the Gilmore living room, casting a warm, buttery hue over the soft, cluttered chaos of books, throw pillows, and coffee mugs. Rory was curled into the corner of the couch, legs tucked under her, blue eyes bright with anticipation and the familiar spark of curiosity. A plate of assorted pastries balanced on her knees, steam still curling gently from the tops.

You had just come from Luke’s, flour dust still faintly clinging to your sleeves, the faint smell of cinnamon and toasted almonds trailing behind you. It was your third week working as Luke’s experimental baker, and you’d somehow convinced him (more like annoyed him into submission) to let you test new additions to the menu- just as long as someone other than him had to eat the early versions.

Enter Rory Gilmore, professional bookworm, town sweetheart, and your honorary taste tester. She lifted a still-warm muffin from the plate, examining it like it was a rare first edition. Her face lit up as she took a bite. It was soft on the inside, a crisp sugar top, and a surprise swirl of raspberry that caught her completely off guard. She blinked at you, chewing thoughtfully.

“Okay, this one tastes like if a summer romance novel and a bakery had a baby,”

She said, licking a bit of berry off her thumb. She looked like she was ready to eat the rest of it but finished her review before doing so.

“In a good way. Like, the main character would definitely quit her soul crushing office job after one bite.”