Coffee Stains and Pencil Lines

By Spencer Hemminger

When you only have a week to live, why not spend it with the one you didn’t know you loved?

Sophie has always played it safe. Trapped in a long-term, controlling relationship and uncertain about her future after graduation, her world feels like it’s closing in. The only place she finds comfort is Luna’s, a quiet little coffee shop where she works part-time — and where a mysterious, sharp-witted artist named Alex becomes a familiar face.

At first, Alex is just another regular. But over time, Sophie begins to notice the small things: the way Alex sketches in silence, the warmth behind her dry humor, and the calm strength she carries despite the pain of a family that cast her aside. When Sophie finds one of Alex’s sketchbooks filled with portraits — including one of herself — something begins to stir that she’s never dared to admit.

A tender, emotional story about love, identity, and choosing yourself, Coffee Stains and Pencil Lines is a slow-burn romance about two women learning that sometimes, starting over is the bravest thing you can do.