Isabelle sighed softly, resting her chin on her hand. Her elbow was resting on her desk. There was always work for her to do – helping the mayor was no easy task – but she felt like she deserved a short break. It was such a beautiful, sunny day, after all...

She shook her head to clear it, then looked back at the form in front of her. The handwriting was so messy that she had to squint to make sense of it. In spite of herself, Isabelle found her eyes wandering back to the window. Rosie walked by, smiling and soaking up the sun. No one was going to come in for the next few minutes if she stepped out, would they?

The yellow dog stood and walked over to the window. She peeked out cautiously, as if she was afraid of getting caught. Just outside, she could see a patch of happy yellow cosmos someone had planted.

Glancing guiltily over her shoulder, Isabelle looked at the pile of paperwork on the desk. So much work to do, and yet...

"I'm such a good assistant," she reasoned with herself, the sound of her own voice surprising her – she hadn't meant to say the words aloud.

Warmth radiated from the window in front of her, beckoning her outside. She stood there a moment more, enjoying the feeling, before making a decision.

"I deserve a break." The words left her mouth with a kind of finality, and she appreciated that she now felt like she had to act on them. Without further ado, she pushed open the door to the Town Hall and stepped onto the cobblestone path in front of the building.

The sunlight felt so warm and comforting from the moment it hit her fur. Smiling, Isabelle practically danced over to the patch of cosmos. She carefully bent down, picked just one flower, and threaded it into her hair, while humming the town tune.

Her next – and last, she decided, thinking of the paperwork on her desk – stop was going to be The Roost. Thankfully, the mayor had decided to build it fairly near the Town Hall – just over the river so it would be a quick trip.

Smiling at the feeling of her toes in the grass, Isabelle walked the short distance to the cafe. She could be in and out in no time, she thought. Brewster already knew her order – he was responsible for keeping her awake and working through many long nights.

She opened the door, the bell tinkling sweetly to announce her presence. After she closed it behind her, she turned to survey the room. In addition to the pigeon behind the counter, there was someone else...!

Unable to contain a quick yelp of surprise, the yellow dog put a paw over her mouth. The mayor was serving another customer, one of the villagers. Had she seen Isabelle? Maybe she could just sneak back outside...

Brewster had looked up at the sound of the bell, though, and was not locking eyes with her in his quiet, reserved way. He nodded in acknowledgment, then turned back to the cup he had been drying just out of view behind the counter.

Poppy said an enthusiastic thank you to the mayor as she tasted her cup of coffee, then turned to leave. Isabelle knew she had to step aside to let the squirrel pass, and did so. The mayor looked up as Poppy left, and smiled sunnily at Isabelle, then waved. "What can I get you?" she asked as Isabelle took a few cautious steps forward.

"A mocha, please," the assistant said with a cheerful smile. The mayor wasn't going to get mad at her for skipping a few minutes of work! Relief coursed through her veins behind her smile. She had been so silly, she thought – of course the mayor wouldn't mind her taking a coffee break.

Behind the counter, the mayor was pouring a generous helping of milk in her cup. She then put the lid on and handed it to Isabelle.

Isabelle sipped the warm coffee for a moment in silence, closing her eyes to better enjoy the flavor. It was the perfect cup of coffee, almost the same as when Brewster made it for her. "Mmm, thank you, Mayor!" she beamed.

The young woman smiled from her post behind the counter. "Enjoy your day, Isabelle!" she said.

The mayor's assistant took another long drink of coffee, then turned to leave. Maybe on her way back to the Town Hall, she would stop to smell the flowers again.

Her paperwork wouldn't go anywhere, but the lovely weather might. The smile on the mayor's face told her she deserved the break, and that was all she needed.