A puzzling invitation

"Another puzzle solved!"

The video game console congratulated the young woman holding it. She laid back against the sofa in triumph.

She looked down at a young man dozing, his head on her thigh.

"I wish real life had more puzzles."

Sleepily, he nodded in agreement. She smiled, stroking his hair.

The letter arrived a few days later. She recognized the book-shaped postage stamp. Every letter she received from him had it.

Inside she found a gold-trimmed card.

You are cordially invited to breakfast this Sunday. Please arrive at 10 o'clock sharp, following the instructions below.

Begin at the best cafe

Then walk through the trees

Follow the scent of Kennedy's rose

To find me under your shadow

She stared at the note with excitement. A real life puzzle!

Begin at the best cafe

As she laid in bed Saturday night, she was still stuck on that first line. The term "best" was so subjective. But as she fell asleep, she remembered a conversation that happened last week.

He had been at the stove making pancakes.

She handed him a cup of coffee. "You don't have to cook, ya know. We could eat out."

He took a sip. "Between your coffee and my food, this is the best cafe in town."

"You're ridiculous."

He gestured towards her balcony. "Besides, I already made a reservation."

And so on Sunday morning, she set forth from her apartment.

Then walk through the trees

Once she knew where to start, that line became obvious. Leif Street began across from her apartment. She walked down it.

Follow the scent of Kennedy's rose

Once she knew to walk down Leif Street, she knew to walk to the Kennedy running track.

She found no roses.

She climbed the bleachers and looked across the track. Below was an engraved compass rose. It pointed not North, but Northeast, supposedly towards Marathon, Greece, across the world.

Down the steps she went. Then down Layton Street, which ran Northeast.

To find me under your shadow

As she walked, she kept glancing down. There, her shadow unhelpfully followed her. She frowned.

She passed by a small park. A statue of Aphrodite stood in its center.

She paused - half amused, half horrified. He once told her she must be the reincarnation of Aphrodite. She remembered nervously laughing as he turned red.

She reached the statue as a bell tower chimed in the distance. Exactly 10:00.

The goddess cast a shadow down an alley.

Turning the corner, she came upon a quaint cafe. There, he sat at a table for two.

A waiter approached with drinks. "A cappuccino with extra foam."

She sat down. "That's me."

The waiter placed the drinks down and left. They took their first sips as the morning sun came into view.

He grinned, basking in his ever-so-clever puzzle. "I heard this is the second best cafe in town."

Likewise, she was basking in her ever-so-clever solution. "A worthy reward."

Each basked in the presence of their person.