Pastries and Promises, page 6
Sighing deeply, he took a long sip of wine before going on. "I'm tired of these games, you know? I'm starting to feel too old to be messing around with all this hot and cold ghosting stuff. Is it so much to ask for something steady and drama-free at this point?"
He slumped back in the booth, clearly exasperated but also a bit dejected by the dating struggle. "I don't know, maybe I sound pathetic complaining about this," he said with a weak, self-conscious chuckle. "But I really thought this guy could be different. Maybe I'm just getting too old."
Eva chuckled, taking a sip of wine as their appetizers arrived. "Too old? Michael, you just turned twenty-five last month."
Michael waved a hand. "I know, I know, but I feel at least thirty-five with how uninspiring the dating scene is."
Eva smiled sympathetically. "You're right though," she replied. "I can relate to wanting something more settled at this point. The thrill of casual dating definitely fades over time, at least it did for me."
Michael nodded, popping a fried calamari ring into his mouth. "Exactly! I'm so over all the games and uncertainty. I just want to find my person, you know?"
"I know exactly what you mean," said Eva. Though her own romantic prospects were hazy, she hoped genuine love would find its way to her best friend soon. He deserved to have someone steady to share his big heart with.
"So I've been thinking," she began casually, "maybe it's time we expand our little social circle a bit."
Michael glanced up from his calamari with an intrigued look. "Oh? Got anyone in mind?"
"Well..." Eva hesitated, feeling suddenly shy about voicing the idea aloud. "What would you think about me inviting Claire along sometime? To join us for dinner or drinks?"
A knowing grin spread across Michael's face. "Look at you putting yourself out there! I think that's a great idea."
Eva felt her cheeks flush. "It's not like that! I just think we could be friends." She focused intently on her bread.
"Uh huh, sure," Michael replied with a wink. But his tone was warm, not teasing. "Well, I'm fully on board with getting to know Claire better."
Eva smiled, thankful for his support and complete lack of judgment. It was just a small step, but reaching out to Claire felt like progress in moving past Liz.
***
"That was delicious. I'm absolutely stuffed," he said, patting his stomach. Eva agreed as she pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road headed to Michael's place.
She drove slowly, not in any rush now that their leisurely dinner had come to an end. The neighborhood transitioned from quaint shops and restaurants to modest residential streets.
Eventually they reached the outskirts of town, where buildings became more sparse. Eva pulled up to Michael's aging apartment complex, the paint chipping and weeds poking up in the cracks of the parking lot.
Putting the car in park, Eva gave Michael a sympathetic smile. "This place...you deserve better."
Michael waved a hand dismissively. "Oh it's not so bad once you're inside. But I do dream of having my own little house someday."
"Well, the offer still stands if you ever want to come back and room with me for a bit to save up," Eva said. "I know we've done that before, and I don't mind."
"You're sweet, but I do like my space," Michael replied with a good-natured chuckle. He leaned over to give Eva a peck on the cheek. "But I'll keep you posted if I find something nicer."
"I promise I'll keep an ear out and let you know if I catch wind of any nice apartments coming available, or cute little rental houses," Eva assured him.
Michael's face lit up at the thought. "That would be amazing. Hopefully something perfect pops up soon."
He leaned over to give Eva a quick hug. "Thanks again for dinner. Let's do it again soon."
"Absolutely, it was so nice catching up outside of the cafe," Eva replied warmly.
Michael grabbed his leftovers container and climbed out of the car. Eva watched as he walked up to the main entrance of the aging complex and unlocked the front door.
He turned and gave one last wave before disappearing inside. Eva waited until she saw the living room light turn on, signaling Michael had gotten in safely.
Chapter Thirteen
The orange glow of the sunrise cast a warm embrace over Claire's garden, bathing each leaf and petal in a delicate hue. She sat on the worn bench, a sketch pad balanced on her lap. Daisy nestled beside her, purring contentedly as she soaked up the morning sunlight. Claire's pencil glided across the paper, bringing the untamed beauty of the garden to life. She shaded the full blooms of the roses, carefully detailing each velvety petal. Tiny leaves and stems took shape under her touch. As a butterfly paused to sip nectar from a purple coneflower, Claire quickly sketched its vibrant wings, smudging the pencil to soften the edges. She lost herself in recreating on paper the sanctuary she had found within the garden.
David would have adored being here with her, tending to the rambling garden they could have made flourish together. She could picture him so clearly - his sandy hair shining in the sun, forehead creased in concentration as he gently pulled weeds from around the flowers. She would have brought him cool lemonade on hot afternoons, laying a damp cloth across the back of his neck as they took a break in the shade. They'd have laughed together at the birds playing on the fence, and talked for hours about plans to expand the garden even more the following year.
As she sketched, Peter emerged from the house next door, watering can in hand, his brow furrowed as he surveyed her overgrown garden. He leaned against the fence, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Your garden seems a tad neglected, don't you think?" he called out, the corners of his mouth twitching with a teasing smile.
Claire looked up from her drawing and smiled warmly at him, her gaze unwavering. "I love it just the way it is," she replied, her voice soft yet resolute. "Each plant has its purpose." She glanced back down at her sketchpad, her hand tracing the curve of a daisy's petals. She hoped Peter would take the hint.
Peter lingered his gaze on Claire, eyes trailing over her face and figure. She tensed, shoulders tightening as subtle discomfort prickled over her skin.
"Ah, I see," he finally said, nodding thoughtfully before returning attention to his meticulous watering. His eyes lingered on Claire for a moment longer, as if considering her again. She didn't relish his attention, not on herself or her garden. He could keep his gaze away from them both. He then returned his attention to his task, leaving Claire to her thoughts and the quiet serenity of her garden.
He tilted the watering can one last time, nourishing the colorful blooms beneath it before straightening up. "Well, I'll leave you to your... creative chaos." With a wink, he turned on his heel and began to retreat back into his house.
"Have a good day!" Claire called out, waving cheerfully at his retreating figure, she was glad he was gone for the moment. Something about him rubbed her the wrong way, and it was more than just his mild insults to her garden. Claire kept her focus on the sketchpad balanced in her lap, willing him to go. She let out a soft breath as the creaky garden gate announced his exit. The tension eased from her body and she relaxed back onto the weathered bench.
"Hello Claire," a gentle voice called out from beyond the fence. Startled, Claire looked up from her sketchpad to see Abby standing there, clutching the wooden slats with a sheepish smile on her face.
"Abby! Hey!" Claire replied warmly, setting her sketchpad aside.
"I wanted to apologize for Peter earlier," Abby said, her eyes casting down in embarrassment. "His opinions can be... strong, sometimes."
Claire chuckled, shaking her head. "Don't worry about it, Abby. We all have our preferences." She gestured towards the vibrant chaos of her garden. "This is mine."
Abby smiled, her relief apparent. "You know, Peter has never been much of a gardener. He likes things neat and orderly. I'm the one with the green thumb in our family. If it weren't for me, we'd probably be living in an apartment right now."
"Really?" Claire asked, genuinely surprised. She glanced at the neighboring yard, where neat rows of plants stood like soldiers awaiting orders – a stark contrast to her own wild haven. "I wouldn't have guessed."
"Peter is more of an indoor person," Abby confided, a playful glint in her eyes. "He'd rather spend his time organizing bookshelves or rearranging furniture than getting his hands dirty in the soil."
"Ah, the joys of order," Claire mused, stroking Daisy's fur absentmindedly. "I suppose there's a certain beauty in it, but I've always been drawn to the wilder side of life." She smiled at Abby. "I'm glad you're here to keep him grounded, though."
"Me too," Abby agreed, her gaze drifting over Claire's garden with admiration. "Your garden has a certain magic to it. It's easy to see why you love it so much."
"Thank you, Abby," Claire said with sincere gratitude.
Abby's gaze settled on Daisy, her eyes softening as she took in the contented feline. "She's beautiful," she remarked, reaching through the fence to gently stroke Daisy's fur. "I don't think I've ever seen a cat with such lovely markings."
"Daisy has been my rock through everything. Would you like to come over for some tea?" Claire asked. "I have some fresh mint from the garden that would make a delicious brew."
She let out a sigh and shook her head. "I wish I could, Claire, but I have a mountain of chores waiting for me inside. Peter is particular about the house being tidy, and I can't afford to fall behind." Her voice carried a hint of resignation.
"Of course," Claire said, understanding how much work took to keep a home clean and organized. "Another time, then. Just know that you're always welcome here, whether it's for tea or simply a chat by the fence."
"Thank you, Claire," Abby replied, her smile warm and appreciative. "That means a lot to me." And with a final wave, she turned and disappeared back into her own home.
Chapter Fourteen
The afternoon sun filtered through the large front windows of Sweet Delights as Eva sat behind the counter sipping an iced coffee. With no customers at the moment, she was enjoying the brief quiet lull. In the back kitchen, she could hear faint noises of Michael washing dishes and tidying up after the lunch rush. Soft acoustic music played over the speakers, adding to her relaxation.
Just as Eva was considering taking out her tablet to doodle some ideas for new cake designs, the bell above the door jingled. She glanced up from her coffee and felt a thrill shoot through her chest when she saw Claire walk in, her skin glowing in the sunlit bakery. She wore a flowing linen top. The sleeves and neckline were wide and off the shoulder, exposing light freckles across her delicate collarbones.
As Eva's eyes trailed over Claire's exposed collarbones and shoulders, she felt the nearly irresistible urge to reach out and run her fingertips along that delicate freckled skin. She imagined tracing patterns across her skin. What would it feel like to gently grasp Claire by the waist and draw her in close enough to tenderly kiss each and every warm freckle? Eva's heart quickened at the thought, heat rising in her cheeks.
"Afternoon, Claire!" Eva said warmly, hoping she didn't sound overly eager. "How's your day going so far?"
Claire smiled, approaching the counter slowly as her gaze traveled over the tempting array of pastries behind the glass. "It's going well. I wanted to pop in and get something sweet," she replied. Her eyes met Eva's again, making Eva swallow thickly. "How about you? Staying cool on this hot day?"
"Oh yeah, the AC is cranked up to the max in here," Eva laughed. "And I've been indulging in iced coffees to get through the afternoon." She lifted her chilled glass as proof.
"Hmm..." she murmured, clearly deep in contemplation about what delicious option to choose.
After a few more moments of careful perusal, Claire seemed to hone in on the snickerdoodles, neatly arranged on a tiered stand. "I think I'll go with one of these this time," she said decisively, pointing to the cookies dusted in cinnamon sugar. "And maybe an iced coffee too," she added.
Eva grinned, she'd had to stop herself from eating all the cookies as soon as they had come out of the oven. "Excellent choices," she said, grabbing a paper bag for the cookie.
As Eva rang up her order, she found herself wishing Claire would stay and chat instead of disappearing to one of the tables. To her pleasant surprise though, Claire leaned casually against the counter as Eva prepared her coffee. "Would you like caramel and vanilla in it?" Eva offered.
Claire made a sound of pleasure that went straight through Eva, deepening her blush. "That sounds delicious. Is that what you're drinking?"
"It's what I drink everyday, either hot or iced depending on the weather," Eva confessed. "So I hope you like it."
Claire grinned. "I'm sure I will."
"How's your sister doing?" Eva asked, hoping she wasn't overstepping by bringing up Claire's personal life.
"She's doing really well. I should call and catch up with her more often. When David was alive I was so busy, I didn't make as much time for her as I should have. Now, well, now I just need to call her more. No excuses anymore. It's good to have her close, to know that if I needed her she could be here in less than an hour, not a day."
Eva slid the finished coffee across the counter along with the cookie wrapped in a paper sleeve. "Always nice to have someone who has your back."
"Do you have any siblings?" Claire asked before taking an appreciative sip of the cold brew.
"No, just me," Eva said. "The perks of being an only child. Though it might've been nice to have a built-in friend growing up like you and Julia. Though I do think of Michael as my little brother as well as my best friend."
Claire nodded. "We definitely leaned on each other a lot. I can't imagine my childhood without her. Speaking of childhood, where did you grow up?" Claire asked. "Have you always lived around here?"
Eva nodded, leaning casually on the bakery counter. "Actually, I'm local, born and raised right here," she replied. "I've never lived anywhere outside of this little town. My childhood home is just a few streets away from the bakery."
She gestured out the window at the quaint downtown street. "I used to walk to school every day right down that road. And I worked part-time jobs all over this neighborhood growing up - the flower shop, the bookstore, the ice cream parlor that used to be on the corner."
"So this was your dream even as a kid then?" asked Claire. "To run your own bakery?"
"Very much so. I went to culinary school, learned how to be a pastry chef, and it snowballed from there. I started with custom cakes and I got so busy that I had to pull in Michael for help. Not long after that he was quitting his job at the liquor store to come work for me full time."
Claire chuckled. "That's amazing you knew your passion so early. I definitely didn't have it all figured out as a kid." She took a bite of the snickerdoodle cookie, the cinnamon sugar dusting her lips.
Eva couldn't help but watch. Building up her courage, she reached across the counter and gently wiped the corner of Claire's mouth with her thumb.
"Just a few little crumbs," she explained, hoping she wasn't being too obvious. Claire's eyes widened slightly but she just smiled, making no move to pull away from Eva's touch.
Heart racing, Eva slowly retracted her hand, the feel of Claire's soft skin lingering. An undeniable connection hummed between them.
Just as Eva contemplated whether she dared try to take Claire's hand, the swing door to the back kitchen suddenly pushed open.
"Hey Eva, do we have more cupcake liners...oh!" Michael halted mid-sentence, taking in the scene before him.
Eva quickly took a step back. Claire also retreated a polite distance from the counter, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
An awkward moment passed before Michael recovered himself. "Oops, sorry to interrupt!" His eyes glinted with barely contained curiosity that Eva knew she'd have to address later. "I'll just, uh, check on those cupcake liners myself."
He disappeared back into the kitchen, the door swinging slowly. Alone again, Eva cleared her throat, willing her scarlet cheeks to cool. She met Claire's eyes tentatively.
"Well, I should probably let you get back to work," Claire said, though she sounded almost reluctant. "Thanks for the coffee, cookie, and chat."
Eva just nodded, pulse still racing. As Claire pushed open the door with a final friendly wave, Eva sighed, already eager for their next encounter, and wishing Claire hadn't had to go now.
She had a feeling she'd be seeing more of the charming and beautiful woman. Eva had a sinking feeling in her gut though, the kind that told her that her growing crush on the new neighbor would likely come to no fruition.
It was a shame.
She sighed. There were worse things in life than a harmless crush on a beautiful woman.
The bell above the door jingled and Eva looked up with a smile, hoping it was Claire again, but a middle aged woman approached the counter instead.
"Hello, how can I help you today?" Eva greeted, slipping back into customer service mode.
The woman frowned slightly as she peered into the display case, as if searching for something that wasn't there.
"You don't have any strawberry scones left?" she finally asked, sounding almost accusatory.
"Oh, no," Eva said apologetically. "They're a seasonal item. We won't have them again until the spring."
The woman let out a huff, clearly disappointed. "Fine. I'll take a blueberry muffin then."
"Excellent choice," Eva replied, reaching for a paper sleeve. "Did you want it warmed up?"
The woman shook her head, pursing her lips. "No, that's not necessary."
Eva handed over the muffin, hoping this interaction would be a quick one. "That'll be three dollars and fifty cents, please."
"Here." The woman pulled a five dollar bill out of her wallet and thrust it at Eva.
Eva accepted the money, trying not to show her irritation at the woman's rudeness. Too bad all of their customers couldn't be like Claire. "Here's your change." She set the coins on the counter and pushed them toward the woman.
