Baking Love

Croissants, Danishes, and Someone New

The scent of fresh bread filled the air of the small bakery as David shut off the small egg timer and slid a pair of oven mitts onto his hands.
He opened the oven and peered inside with a small smile.

He hastily removed a few rectangular cake pans with a deep breath and placed them on the counter. Feeling the heat start to go through the cloth of the mitts, David took off the gloves and set them aside. He grabbed a small bowl of melted butter and a basting brush, dipping the brush into the butter and spreading it evenly over each loaf. He took a step back and admired his work, brushing any remaining flour or dough bits off his apron and clothes.

Moments after he looked at the loaves of bread with newfound pride, a soft jingle of bells notified him of a customer. "Ah, perfect! Just in time," He said with a grin, walking briskly to the register counter. "Hi, welcome to the Pine Tree Bakery! What fine treat can I get you today?" Who walked in looked about David's age, if not a little younger, with sandy blonde hair and cerulean blue eyes. He sported a black polo with colorful shapes and patterns on it, and black ripped jeans- he looked like he came straight out of the '90s. Even with all of this, David still had to admit he looked kind of cute.

The man shoved his hands in his pockets, his eyes skimming across the many display cases of varying baked goods. "Actually, do you have any recommendations? I'm new in town, and I've heard a bit about a bakery around here and how good it is, so I'm unsure what I should get." He showed off a radiant smile, setting David's heart in motion as it fluttered with emotions. It was true; the Pine Tree Bakery has been getting more foot traffic now that it's getting into the fall months.

"Well, I can't only recommend one item. Being as it's my own bakery, I feel everything is special in its own right. Still, I do have some favorites among other customers." He shifted his weight a bit and looked around at what he had out at the moment. "Oh! Lately, the croissants have been getting quite popular since people like to stop here early in the morning and get one or two along with their coffee. How does that sound? I made some a little while earlier, so they're still fresh."

The guy nodded and flashed the same warm smile again. "Sounds good to me, dude. I'll take two then." David moved to the right where the register was located and rung up his order. "Alright, your total will be... $3.25 including tax!" He looked up at the man patiently while he fished around in his wallet for the correct amount. "I'll go get your order. Is there a name I can write down for it?" The man finally found enough cash and slid it gently across the counter closer to David. "The name's Jasper."

"Nice to meet you, Jasper. My name is David." He quietly slipped to the back of the bakery where the fresh bread and treats were placed. He grabbed two croissants and put them into a small paper bag, rolling the top of it down and sealing it with a name sticker on which he wrote Jasper's name down in cursive. He made his way back to the counter at the front and handed Jasper the small bag. "Here ya go, Jasper," He said with a cheeriness in his voice- it was always lovely to see new customers around.

David counted the cash on the counter. Jasper had given him $4.25 instead of 3, so he put the amount needed into the register and pulled out a dollar bill, holding it out for him to take. "Keep the change, Davey," Jasper said with a wink as he strolled out of the bakery. "I'll see you around!" David could feel his face heat up at the nickname. "Have- Have a good day," he said while slowly putting the dollar bill back in the register with a flustered grin.

All throughout the day, customers came and went, all of which David had seen before. He greeted them with the same cheeriness and gave them whatever they asked for. He also occasionally asked a few of them whether they've seen Jasper around. Most of them said no, but some mentioned that he had been walking around checking out shops and stores near the area. That confirmed that Jasper, was in fact, new.

Having a new person in the small, cozy town of Cedar Creek was big news to everyone around. Everyone here knew everyone else and their families. They were all closely bound together through warm smiles and friendships galore. He hoped Jasper would feel as much at home as he felt when he first stepped into Cedar Creek himself.

The clock was reaching the 5'oclock mark when he started to shut things down for the day. He brushed off any newly appearing crumbs or ingredients on his apron. He untied it, going to the back to hang it up on a little hat rack of other aprons. He glanced at the storefront windows just as a woman walked in. She had a darker complexion, with striking purple eyes and brown hair in a messily put-up ponytail. "Gwen!" David jogged over to the counter as she made her way up. "Hey, David. Am I too late again?" Gwen glanced at the clock with a slightly embarrassed expression. "No worries, Gwen! I was just about to close up. Is there anything I can get you," He asked with a bright smile. "Ah... I'll just have whatever you care to get out for me." She was always like this- always came after everyone else and never cared what he gave her.

"Hmmm... I have some fruit danishes that I plan to take home, but you can have them if you'd like! I can always just make some again another time." He handed her a brown paper bag labeled 'Cherry/Orange/Blueberry Danish.' "You don't need to pay, by the way. Consider it a gift." Gwen looked inside the bag, her mouth watering. "Are you sure? I would hate to not be a good customer," She joked. David nodded. "I'm sure, CBFL."

David knew that Gwen had trouble keeping jobs. She majored in psychology, and well, there weren't many jobs requiring her expertise in Cedar Creek. Besides running a kid's summer camp with him in the summer, she didn't exactly have financial stability.

Gwen left with multiple 'thank you's, leaving David all alone in his shop. He always loved the hours leading up to and during closing time. It was quieter, and the ambiance was different than in the morning or during the day. He felt accomplished whenever he wrapped up for the day, whether through what he sold or just the fact that he had his shop open for another day.

David grabbed a cloth and some cleaning solution and wiped down the tables and chairs set up in the bakery. He set them down when he was done and ran a hand through his red hair with a grin. His thoughts couldn't help but trail back to the man he met this morning.
Jasper. It was a nice name. He felt his cheeks heat up again as a mental picture of him resurfaced in his mind. He was cute- it reminded him of someone, though he couldn't place his finger on who.

David hoped to see him around soon.