Nova Scotia

Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

"You have icing on your lip," Dallas said, laughing. He put his cupcake down and leaned over, wiping my bottom lip clean with a napkin. "You eat like a four-year-old."

"I can't help it," I said defensively. "This stuff is so good! I can't believe this place isn't an international branch."

He shrugged. "I guess nobody really notices hole-in-the-wall places like this when there's a Starbucks on every street corner," he said thoughtfully. "Doesn't that suck? Think about all the amazing food that goes unappreciated because the world can't get through the day without their skinny lattes and cappuccinos."

"What did Starbucks ever do to you?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. I picked up another cupcake, knowing my body would hate me for it the next time I worked out, and peeled off the wrapper. "It's not that bad. They have good coffees."

"I can make better coffee with one hand behind my back," Dallas informed me. "And I'd give it to you for free."

"You'd sell free coffee? Coffee that's better than Starbucks? That's such a waste." I shook my head.

Dallas laughed so loud, a few of the people in the tiny bakery with us turned to stare. "I said I would give it to you for free," he said. "Not the whole world."

"Why me?"

"Because why not?" He raised his eyebrows. "You're pretty special, Candice Li."

"You keep using my last name," I noted, easily deflecting his compliment. I didn't really feel like turning redder than the icing on the cupcake I was eating. "But I don't think I know yours."

He laughed and put his cupcake down. He held his hand out and grinned at me. "Dallas White. Pleasure to meet you, California."

I laughed and shook his hand. "The feeling's mutual, Canada."

"Ooh, I like that," he said, pulling his hand away and continuing to devour his cupcake. "We're giving each other nicknames. I should propose."

I laughed again and finished my cupcake, putting the wrapper aside. "I'm sure the people here would love to see that. I doubt there's much excitement in a place as small as this."

Dallas nodded and looked around. We were the loudest people in the bakery, since it was almost empty. Behind the counter, there was a girl who was probably about sixteen years old playing on her phone since there was a depressing lack of customers. In the far corner, a woman was sitting on her laptop and typing furiously. There was a baby sleeping in the stroller beside her. An old couple was standing by the glass cases of pastries, trying to decide what they were going to get. In the back of the store, I could hear the muffled voices of three more people.

"I think they deserve the excitement," he decided, standing up from his chair.

I frowned. "What're you doing?"

Dallas got down on one knee and grinned at me. "I hope you don't mind that I'm springing this on you on the first date," he told me. "I'm a commitment kind of guy."

"Oh my God, Dallas, are you serious?"

"I am," he said solemnly. "Please, let me finish, Candice."

By now, the meager crowd of people in the bakery had turned all their attention on us. I could even see people peering in through the windows at the front. At the back, the doors swung open and the three other employees watched us avidly. My face felt like it was on fire, and I couldn't bring myself to look at Dallas.

"Candice, I know we're young," he began. "But ever since I saw you on the playground in the fourth grade, I knew you were the one. When you said yes after I asked you out in middle school, it was the happiest day of my life. Will you make it the second happiest day of my life and make today the happiest of them all?"