Dear Reader...

Chapter Nine

~Noah~

"Try this." I shoved a cookie at Chris, not even giving him a chance to look up at my sudden appearance in the empty shop as opposed to the kitchen I'd been camped out in for almost 4 days solid. I desperately needed the distraction.

"What is it?"

"Dog shit. A cookie what does it look like? Just try it." Chris lowered his eyebrows slightly but took the treat from my hands, taking a bite. "Thoughts?"

"A good cookie. Not too sweet. Soft and chewy but a little crisp on the edges."

"Better than the last batch yesterday or worse?"

"Dude, you've made more cookies this week than we go through in a month. They're fine. What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to get a recipe right."

"Noah. Your recipe's are fine. Everyone loves them as they are." Everyone loving them wasn't the problem. The problem was the girl I'm dating can't fucking eat in this coffee shop because nothing caters to her. Well, I'm not having it. When she comes in here next I want her to have the confidence to be able to eat something I've made and know it's safe for her. It's hard enough finding snacks and everything out there. She said that herself. That she just takes her own food everywhere, doesn't eat out, doesn't eat when other people have cooked for her because she's worried it'll make her really sick again.

Hearing about the last incident on Tuesday night was enough for me. I can't say I'd ever really thought about the impact of having a life-threatening allergy like that. I've never had to pay attention to what I'm eating or where it came from. Never read the ingredients and had to put something back, never had to stab a needle into my leg so I could breathe whilst I wait for an ambulance to show up. I could see it on her face how scary just reminiscing about it was for her.

So, I've spent this week looking up recipes and trying to find the right balance of everything without any of the ingredients that put her in that place again. I wanted them to taste as close to the normal ones I make as possible, so that she wasn't missing anything, she wasn't getting a worse flavour or quality. I wanted it to be normal. I don't know. It just feels like the right thing to do.

"Yeah well, I realized none of the stuff we sell is allergy friendly. Might open some more business up if we can cater to everyone."

"Mhm. Everyone. Sure." Chris chuckled. "No, it's good. Probably even with your normal ones." I nodded. "I'm sure she'll appreciate them."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Please. You never touch your recipes Noah. 'Perfection doesn't need adjusting'."

"It does if it's potentially gonna lead to some old woman dying in here because she didn't think to check the ingredients with us. Maureen's been asking for months for me to do a dairy free alternative of things for her."

"So, this has nothing to do with the Canadian who likes to sit in the back corner?"

"What? No."

"Sure, it doesn't."

"I mean, sure, she's one of the target market but it doesn't mean that's why I'm doing it."

"You really like her huh? Haven't seen you this defensive over a girl before Noah."

"I am not defensive." I rolled my eyes, headed back into the kitchen, looking at the collection of recipes I'd printed out and the 5 trays of trial batches.

Okay maybe I liked Juliette a little more than I was currently wanting to let on. I just feel like I fucked up on our date. She was a little slower at replying now. A little more reserved. She hadn't been down here since either. I hadn't asked her in all fairness, I just thought she might drop down and do some writing in the back again. I know she said she thinks her house is too quiet and the mess is distracting sometimes. That's why she liked working in here the weekend just gone. Because she had the perfect amount of distractions and peace.

She'd been texting back. A handful of words at a time. She was still being funny and sarcastic and she still kind of seemed like herself, just a little quiet.

I grabbed some of the cookies, putting them into separate bags and scribbling the batch numbers on the paper, headed around to the front to make her a coffee. I'd been here since 5am today. I was well overdue leaving. It's coming up to 5pm.

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

"With 2 coffees?" I glanced back at Chris who smirked. "I'm not gonna say anything Noah. I'm just happy to see you moving forward from-"

"Hi Noah." Oh my god. He didn't even need to summon her. She just flicked through Chris' mind and poof, appears as if by magic.

"Hi Teagan." I glanced up for a second before turning my attention back to the 2 drinks. "Chris will give you a hand in a second."

"Actually, I came in to see if we could talk?"

"Sorry, I'm busy right now." I turned raised my eyebrows at Chris who gave me a half-lipped smirk, letting me leave without me needing to say another word. I could physically feel her following me out of the shop. Still wearing my beanie over her head as if I wouldn't have recognized it from last year.

"Noah. Please wait up."

"Go home Teagan."

"You're being a little rude right now."

"Ha."

"Where are you going?"

"None of your business."

"Kelly said she saw you out with some girl on Tuesday. But that she didn't recognize her from around here."

"Kelly needs to keep her nose out of other people's business."

"Noah please, just stop. Look at me." I turned around, careful not to spill the drinks in the holder.

"I don't want to look at you Teagan. I don't want you within 20 feet of me."

"I know, I'm sorry. I made a mistake."

"A mistake Teagan is leaving the gate open on a windy night. Ordering the wrong meal at a restaurant. Calling someone the wrong name. Not sleeping with your boyfriends best friend."

"He didn't mean-"

"Bullshit." She blinked. "You'd been following James around like a fucking puppy for months before we got together. You only wanted me to get to him Teagan and you know it. You got what you wanted. You wanted him. You got him. You don't get me back just because James did what James does best and tossed you away when he got bored. You made your bed sweetheart; you've got to lie in it. Now, if you'll excuse me I've got someone waiting for me."