Secret Ingredient

Doorstep

Well, he hasn't come out of the back baking room in about four hours. I guess I can take that awkward encounter as a strange blessing. I had to get back to figuring out the layout I was creating anyway. I snapped a few shots of the store before we started cleaning. My first goal was the front door. It would not have been awful if it was in the back, but it looked absolutely dreadful in the front. It gives a slasher film rather than a sweets store. I started to look at doors I could replace it with. Of course, I was going to need Venus's approval on it. I highly doubt she would care what I replaced it with.

I looked out the window across the street. Full glass doors or half glass. They kinda all looked the same. Yeah no we're gonna do something a little different. I scanned through a majority of them and I found a few that caught my eye. The one that stood out was a white door with three diamond windows. Ooo I could even get some color film! Light Blue, purple, and pink wouldn't look too bad. " Hey, Ven-" Nope that didn't feel right " Hey Mrs. Amor! Can you come look at one of the redesigns I have?" I think I heard her yell back something but it was kinda muffled. I looked into the awning while I waited. They seemed torn up and faded. I liked the pink and green she had going on. Maybe a retractable one would be nice.

" What were you wanting me to look at?" Venus said from behind the counter. She had a bit of flour on her arms and chocolate smeared across her apron.

"I just want you to take a look at some choices I was making for the redesign." She came closer to look at my phone. She started nodding when she saw the door and awnings I selected. " I was thinking about maybe a retractable awning, but to be honest I was more focused on the door as it's a bit- '' Oh god. Or was it god's now? Whatever, how do I not insult the woman I made a contract with?

" I know it's an eyesore you don't have to tell me" She gave a short laugh. I let out a sigh of relief. " I don't really care what you do to the place when it comes to the design. My only request is no wall stickers. I had some before and a kid came in and ripped them off. Destroyed my paint. Mom tried to say she was just a kid and didn't know better." Alright, no stickers it is! Just two more things to do before we start.

"So my teacher wants a note from the business stating in your opinion how you think I did. Was it good? Bad? Or how it affected the business from your viewpoint. It's mostly to prove I did it and not photoshopped or faked knowledge in a certain department. Then we also have the question of how we will be paying for some of it. Do you want me to run each thing by you or would you like to do something else?" I asked her.

"I'll write the review towards the end of the deal. In case there is a snag in our plan. I'll give you a card for the purchases to spend as much as needed, but don't go overboard. I'll complete my end of the contract as stated." She told me pulling out a bronze colored card from right behind the register. Then she left me there for a moment as she walked into the back. She stopped in the doorway. "Eros will drive you home. So don't worry about catching that bus."

"No it's okay I-" I rushed though she was not listening. I looked out the window to see the bus was approaching the stop. Do I book it?

" Don't you dare think about trying to book it to that bus" Eros spoke from behind me. I whirled around to look at him. I need to put a bell on him or something. He always sneaks up on me. I'm starting to think it's on purpose.

"I'm not." A lie of course. " Won't your 'nonna' need a ride home" I say inching to the door.

" She's not that old, she can drive herself" he laughed. Good at least we're speaking to each other now. " Let me get my keys. I'm not going to kidnap you or be weird. Don't go out to a bus stop in the dark by yourself." He gave me a look as he turned to grab his keys from behind the counter. Yeah like you couldn't get any weirder at this point. The only thing that could make this any weirder is if suddenly you have Cupid wings spring out. What could he do? I'm going to assume he can't fly, because...well because I don't think he can. They used magic to lock the door. Do they use it for meet-cutes or random stuff? Eros laughed at me again " What are you thinking? You look like you got lost in the void"