Sugar, Spice & Secrets

60

The bakery was silent, the only sound the soft hum of the refrigerator and the occasional creak of the floorboards as I paced nervously behind the counter. It was past closing time, and everyone had gone home, leaving me alone while I waited for Gabriele.

I glanced at the clock on the wall for what felt like the hundredth time, willing time to move faster. He was coming over, just like he used to in the early stages of our friendship, before everything became so... so.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies that fluttered in my stomach. I had baked his favorite cupcake for him, it sat pretty on the counter, adorned with dollop of salted caramel frosting.

As I waited, I found myself lost in memories of our early days together—laughing over our favorite drink, sharing stories late into the night, and stealing kisses when we were finally bold enough to.

Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the door, and my heart skipped a beat. He was here. With a smile tugging at the corners of my lips, I hurried to the door and swung it open, revealing Gabriele standing at the entrance, a sheepish grin on his face.

"Hey," he said softly, his eyes warm and lips even warmer as they met mine.

"Hey," I replied, unable to suppress the smile that spread across my face at the sight of him. He stepped inside, and I closed the door behind him.

"I brought you something," he said, pushing up the flowers in his hand. "I thought you might like it."

They were the exact replica of the first set he ever got me, just a little smaller in size. "They're beautiful," I said softly, my voice catching in my throat as I reached out to take them from him, my fingers brushing against his as our hands briefly touched.

He smiled, a softness in his eyes as he watched me admire the flowers—I felt giddy. It felt like we were starting all over again, except this time, there was no Caleb as an interference, no doubts or insecurities.

"Are you going to let me in?"

His question pulled me from my thoughts, and I couldn't help but giggle at his playful tone. "Of course," I replied, gesturing for him to follow me as I walked backwards into the bakery. "Would you like to come in?"

"Depends," he shrugged, following me further into the bakery. "

"Make yourself at home," I said with a smile, gesturing towards the couch in the corner of the room. "I'll be right back."

He grinned back at me, his eyes sparkling as he watched me walk over to the counter. Opening the microwave, I pulled out the cupcake. Carefully placing it on a small plate, I added a dollop of salted caramel sauce on top, just the way he liked it.

Next, I prepared his chai latte, remembering how he ordered it just because it was my favorite. I brewed the tea with care, adding a hint of cinnamon and frothy milk to create the perfect balance.

With the cupcake and chai latte in hand, I made my way back to the couch where Gabriele was waiting. His smile widened, and a soft chuckle escaped his lips as he watched me approach.

"Here you go," I said with a grin, setting the plate with the cupcake in front of him and handing him the chai latte.

"Do you still think I have weird taste?" He teased, his tone lighthearted as he pulled the plate closer to him with one hand and reached out to pull me closer with the other.

I couldn't help but laugh at his question, shaking my head in mock exasperation. "You know I never said that," I replied with a playful smile, allowing him to draw me nearer until I was perched on him on the couch. "Just... unconventional."