The Baker

Chapter 4

        Cassie sighed as she looked at herself in her full length mirror. After seeing Benedict twice yesterday, and seeing what he’s really like after seeing him with Adam, she very much wanted to impress him this morning. “It’s just a coffee date,” she said to herself. “Just a coffee date…don’t fuck it up!” After giving herself a once-over, she grabbed her purse and walked out the door. The café was just down the street where she lived, so she arrived a few minutes before eight. In the meantime, she ordered them their coffee and found a table in a less empty part of the café. She was glad she knew what coffee he took because she really felt like she had to repay him from yesterday. At exactly eight o’clock, Ben walked through the door. He looked around the place, until he saw Cassie. He gave her a knowing smile, as he saw the coffees on the table. He walked over to her and greeted as he sat down, “Morning, Cassie.” “Morning, Ben. I took the liberty of getting our coffees.” Ben chuckled, “You didn’t have to do that.” “Now you know how I feel,” she playfully retorted. He sighed in defeat and said, “Well, thank you.” “You’re welcome. Now, tell me about yourself. So far I know you like black coffee and chocolate croissants.” Ben smiled and said, “That’s pretty much it.” He paused, letting him and Cassie get the giggles out, before he continued, “No, but really, um…I’m an actor.” Cassie nodded, “That’s neat! Anything I might know of?” “Well, I’m in a modern day version of Sherlock. I play Sherlock. Other than that, I do some theater and I’ve just finished a movie in the states.” Cassie looked at him with wide eyes. “Holy shit,” she said. “Now I know you! My cousin is a huge fan of that show!” Ben smiled and teasingly asked, “But you’re not?” She shyly shrugged and said, “I’ve never really gotten around to watching it…” Ben pretended to look shocked. He playfully scoffed, “Rude!” Cassie laughed and tried to half-heartily explain, but her laughter got the best of her. Ben joined in the laughter and tried to tell her that he was joking, but his laughter got him as well. They were getting looks from all around the shop, but they didn’t care. Once they had settled down, Ben said, “So, tell me about you, Cassie. As far as I know, you own a bakery, in which you bake everything there, and that you are a. Damn. Good. Cook.” Cassie lightly laughed and shrugged, while saying, “I’m all right.” “I’m sorry, but do you know how many chocolate croissants I had yesterday?” “As a matter of fact, I do. I was the one replacing them all,” she chuckled. Ben blushed a little, but shook it off. Cassie continued, “Well, I’m from a little place called Ojai, California. Um…I have two loving parents, an older brother, a  much younger sister, and I moved here about three years ago. That’s about it.” Ben squinted his eyes at her and smirked. “I believe there’s more than that. What college did you go to?” “New York University.” “Major?” “Creative writing.” “Really? And how does one go from a writer to a baker?” And the conversation flew easily after that. Cassie learned about Ben’s parents, his boarding school life, and more of his acting career. Ben learned learned more about Cassie’s high school and college life, as well as her family and her writings. An hour had passed by the time they had both told their life stories. Now, they were just enjoying each other’s company. “Please let me read one,” Ben begged Cassie. She had made the mistake of telling him that she wrote a couple of novels. “No,” she laughed. “I don’t let anyone read my stuff.” “But you can let me,” he whined. Fuck, he’s so adorable when he does that! She playfully rolled her eyes, then looked at the clock. Her face dropped when she realized the time. “Oh shit,” she muttered. “Um, I’m sorry, but I’m almost late for work.” “Aren’t you the boss? Can’t you just go at anytime?” He asked innocently. “Yes,” she told him, “but I like to set a good example for my employees. I mean what does it say if their boss keeps coming in late?” Ben realized how important it was to her, but he just really didn’t want this…date…to end. “Let me walk you then,” he offered quickly. How could she refuse? She quickly nodded and they got up from their seats. Being the gentleman, Ben held the door open for her. She thanked him and they started walking to her work.

My God, look at her eyes. What shade of blue are they? Their more beautiful than yesterday. Wait she’s talking, I better listen. “And here we are,” she said sadly. “I really had a great time, Ben. Thank you.” Ben smiled warmly at her and said, “I had a great time as well. We um…we should do it again sometime.” Cassie smiled shyly and said, “I’d like that.” “Great,” he beamed. Their was a slight pause, before things started to get a tad awkward. Cassie turned towards the door, while saying, “Well, have a good day, Ben.” Before she walked in, Ben blurted out, “How about tonight?” She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him with a confused expression. He continued, “For our second date…how about tonight?” Giving him a cheeky smile, Cassie asked, “So this was our first date?” Catching her cheekiness, he told her, “I would like to think of it that way, yes. So what do you say? I could pick you up after work and we could go to a restaurant down the street that just opened?” Cassie didn’t have to think before she said, “I’d like that. What time?” “Well, what time do you close? That’s assuming you don’t want to go home and change.” “I can always run home during my lunch break and grab some things. We close at six-thirty.” “So…seven, then?” She nodded, “Okay.” She paused before saying, “It’s a date.” They exchanged smiles, before she walked into the bakery. Ben stood outside, watching her move inside; exchanging smiles and greetings with her employees and customers. “She’s fucking perfect,” he mumbled to himself.