Love in the Bakery

Chapter 1: First Date

"Hey there! Come on get outta the rain! You know its flu season," I heard a mother tut at her children as she led them in. They came in everyday and got half dollar scones. I knew she wanted to make the best for her kids but she was limited on funds after her husband hadn't returned from duty. I made sure all my staff knew to charge her half price.

"Betty, you be nice to the kids. This cold weather came from out of nowhere. They're still used to playing in the warm summer rain," I smiled over at her as she looked up at me with a playfully exasperated sigh.

"What are you still doing here? I came in for a coffee at 6am and you were here, then I drove past at 3pm from picking the kids up at school and saw you eating a sandwich on break, now here it is almost 7pm and you are still here. You have staff to cover you," she looked at me as I playfully rolled my eyes at her and handed the three of them menus. The kids each smiled a thanks up at me as they were looking them over.

"Well you have your babies. This is mine. I love the bakery and if I gotta put in late hours, then I don't mind," I smiled at her as I grabbed my notepad, waiting for the first kid to erupt their order excitedly. They both had just gotten done with their soccer games and now they were here for dinner.

"I scored three goals today and Neenah scored six! Also I want a ham sandwich," Jackson smiled widely at us. They were basically like family and I enjoyed their company when they came in.

"Oh you did? Then your meal is on me. Get anything you guys want," I smiled pulling a twenty out of my apron and putting it in the register, making Betty groan and set her menu down.

"No no no. You are not paying. I have the money and I know you have expenses, too," she looked at me with a sigh as I patted her hand and looked at her eye level.

"Yeah, I got expenses but you got expenses and two kids. When I played sports, every goal, strike, or par my dad gave me five bucks. This is like that," I smiled at her and walked in back to get started on their meals since the kids had wrote what they wanted and Betty always got the same thing.

I heard the door open and I looked out the kitchen window and saw a new, yet familiar, face walk in. He sat at the counter and smiled at me when he saw me peeking at him. I smiled back in response and got Betty and the kids order out to them. I got a chorus of thank yous and I smiled in return before walking over to the new stranger.

"Well what brings you to our neck of the woods? Usually people don't want to come to these mountain towns," I leaned on the counter and grinned at him as he smiled up at me and chuckled.

"Well my little sister lives here. I just got off tour with my band so I decided to take a vacation up here," he smiled at me as I handed him a menu and set a glass of water with him.

"Ooh you're in a band? What's it like touring and seeing what the world has to offer?" I smiled widely at him as he was smiling at me and playing with the empty straw wrapper in his fingers.

"Well, they say the more you see, the less you know and I have to agree that is very true," he laughed as I heard one of the kids yelling for me before Betty shushed them so that they wouldn't interrupt me.

"I'll be back to take your order in a sec," I smiled at him and walked over to the kids. "You guys rang? Oh, but I also have a surprise for you," I smiled at them as I refilled their water cups. They smiled and thanked me as they gasped excitedly. I had grabbed three smaller plates with their favorite desserts and set them in front of their dinner plates since they were mostly done.