Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

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Rosie Howard slightly wondered what she'd gotten herself into when she opened a brand new patisserie in St Johns Wood, London. She'd trained in Paris at a good school, and was finally making her way in the world. She had a newspaper column, which helped her place get some publicity. She wrote and baked and that was pretty much it. Occasionally she had time to go into central London shopping, or to go to the park, but most of her time was spent working. She considered it a break when she got to have a conversation with customers. The patisserie was near Abbey Road studios, so most of her clientele were tourists and session musicians, passing through, though some did become regulars. The technicians and engineers from Abbey Road would come in of a morning in waves for a takeaway coffee, and reappear at lunchtime for a cake or tart. Within weeks, she got to know their orders and would have them prepared for them when they arrived. Rosie's bakery soon became part of the fabric of St Johns Wood, and she finally felt like she'd found somewhere she, and her baking, belonged.

One day, after a few months of business and tourists, on a quiet afternoon, someone different walked into Rosie's bakery. He didn't look like the normal sort of person that visited Rosie's place, not that she minded. He looked far too cool, in hippie trousers and a jacket type thing that was neither jumper nor coat. He looked like somebody with money, somebody perhaps famous, and she reasoned that he'd probably come from the studios. He walked up to the counter and smiled, pulling a pair of glasses out of his pocket to read the menu.

"An Americano and one of those raspberry tarts, please" He said, his American accent sticking out like a sore thumb in the centre of London.

"Of course, I'll bring it over" Rosie replied, smiling. She plated up the tart and made the coffee, and took it over, noticing how quiet her cafe was.

"Thank you, I read your column and decided I just had to come here" the main said, inviting her to sit down opposite him. As it was quiet, Rosie decided why not.

"Thank you, Mr..."

"John Mayer, I'm recording around the corner at the studios" He introduced.

"I guessed as much, how are you finding London?" Rosie replied, it was her standard question to somebody from outside London.

"Much better now I have somewhere to be given coffee by a pretty lady" John replied. He wasn't intentionally trying to flirt, but Rosie's blush when he said that made him want to. Rosie got her assistant to bring her a drink, and she and John sat chatting for what felt like five minutes but was actually closer to an hour. When he left, with a smile and a wave and a promise to come back the next day, Rosie wondered what on earth had just happened. She'd had coffee at her own bakery with a famous musician, and an attractive one at that, and he'd promised to come back and see her again.

The next day, as promised, John visited Rosie's bakery for coffee and cake. He told her all about the new single he was recording, and why he was doing it in London. She, in turn, told him all about Paris and her childhood (both lonely). She never normally opened up about either of these times in her life, so she was surprised to find herself doing it towards a near stranger but John made her comfortable, she felt like she could tell him anything and he wouldn't judge her.

Rosie knew she could consider John her friend when, a couple of weeks later, he burst into the cafe during one of it's busiest times.

"Howard! Your latest column is genius!" He almost shouted as he walked over. Rosie laughed and nodded towards the door to her flat. John winked and walked up the stairs as Rosie got her assistant and the trainee to take over from her on the tills, so she could go and find John and talk to him.

Rosie had gotten very used to famous musician John Mayer walking into her cafe every lunchtime for coffee and cake, she knew he always came in at around half 12, so she always made sure that was when her lunch break started. There was something about John that intrigued and fascinated Rosie, and something about him that made her want to spend all her time with him. She realised then that she might be falling in love with him. She'd not had a great romance in a while, and decided to fall headlong into it.

Rosie fascinated John. She was all he thought about. After weeks of going to see her almost every day, he realised he had to do something about his feelings for her.

"Rosie?" He asked one lunchtime, sat at the table on her balcony.

"John" She replied, somewhat sarcastically. John hardly ever called her Rosie, she was always 'Howard', so she took all opportunities to take the piss when he called her Rosie.

"Do you want to come by the studio tonight and hear my new song?" He asked. He felt as nervous as he had when he'd first asked a girl out when he was a teenager. He could hardly believe how nervous he was, he knew his feelings had to be strong if he was this nervous.

"I'd love to" Rosie replied, smiling. She was amazed John had offered this, she thought musicians tended to be secretive about what they were working on until it was released. She guessed this meant that John trusted her.

Rosie was nervous when she turned up to Abbey Road studios that evening to hear the song John had been working on. He was waiting for her at the front desk

"Come along, Howard, we've got dancin' to do" He said as he grabbed her by the hand and led her through the corridors of the studio.

Rosie sat down in the chair John's producer offered her when she walked in, she smiled as she watched John fiddle with something on the computer, and then say goodbye to the producer. It was very rare for it to be just her and John in a room, and she swore she could feel the tension. She hoped it was what she thought it was, and that John had feelings for her too, but she had no way to be sure and she didn't want to destroy their friendship by pushing it.

John put the song on, telling her it was called "New Light", and took her hand. She stood up, putting her handbag down on the floor, and started to dance with him. She laughed at his awful dancing, though he knew he was dancing badly on purpose. She was a bit nervous to start with, but soon John pulled her into his arms, and she loosened up. They danced to the song for a while, it playing on repeat in the background.

After a while, John and Rosie found themselves slow dancing to the song, despite it not being that kind of song. Rosie knew this was her opportunity, and after a quick glance down to his lips, she leant forward and kissed John. It was gentle, nervous, and sweet, but John swore he'd never had such a perfect kiss in all his life. He reached his arm over and paused the music, before wrapping both his arms around Rosie. He could hardly believe his luck, really. He deepened the kiss, helping Rosie perch on the edge of the control desk, both of them finding wandering hands as they broke apart for air.

The next morning, John woke to sunlight streaming through the curtains, and was delighted to find that he was in Rosie's bed. She was still fast asleep next to him, and he couldn't remember being more happy. He was worried, though. His new single was finished, and he didn't know how much longer he was going to be in London. He wanted to be there forever, or wherever Rosie was, but he decided he'd cross that bridge when he got to it.

"How long are you staying in London?" Rosie asked over breakfast. This was the bridge. John had to cross it.

"As long as you want me to" He replied.

"Stay forever?" She asked.

He did.