The Only Two Things

Research

3:15pm

The hours were absolutely. Fucking. Draagggging .

It felt like every time she looked at the clock it was going backwards. Or forward by four minutes at a time. She didn't know why she was so excited.

The bakery staff were finally starting to come in and out of the new venue, with Kelly busy doing their inductions. They'd originally been hoping to be open by Easter, but delays with suppliers had put them back two weeks.

Shame, but not the end of the world. It meant that Sophie and Kelly could take Thursday off, which they wouldn't have been able to otherwise.

3:17pm

She groaned. She needed a distraction. Coffee. Their coffee machine wasn't hooked up yet. She'd have to go for a walk. She grabbed her jacket, and went downstairs, doing a drinking motion to Kelly to tell her where she was going.

"Oh! Babe! I'll come! I need to talk to you!"

She shot her a look. "Aren't you in the middle of training?"

She looked at the staff. "You guys want a fifteen minute break?"

They shrugged at her, laughing. "Well... yeah? I guess?"

Kelly grabbed her jacket, and linked her arm through Sophie's. They stepped out into the street, and Kelly cleared her throat.

"So"

Sophie's heart was racing. She knows. She knows. She knows I like him. Fuck. Do I like him? Is this just a crush? Is this...

"Sophie" Kelly snapped her fingers in front of her face.

"Blagh! Sorry. Off on a different planet."

Kelly laughed. "Yeah, wow. Let's get you a coffee. But what I was saying is - what's your plan for dealing with Conor?"

"Well... from what Ciaran's told me, they don't really get on."

"You can say that again. Conor's a bit of a golden child."

"Why?"

Kelly shrugged. "Honestly, I'm not sure. No one outside the family really likes him all that much. And it's not that Ciaran's jealous or anything. Conor's just... very difficult to get on with. And after everything with..."

She trailed off, and Sophie's heart raced. "Everything with what? What happened?"

Kelly bit her lip. "Not really my place to talk about. He's just... Look. I'm sure you already know this, but Ciaran's a really good guy. So just don't... like..."

Sophie chuckled. "Don't what?"

"Don't hurt him"

Soph furrowed her brow. "Kel... really? Ouch."

Kelly frowned. "I... look. I just... I don't know how to say this. "

Sophie had never seen Kelly at a loss for words.

Kelly sighed. "I've never seen him like this. People have been messaging me all week asking about you. He's had a smile on his face all week, and I know he's not that good of an actor."

Sophie's heart did a fucking backflip. She dug her cold hands into her pockets, suddenly aware of how soon she'd be able to have Ciaran's warming hers. They walked in silence for a few steps.

She felt like her heart was jumping up and down inside her.

'He's had a smile on his face all week'