Flour Girl (Bucky x reader Bakery AU)

Part 9

"Thank you," you called out after him.

You had considered ordering a drink while you waited, but then you'd have to get another one when B arrived. Right? Wasn't that the proper protocol? You weren't even sure anymore. Regardless, you blew on the mug of coffee lightly and took a sip of the comforting elixir. Five minutes until 4pm.

Each time the bell above the door chimed, your eyes flew to whoever was entering. There were all sorts of people: an elderly couple with arms linked, a girl with her nose buried in a book, and three young teenagers who laughed and joke around as they ordered. There was a close call when an attractive man entered, but his girlfriend, you assumed, entered a moment later.

Your fingers tapped on the table as the minute hand on the clock ticked closer to vertical. You held your breath as it struck 4pm and your eyes were trained on the door for what felt like eons. A minute passed. Then two. Digging out your phone, you checked the time to make sure the clock was correct, and it was. Sipping your coffee, you jiggled your leg under the table to vent some of your nervous energy.

Five minutes late, but you figured he just might not be a very punctual person. Taking your last sip of coffee, suddenly you had nothing else to occupy your hands or your attention. At ten minutes past 4pm, you pulled out your phone to check for a text you might have missed, but there was nothing. So, you decided to send a message of your own, just in case.

FG: Still planning on the Hawk's Nest, right? Didn't break your phone already, did you? ;)

You hit send, hoping your text sounded light-hearted and not like nagging. Watching the text send and then be marked as "delivered", you now knew it wasn't the fault of his phone. Where was he? Your mind began to run wild then, envisioning scenarios where possibly he was hurt somewhere or held captive. Maybe he was stuck on a subway train or in traffic. What if he just decided not to come and it was all a ruse? What if, what if, what if?

B was now 20 minutes late with no messages on your phone. Feeling the disappointment settle in your heart, you thought about leaving right then. Perhaps he wasn't the person you thought he was. Or maybe it had all been a facade. Maybe you got "catfished", or whatever the term was, and he wasn't a young man in his 20's but an old man. Or a woman. Who knows?

Just as you were reaching behind you for your jacket, the door jangled and your heart leapt in your chest. Eyes flying to the door, you held on to hope until....you saw him. Jimmy. Unbelievable. Hoping he hadn't noticed your presence, you hunched down over the table and put up a hand, shielding your face. Maybe he would just order and go away without you having to speak to him at all, you prayed.

You heard him greet Clint and then the sound of footsteps drawing closer filled your ears. No. Please, no.

"Y/N? Is that you?" Jimmy asked from where he stood beside your table.

Begrudgingly dropping your hand, you finally looked up to reply. "Jimmy. What are you doing here?" you asked coldly.

This was not the time. You couldn't deal with him in your current state. He looked perfect as always in black jeans and a zipped up hoodie with his hair expertly quaffed. Obviously he had cleaned up since you saw him earlier because there wasn't a hint of hat hair on that head. Why did his very presence mock you somehow?

He shrugged. "I was in the neighborhood. Listen, I—"

Suddenly, you slid you chair back with a scrape of the wood and got to your feet. "Not now, Jimmy," you said in a clipped voice as you slipped on your jacket and took a step toward the door.

Jimmy gripped your arm lightly. "Hey, wait, I—"

"No!" you exclaimed, a little too loudly as you shook off his hand. "Can't I have one moment's peace? One day where I don't have to feel your little jabs and criticisms about how I'll never make it in the business world? About how I'm doomed to fail? I've wanted this my entire life and I've worked too hard for too long and sacrificed too much for you to try to take it away from me," you snarled angrily within inches of his face.