Life Is What You Bake It // A Harry Styles AU

Chapter 10 - Term 1, Week 13

Wednesday

"Okay," Harry clears his throat as he sets two mugs down, one with coffee for himself and another with tea for Adele, "I spoke to Bennison at lunch today, and he said that if we wanted to start doing cakes as a business on the side he'd be happy to let me use the time on Mondays to put towards it."

"That's..." Adele's brows raise with mild surprise, "oddly generous of him."

"I know, I thought the same. But he can't complain, because I'm advancing the way he wants me to, and if there's anything I'm not sure about, he said he can help. Which is what I'm paying him for anyway."

"Well, that's perfect, then. I spoke to your mum before you got here and she said we should make a sort of request sheet. So people can tell us what they want in vague detail and then we can contact them afterwards."

"That sounds like a good idea." Harry nods. "It'd be a good starting point to do it here, as well. You know, like if we have a big table celebrating something we could offer them a cake for it."

"Yeah, definitely." Adele agrees, lifting her mug to her lips.

"Maybe we could get little business cards." He adds, partly joking as he giggles.

"I don't know why you're laughing, that's probably a good idea."

"You know," the head chef comes out of his office with his arms folded, a pull between his thick brows but a smile on his lips, "if I knew that you were both so big into pastry earlier, I would've put you to better use."

"You already have a pastry chef." Harry returns with a frown, turning to face Steven properly.

"I do, but..." Steven presses his lips together, turning his nose up, "he's wank."

Adele points at Harry, "He says that all the time."

Steven nods with an assured look. "Everyone does. Look, I don't want to mess up your plans or whatever, and you know you can do whatever you want in here for this little cake thing you want to set up, as long as it's not like, right in the middle of evening service. But, if you'd rather be doing pastry, I have a couple of things I want to try out."

"Like what?"

"Fresh bread for starters. For some reason, Rory is fucking terrified of making bread."

Harry sets his mug on the table and moves to stand behind Adele, gently pushing her forwards by the waist towards the chef. "Makes the best bread out of everyone, this one."

"Is that true, Adele?" Steven asks with a curious grin.

Adele starts to speak, a little dumbfounded. "I mean..."

"Obviously she's not going to admit to it because she's not a twat," Harry mutters, pecking the top of her head, "but her bread is always fuckin' perfect. Bennison always says so. Pretty sure she's his favourite."

Adele is visibly cringing, she's that uncomfortable.

"Alright." Steven purses his lips. "Can you make some now?"

"Um," she looks to the clock on the wall to make sure she's not going to be here too late past her penned shift. She should be fine. "Yeah, sure."

"Great!" Steven rubs his hands together. "If there's anything missing, just let me know and I'll run to the shop and get it."

Adele watches Steven disappear into his office again, and then turns to Harry with a quizzical look. "That was weird."

Harry shrugs and lightly pinches her cheek. "Maybe, but at least you've got something to do."