Chapter 4
Mae
After giving them plenty of time for their tasting I walk back into the room. I see smiles on everyone's face except for the mother. She has a scowl on her face that looks like someone had pissed in her corn flakes this morning. That in its self made me have hope that I would be working with this couple.
"I hope that you have had plenty of time for your tasting. Are there any questions that you have for me?" I always ask this because you never know what might be going through someone's head while they are tasting.
"Are you willing to work with us?" The bride to be ask. She surprisingly has a smile on her face and I feel like I am meeting a completely different person than when I walked in here the first time.
"I would love to. As I said before I like to get to know the couple before we get a set design. Would you have time to let me ask a little about your relationship and each of you?" I do this to help me get a feel as to what the couple may want in a design. I like for their cakes to represent them as a couple so I learn as much as possible.
"How about tomorrow afternoon. We could go out on a double date?" The groom asks.
"I don't have a partner so that might not work," I say trying to keep my embarrassment down to a minimum.
"Perfect Alex doesn't either. You to can be our double date." The bride says.
I look over at Alex to see him as equally embarrassed as I am so I have no idea what to think. Does he even want to go out with me? Would he only do it as a favor to his friends? I'm not the most gorgeous woman on the planet but I don't think that I'm homely either, but he is quite good-looking and maybe way out of my league.
"You don't mind do you, Alex?" The groom looks at him with a smirk on his face.
"Not at all." He finally looks at me and smiles and I feel my heart skip a beat.
What the hell did I just get sucked into? I have given up the hunt for a man and now one is being tossed into my lap. Not only that but a hot guy is tossed into my lap. I smile back timidly and hope that no one can tell how uncomfortable I am at the moment.
"Greta how about we all met here about five tomorrow evening?" The bride said. I nod in agreement and then turn to head back into the main area of the bakery.
Rosetta takes the couple to the side and starts getting information about what they will need for the wedding and all the important details. I start to walk behind the counter when I fell a tap on my shoulder. I turn and find Alex standing there scratching the back of his neck.
"Hey, I hope that didn't make you too uncomfortable back there. I hope you don't mind getting stuck with me?" He chuckles as he finishes as if he is trying to hide his nervousness.
"I'm good. I was just hoping you don't mind having me as your partner. You have to leagues above me." As soon as the words came out I slapped my hand over my mouth.
Sometimes I have no filter and I just say whatever pops into my head. this usually causes me to look like a complete ass and never ends well. I hear him burst into laughter and I feel myself relax just a little.
"Why on earth would you think that?" He is still laughing and he wipes a tear from his eye.
"Well, I mean..." I wave my arm back and forth between us signaling the old "look at the difference" thing. He starts laughing even more and now I am starting to wonder if he is just making fun of me.
"Trust me when I say that I am not what you think." He settles his laugh down some more. "I grew up in a middle-class house with three kids and I never thought of being connected to anything that was leagues above me." He air quoted that last statement.
"I met Xavier in high school and that is how I know them. I am still in your league." He winked as he said this.
"Wow, now I feel like an idiot." I laughed at myself knowing that I most likely just gave the worst judgemental first impression know to man.
"No, you're just honest. I like it." he smiled again and my insides felt like they were melting. "So I need to get some sort of dessert for a family lunch tomorrow. Any suggestions?"
"I have a full cake of the chocolate you sampled. I could box it up if you like." His eyes get wide with excitement.
"That would be awesome. That was by far my favorite of the tasting. I'll take it." I nod and head back to the kitchen to box up the cake.
When I come back out front everyone is gone but Ales. He is sitting at one of the tables typing away on his phone and I can't help but stop and look at him again. His dark hair looked like he had just rolled out of bed but it suited him. He smiled at his phone and I felt a twinge of jealousy. I wonder who made him smile like that?
"I have your cake." I smile at him as he walks up to the counter.
"Thanks. I was just texting my sister to tell her I have the most awesome cake in the world to bring for lunch. She and her kids love chocolate." His smile was super cheesy and I couldn't help but smile back at him.
The man loves his family that is clear. Damn his hotness rating just keeps going up. I'm going to be in trouble if he doesn't have some major flaw like a secret life or he's got a foot fetish or something. Not that there is anything wrong with that but man I'm weird about my feet.
I'm brought out of my thoughts by him handing me the money for the cake. He still has that smile on his face and I feel it make my heart flutter. He is very nice to look at so at least tomorrow I will have a nice view while on this date.
"Thanks for everything today and I'm looking forward to tomorrow." He says still carrying that smile. Makes me wonder if he ever has a bad day.
"So what should I wear for this date?"I smile at him hoping to cover my nervousness.
"I would say something casual. They shouldn't want to do anything too crazy."
"Alright see you later." He walks to the door and turns back and smiles one more time and leaves.
"Well, I think that someone is smitten," Rosetta says as she walks over to me.
"What are you going on about Rosetta?" She laughs and puts her arm around me.
"I have never seen that boy smile that much. Not to mention I've never seen him with a girl either. He has never brought anyone to the diner. He always says that he can't find the one. He never wanted to share his private life with anyone he has gone out with before." She gives me a look that I can't understand.
"So what does that have to do with me?" I have no idea where she is going with this.
"That boy likes you, honey." I hear the gasp leave my mouth before I even know that I did it.
"No way! He is way out of my league." I turn to head into the kitchen.
"Mae, did you not hear what he said? You guys are on an even playing field. He is as far from stuck up as you can get and not to mention he isn't from money. That kid could care less about money. He just needs a good girl to love."
I stop in my tracks and turn to look at her. She honestly thinks that we are in the same league. Rosetta isn't one to beat around the bush or to say things she doesn't mean. So if she tells me she thinks he likes me then I have to believe her.
"I have no idea what I'm doing. I've been out of the dating game for so long that I feel like I will make a complete fool of myself. Not to mention that he is really handsome and he seems like a genuinely nice guy. Lord Rosetta, what do I do?"
She chuckles and spends the next hour giving me a pep talk on how to handle tomorrow. I make my way home and feel nervous. This leads me to feel like I need reinforcements. So after some pleading and bribing, I have Max and Erica on the way. I order Chinese and get everything ready for the session of building up Mae's self-esteem.
"Alright Babes, we're here now let's get this party started," Erica says.
"I need help finding an outfit and I need to have a self-esteem boost. So best friends, give me what you got."
The rest of the night is spent with Erica and me learning the finer points of the male dating brain as well as them giving me the support I desperately need. Max helped me understand what type of outfit would send the message of I'm open but not trying too hard and Erica helped me to feel comfortable in my own skin.
I have the best friends out there and I feel like maybe just maybe I might have fun tomorrow.