"Good morning and welcome..." Jayden greeted as the bell on the door of the bakery sounded.
"Morning, Jayden." Tricia waved.
"Morning, Tricia." Jayden smiled.
"Lola didn't say you were coming today..." Jayden stared at the empty tray that used to hold Tricia's favourite bread.
"I had a surprise off day today so I thought I'd try my luck..." Tricia pouted. She assumed she was going to be in time.
"Sorry for making you make a wasted trip..." Jayden felt guilty upon seeing Tricia so disappointed.
"It's not your fault, Jayden. It's not a wasted trip since I kinda came here to say hi to Lola as well...where is she?" Tricia wondered. Most of the time, Lola Agnes would have ran out to give Tricia a hug already.
"Oh, one of the Titas offered to take Lola out for brunch nearby. You just missed her...Sorry." Jayden apologised again.
"I thought we said no saying sorry for things that aren't your fault?" Tricia reminded.
"My bad, sor...I mean, I'll try." Jayden caught himself.
"That's better." Tricia grinned.
"If you're not in a rush, do you wanna try making the next batch of bread with me? We can make a few of your favourites while we're at it." Jayden offered.
"You know how to make bread?" Tricia's eyes widened.
"I've been making bread ever since I was a child. I'm Lola's honorary employee and pupil." Jayden boasted.
"Wow, I'm impressed. I would love to give it a shot though..." Tricia was more than willing to.
"Come on then. This is where the magic happens." Jayden led Tricia into the kitchen at the back.
"Reminds me of the time I visited a kitchen when I wrote a piece on local bakeries last year..." Tricia took in the sight before her.
"It was a good piece. I liked it a lot." Jayden praised.
"You read it?" Tricia gasped.
"You bet. I know many people liked it but it definitely spoke to me and Lola in a personal way. I never expected myself to meet the genius author one day." Jayden remember reading the feature with Lola when it came out.
"Definite not a genius but I'm glad it struck a chord with you and Lola. That's the biggest compliment a writer can get." Tricia was relieved.
"Let's see if bread making if going be one of your forte...Here, you can have Lola's apron." Jayden handed Tricia an apron.
"Now I feel like I have to live up to Lola's name..." Trica chuckled nervously as she donned the apron.
"You have a skilled teacher before you, no need for worries." Jayden boasted.
"Where is he? I don't see a skilled teacher here?" Tricia teased.
"I guess we're not making your favourites then?" Jayden retorted.
"My bad, Sir. What shall we do first?" Tricia changed her stance immediately.
"Time to knead the dough." Jayden instructed after they'd finished the initial steps.
"By hand?" Tricia wondered.
"The only way in this bakery. Lola swears by it." Jayden nodded as he poured the dough out onto the countertop.
"Is this the secret to why Lola's bread is so addictive?" Tricia watched as Jayden kneaded the dough with a perfect mix of force and tenderness. Tricia was supposed to be watching the dough but she found her eyes drifting up and lingering on Jayden's arms. His muscular arms clad in a tight short sleeve shirt was definitely not distracting.
"If you try hard enough, you'll notice that Lola's bread tastes way better than mine. I think there's something in Lola's hands and apparently I didn't inherit it..." Jayden chuckled.
"Oh, no wonder my pandesal and spanish bread taste different sometimes..." Tricia nodded slowly.
"Wait, do they actually taste that different? Does it taste bad?" Jayden got flustered.
"I'm just joking. Lola's a master but you're just as skilled." Tricia assured Jayden.
"Thank God...the last thing I want is to ruin Lola's reputation." Jayden heaved a sigh of relief.
"If Lola trusted you to take charge of the kitchen when she isn't here, it means she trusts you 100%. You're the last person I know that would do a slipshod work." Tricia gave Jayden a thumbs up.
"Has anyone told you that you'd make a really good therapist?" Jayden smiled.
"Hmm, not really...but psychology classes were one of my favourite electives." Tricia shrugged.
"I bet you excelled in them." Jayden raised an eyebrow.
"I passed." Tricia laughed as she pushed her glasses up.
"You've got flour on your face..." Jayden pointed out.
"Here?" Tricia rubbed her cheek, not realising her hands were coated with flour.
"No...there..." Jayden couldn't help but giggle at Tricia, who now looked like a child playing with flour.
"Here?" Tricia asked.
"Wait, don't use your hands..." Jayden held Tricia's flour-coated hands and grabbed a towel hanging around his waist instead.
"Okay... Tricia muttered as Jayden gently cleaned the flour off Tricia's cheeks and nose. The lack of personal space was breath stopping.
"There, all clean." Jayden smiled as he leaned back to check if all the flour was gone.
"Thanks..." Tricia let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding in.
"We have an hour while the bread rises, do you wanna go grab something to drink in the market while waiting?" Jayden covered the mixture with a cloth.
"You do have instant coffee?" Tricia had a cheeky smile on her.
"Uh huh..." Jayden was confused.
"Great, let's just sit and talk while we wait." Tricia grinned.
~
Ding! The oven went off and the smell of freshly baked bread wafted through the small shop.
"It's ready!" Tricia hopped up from her seat and ran to the kitchen, Jayden trailing behind.
"Careful...the oven handle may be hot..." Jayden warned.
"Ahhh..." Tricia retracted her hand as she touched the handle of the oven.
"Did you burn yourself?" Jayden hurried to Tricia's side.
"I don't think so...It was just a little hot to the touch. I'll just cool it down with cold water." Tricia looked at her fingers.
"Come..." Jayden held Tricia's non-injured wrist and led her to the sink.
"Relax, Jayden...It's not a serious burn." Tricia assured Jayden, who was staring worriedly at Tricia's hand.
"Does it still hurt? Do you need anything else?" Jayden looked at Tricia with furrowed eyebrows.
"Do you have any moisturizer or aloe vera gel?" Tricia looked around.
"I think Lola has it somewhere...found it." Jayden grabbed the tube from one of the shelves under the counter.
"Dr Rivera to the rescue..." Tricia joked as Jayden carefully applied the gel on Tricia's finger.
"This won't leave a scar, right Dr Tricia?" Jayden was finally relieved and less anxious.
"Not if we get back to checking how our bread turned out..." Tricia looked at the abandoned tray of bread in the oven.
"It turned out great..." Jayden smiled as he retrieved the tray from the oven.
"Bread-five?" Tricia held out her hand. The two exchanged hi-fives.
"You're pretty talented at this too..." Jayden broke one of the breads into half and handed it to Tricia. The both of them took a tiny bite of the warm, fluffy bread and broke out into smiles.
"Maybe we should have pursued baking instead of law enforcement and medicine." Tricia's eyes widened. Bread never tasted this good.
"I can't imagine not having Dr Tricia though..." Jayden joked.
"Neither can I imagine not meeting you as Det. Rivera..." Tricia had the same thought.
~
"Patty, Jill!" Aika called out to her younger sisters.
"Yes?" Jill eyed her eldest sister suspiciously.
"What's with that look, bunso?" Aika crossed her arms.
"Whenever you call us like that, it's either you need a favour or you want us to exercise with you." Jill pouted.
"My bunso is so smart. Zach asked if I wanted to visit the gym today..." Aika looked at her sisters.
"Oh, is it that gym where Ate Trish's handsome friend taught you guys Muay Thai?" Jill looked at Tricia excitedly.
"Jayden? Why is he suddenly in the picture?" Tricia gave Jill a nervous laugh.
"Why don't you ask if he's going today? We could all work out together, right Ate Aiks?" Jill winked at Aika.
"That's right, Patty. Text him and ask!" Aika encouraged.
"But..." Tricia hesitated.
"No buts, just do it!" Jill shoved Tricia's phone into her hands.
"Jayden said that Zach invited him as well..." Tricia updated after texting Jayden.
"Perfect. Let's get going!" Jill hopped off the couch and ran upstairs to change.
"Since when were you so excited to work out?" Tricia looked at Jill.
"Because I finally get to see the guy you've been talking to in real life? I'll willingly be a punching bag." Jill clapped.
"What has Ate been telling you?" Tricia turned to Aika.
"I didn't say anything!" Aika protested.
"Some things don't have to said out loud, Ate. It's all in the actions." Jill winked. Tricia held her head and sighed. It was going to be am exhausting workout today.
"Hi ladies! Glad to have the powerpuff girls in full force today." Zach greeted the trio.
"Which one is Jayden?" Jill whispered to Tricia.
"Jayden, over here!" Zach called out, answering Jill's question.
"Hi Tricia, Hi Aika." Jayden turned to the Robredos after greeting Zach.
"Hi..." Tricia waved.
"Hi, I'm Jillian Robredo but you can call me Jill. I'm the bunso and paboritong anak." Jill introduced herself.
"Pleasure to meet you, Jill. I'm Jayden Rivera." Jayden shook Jill's hand.
"Are you teaching a class today?" Tricia wondered.
"Oh no, I was just helping out the other day. I can't moonlight as a civil servant." Jayden shook his head.
"Right. So what class are you taking today?" Tricia asked.
"Actually, I just came because Zach called me..." Jayden looked at Zach.
"Well, I was planning on expanding the gym to include spin and yoga classes...Would you guys be kind enough to be my lab rats?" Zach looked at them expectantly.
"Sure, we're always up for a ride." The Robredos agreed.
"I've never tried spin classes before..." Jayden laughed awkwardly.
"It's more fun than you think, trust me." Tricia encouraged.
"Won't hurt to give it a try, I guess." Jayden gave in.
"Wow, one word from Ate and Jayden immediately caves..." Jill whispered to Aika.
"And Patty says there's nothing between them." Aika whispered back.
"You doing okay?" Tricia called out to Jayden who was on the bike next to her.
"I think so? Why is this harder than Muay Thai?" Jayden was trying to keep up.
"You're doing great!" Tricia gave Jayden a thumbs up to boost his confidence.
"I feel like a clown..." Jayden almost lost his balance.
"You look cool, don't worry!" Tricia smiled.
"You look even cooler..." Despite trying to keep up, Jayden managed to find the time to admire how great Tricia looked on the spin bike. She was literally a professional at this.
"How was it?" Zach approached them after the ride.
"I think I'll stick to Muay Thai..." Jayden raised his hands up in surrender.
"I liked it. The yoga at the end was perfect as a cool down." The girls had lots of fun.
"I guess we won't be seeing you in spin classes next time?" Aika turned to Jayden.
"Indeed...I definitely prefer using my body." Jayden let out a resigned laugh.
"You weren't that bad, right Ate?" Tricia looked at Aika for support.
"Most guys are like that at the start. You did well for a first-timer. A few more rides and you'll be used to it." Aika nodded.
"Yeah, I could see the effort!" Jill gave Jayden a thumbs up.
"Should I add 5 spin classes to your membership?" Zach offered Jayden.
"If you join, I'll add 5 Muay Thai lessons to my membership. We can keep each other accountable." Tricia suggested.
"Really? I thought Muay Thai wasn't your cup of tea?" Jayden was surprised.
"You don't have to be good to do it. At least you're there if anything goes wrong? Just don't let me fall face flat." Tricia joked.
"Same goes for me when we ride. Just make sure I don't break my arm..." Jayden agreed.
"That's settled then, spin classes for Jayden and Muay Thai for Tricia." Zach smiled.
"I feel invisible." Jill muttered.
"It's a good thing, bunso. It's all for Patty's love life." Aika side-hugged Jill.
"I like Jayden for Ate..." Jill whispered.
"So do I." Aika agreed.
"I bet 2 Koomis that Ate will confess first." Jill chuckled.
"I bet 3 Koomis on Jayden." Aika challenged.
"Deal." Jill accepted.
A/N:
We all need sisters like Aika and Jill <3