Chapter 2

"He left. Oh, that's some nice smell." Pace sniffed the air. "What's that you're baking?"

Halle was watching the cupcakes rise inside the oven. "Yeah?" she turned. "With your new idea, I thought maybe we could try something interesting. A rose and honey mix. Let's see how it comes out. If it's great, we can find ways to decorate it."

"The combination sounds delicious." Pace sounded delighted. "How about some honey frosting and rose petal toppings when the cupcakes are done?"

"Sounds good."

Halle peered through the glass on the door. "Any other customers?"

"It's too early anyway. Not yet 9 so don't overthink it."

"Okay."

"Wonder where he's going so early."

"You heard him: somewhere out of town for some work." Halle said. "With the sound of it, he might not be here for another month or so."

Pace looked surprised. "You sure?"

"He looked gloomy." Halle explained.

Pace raised her eyebrows. "He sounded cheery as always."

"I don't know." said Halle. "Something about the whole situation made me feel like he wasn't."

A smile tugged at Pace's lips. "So, that's how it looked."

"What do you mean?" Halle narrowed her eyes. "Why are you smiling? What did it look like to you?"

"Nothing."

"Oh really?" Halle sighed.

The timer dinged, she opened the oven and took out the tray. She popped out all the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool.

"I know what you're thinking."

"Do you now?" Pace took a cupcake and inhaled the scent. "Mmm, smells delicious."

"Yes, yes I do." pressed Halle. "If that's what's in your head, just let it go."

Pace looked at her. "I don't think it, it's true."

"Right." She went over to make some honey frosting. "Are we out of honey?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Pace apologized. "I thought of buying it on my way here, but there were no shops open."

"Okay, we'll make rose flavoured frosting then."

Halle mixed the ingredients in a bowl while Pace checked all the jars for flavours and essence that are going to get over soon. "Even if it is true, it doesn't matter."

"What?" Pace paused. "Oh. If only you can stop overthinking everything, maybe you'll realize that life is not that hard to live."

"You really think we need to have this conversation now?" Halle looked devastated.

"No, but I want you to be happy and I can't just turn a blind eye."

"You got lucky, Pace. You got yourself a great guy. Not everyone gets that. And I don't want to believe in stuff like that. I have a lot of important things that need my attention, like my mom and this café and . . ."

"And?" Pace continued. "And what about you? Where are you in that list?"

"The café and my mom are important to me."

"But they are a part of your responsibility. Where are you in the list?"

"I won't be working in this café, put all my time in here if it wasn't something that helps me in some way."

"I wasn't talking about a distraction."

Halle stared straight at Pace. "This isn't a distraction, Pace. This is a part of me; the only part that still exists and hasn't faded away yet."

"The part where you said I was lucky to get my fiancé? You're wrong. I would be lucky, if I got a million dollars in the lottery or if I escaped a near accident because a random stranger helped me or if something extremely miraculous happened. It is all work. He was willing to invest his time for me and I did the same. He has given up things for me and I have given up things for him. We are each other's first priority and that isn't luck. It was made. It was made with time and effort from both sides. We don't drain each other of our energies. We help each other. We made it work with all of our hard work. It is not a fantasy like they show in the movies.

"What I am trying to say is: don't decide he is not going to like being with you before you even get to know him. I'm asking you to get to know him and all that drama. I am asking you to get to know a person before you decide anything. And don't let your past decide what future you will be."

"That was harsh."

"It was well meant."

"After having so many people let you go or disappoint you like you never mattered." Halle said. "I don't think it is easy to just change with a snap of your fingers."

"But you can always try."

"Are you my aunt?" Halle asked quizzically. "You talk like you've lived a hundred years."

"Even if I am your aunt, I wouldn't be a hundred years, silly."

"One cappuccino and uh . . ." the customer was going thru the menu. ". . . a splash of blue? Is it good?"

"Yes, totally." chimed Pace. "Or we have a new honey rose cupcake on sale for the holiday season. You can try that too."

"I'll take one of that honey cupcake."

"Coming right up." Pace served him the cupcake and the cappuccino.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Have a great day!"

Inside the Baking Room, Halle was busy baking chocolate cookies. Should she cover the cookies with pink cream or blue? She'd added a tiny bit of rose water to the mixture before baking so it might smell like chocolate and roses. It might be good. She took the tray out of the oven and placed them on the rack to cool.

"Hey Pace . . ." she stopped still on the tracks as she saw a familiar face through the glass on the door.

A face she never wanted to see.