A loud sneeze escaped me as I stepped into the cafe, my nose red from walking in the cold and I cursed myself for stubbornly denying the ride Xavier had persistently offered me. We had argued for twenty minutes before he had finally relented letting out a low huff, as I smiled triumphantly his eyes softening as he looked at me grinning like a mad child. He had pressed a kiss to my forehead before taking my phone out of my pocket and checking if it was charged, and wrapping a thick scarf around my neck, he had wrapped it to cover my nose and only after I had given him the stink eye had he tugged it down, before he finally let me go. Despite the fact that I enjoyed the alone time, the cold had me sneezing continuously, and I was twenty minutes late which I was blaming on Xavier.

"Cookie you're here." Cyrus called out to me spotting me from the back and I stumbled over to him, nearly falling onto him in my rush to give him a hug before I clocked in. He patted my head gently as I sniffled against his warm weak form.
"Honey why didn't you get a ride?" Cyrus questioned me softly, and I let out a huff before stomping over to the computer as Maggie and Cyrus watched me.
"It's like watching a bunny throw a tantrum." Maggie whispered to Cyrus and they snickered quietly to each other as I turned around glaring at them menacingly. But that only resulted in their snickers turning to full blown guffaws, which I blamed completely on the ridiculously large scarf Xavier had put on me, and my nose's inability to stay a normal human skin colour in the cold.

I stomped towards the front mocking anger as Cyrus and Maggie giggled in the back bringing a small smile to my face as I began to brew coffee for the day. I deeply inhaled, adoring the smell of fresh coffee, but smelled something far more intoxicating, Xavier. I whirled around half expecting him to be standing there, my shoulders slumped as I realized he wasn't. I looked down to he scarf, it must be his, no wonder it was so large. I bit my lip fighting the urge to dig my face in it, before finally giving in, I raised it up to my face revelling in his delicious cologne and most prominently that intoxicating scent that seemed to belong to Xavier alone. I nearly let out a yelp as a voice spoke behind me. Whirling around to see Maggie.

"How is that gorgeous silver eyed man doing?" Maggie asked me resting on the counter as I set the baked goods in plates, trying to calm my breathing while acting nonchalant as if I wasn't creepily sniffing a scarf.
"Xavier?" I asked giggling at her name for him.
"Yes him." She says and Cyrus wheels himself over to us, the couple looking at me a slight smirk on their faces and I shake my head at the two gossip queens.
"He's doing good." I say arranging the cookies and their faces drop.
"Just good, that's all we get after all this time we've spent with you?" They ask dramatically, and I sigh lightly turning towards them.

"He-he's fine, very comforting and easy to live with." I tell them but they raise their brows at me eagerly waiting for more.
"What's he really like?" Maggie asks.

"Well he's overprotective, he's a great cook, and did I mention protective he wrapped me in this huge scarf this morning and I had to argue with him for hours before he let me walk here on my own. He's considerate and just very intense, it's really intimidating, but then he does things like bake warm cookies, or make me hot cocoa." I say letting out a small laugh as I remember him making hot cocoa for me.

"He listens to everything I say as if it really matters to him, hangs on to my every word. He cares very deeply, he gave me a place in his own home because mine was broken into, and he ensures that I'm comfortable which reminds me, I need to start looking for an apartment." I finish off and they look at each other before turning towards me soft smiles on their faces.
"I knew it." Maggie whispers to Cyrus still unable to whisper without letting everyone in the room know what she's said, and he nods at his wife.

"Knew what?" I ask them suspiciously and they merely smirk before grabbing the cupcakes and beginning to set them in trays both slowly humming 'love is in the air.' My eyes widen as I look at them, the smell of all the sugar over the years was catching up to them, their minds were getting a bit chaotic. I shake my head at the crazy couple before walking away from them.

A family stumbles into the cafe shaking the snow out of their own hair, before ruffling it out of their little sons hair. The little brown haired boy peaks from behind his mothers shoulder looking around with large brown eyes that cover nearly his entire face. His eyes land on me and I fall in love with one glance, I laugh at his wondrous expression wiggling my fingers at him and he lets out a delighted giggle making grabby hands at me, and the parents turn around laughing at their son.
"He likes you." The mother tells me softly and I nod, with a smile.

"He's beautiful." I tell them and they thank me as their little munchkin giggles amorously as if he knew we were talking about him. The parents stand beside the display of baked goods and the little brown eyed boy nearly tumbles from his mother's arms as he reaches for the cookies his chubby little hands trying to grab at them through the glass.

"A cookie, is that what you'd like?" I ask the little one softly and he looks at me with wide eyes, not completely understanding my words, before his grabby hands are aimed at me. He reaches out for me his little body squirming in his mother's arms.

"I'm sorry he's never acted like this." The mother tells me both parents cooing at their son, rubbing his back but he stares at me a pout on his little face, his big brown eyes getting watery. He reaches out for me again, and I look at the mother hesitating before asking.

"May I?" I say gesturing to her son who wiggles in her hold as he sees me step towards them. She smiles at me softly, nodding her head before passing him over to me over the counter.

I grab his little body cuddling his soft warm form to my chest, as he stares at me with big  eyes his chubby little fists playing with the dark tendrils of my hair. He wiggles closer resting his chubby little face on my shoulder as he gazed up at me with his big coffee eyes.
"I'm sorry you must be busy." The father says but I shake my head.

"If you don't mind I would love to hold him, you guys could sit for a while without having to watch over him." I offer hesitantly and their eyes brighten as they look at each other.
"We shouldn't trouble you." They say but I shake my head calling for Maggie, and she comes out, looking at me surprised, but I shrug at her and she laughs before walking over to the couple and grabbing their drinks for them.

"Would you like to help me bake?" I ask him softly and he gurgles at me softly, speaking to me in his own baby language and I struggle to understand.
"You're going to help me." I ask him softly and he stares back, nodding his little head.
"You're a helpful little baby aren't you." I coo at him and he mindlessly nods along, trying to grab at the peanut butter cookies.

I press one of the icing bags into his hand, guiding his little hand to ice the cupcakes. He claps happily as we finish icing each cupcake nearly tumbling out of my arms in his glee, I press him closer to me and he snuggles his little face into the large scarf.

The couple comes back, thanking me for taking care of little Toby, as they grab him back, and despite my protests leave a generous tip in the tip jar. I spend the rest of the day baking and making beverages for the many people that come. The day ends far before I'd like for it to, and my phone buzzes in my pocket. Xavier's name shows up on the bright screen.

"Hello." I answer softly.
"Raine." He says and I bite into my lip waiting for him to go on.
"I'm coming to pick you up love." He says gently and I nod mindlessly before realizing he couldn't see me.
"Okay." I answer and he lets out a breath of relief.
"I'll be there in five." He breathes and I mumble a quick bye but he interrupts me.
"Wait Raine." He says in his deep husky voice.
"Yes." I answer.
"Could you get me a gingerbread latte on your way out?" He asks hesitantly and a small giggle escapes me.
"Of course Xavier, with a chocolate cupcake?" I ask.
"No it's alright." He mumbles in his deep voice somehow sounding almost shy.
"I'll see you in a bit." I say still giggling, I would get the cupcake for him anyway.
"Bye love." He says softly.

"Was it him?" Cyrus asks, a small smirk on his face and I scowl nodding my head.

I grab the latte and cupcake for Xavier, quickly sneaking money into the till knowing Maggie would never let me pay if she knew, before clocking out. Cyrus calls my name gently and I go to him kneeling before him. He grabs my hand with one of his frail ones.

"You know sometimes you remind me of Maggie when she was young, she also made me chase her." He says and I go to interrupt him I wasn't making anyone chase me, better yet nobody was chasing me.
"Sometimes though you just have to trust your heart, don't let your mind cloud your senses, our heart knows what's best for us. We live the best life when we follow our heart." He tells me patting my hand.

"Is that what you and Maggie did, follow your hearts?" I ask.
"It's what's brought us here cookie, led us to being as happy as we've been, going after Maggie, chasing her was the best decision I've ever made, if I'd listened to what people said, and myself I would have given up. For they both said she would never say yes, but she did, and here I am 50 years later, with my beautiful Maggie still by my side. So I'm asking you my precious little cookie to promise me, that you will listen to your heart. It'll help me sleep at night knowing I set my little cookie up for success, you have bright things ahead of you, you just need to let them in. So promise me cookie." He asks me, his wise eyes looking deeply within me, searching my own eyes for the truth.
"I will." I promise honestly.
"I love you cookie." He says a small grin on his face, and I smile back at him kissing his weathered cheek softly.
"I love you too Cyrus." I tell him, before getting off my knees and walking out sparing him one last smile before I go, not disturbing Maggie as she helps a customer, only mouthing a small bye as I leave.