✿ Aileen's POV

I turn the 'closed' sign as Vee hands me my apron.

“Thank you,” I say, making my way to the back and through the connecting door that led to my breakfast restaurant.

“Order up!” Leslie yells, placing a plate of pancakes and bacon on the counter. “Table seventeen.”

“Don't worry Todd, I got it” I say and grab the plate.

I move over to the table and set it down in front of the little girl seated beside her mother.

“Would you like anything else, sweetie?” I ask her.

“Whipped cream” she sighs. “But Mommy won't let me have any.”

I glance over at her mother who's busy talking on the phone. I drop my voice to a whisper and nod at the girl.

“I'll be right back.”

She grins mischievously and nods as I stand.

“Todd” I call out. “Please get the little angel at table seventeen some whipped cream.”

“Well her mother was very particular about not giving the child any whipped cream.”

“So don't let the mother see Todd” I chuckle.

“Gotcha” he winks at me and walks off.

I walk back into the bakery just as Jaime is handing over a customer's order.

“Come again!” she calls out after the couple.

I smile at her.

“Hey, how's the cut,” she asks, gently touching the corner of my eyebrow

“Better. No thanks to you” I reply, pulling my face away from her. “You took forever to get back with that first aid box.”

“Oh but I apologized Miss Lee” she whines.

“I know, Jaime. I'm just teasing” I laugh.

I look out the window and the remaining laughter dies in my throat.

Shit!

“Jaime, tell Sophie and that gentleman she's with that I'm not here” I quickly instruct and duck behind the counter.

She looks at me and I nudge her to look away.

“Hi, Jaime!” I hear Sophie greet. “Is your boss here?”

Jaime lets out a sudden laugh and I pinch her to stop. She clears her throat.

“No, I haven't seen her all morning” she lies. “She's definitely in the eatery then.”

“I'll go see,” Sophie says and goes through the back.

I slowly pull my phone out of the back pocket of my jeans and flip the switch on the left side of my phone to silent.

“She's not there. Leslie said she just walked in here” Sophie says.

Jaime lets out another laugh and I pinch her again to get her to stop.

“Then she's probably not here” she quickly says, clearing her throat.

“But her car's out front” I hear the man's voice.

I make a face while I mimic what he just said.

“Oh, that” Jaime laughs shortly. “It wouldn't start, so she took the bus downtown to get the mechanic to come check it out.”

“The jeep wouldn't start” Sophie states.

“Mm-hm. Must be the engine... or something” Jaime says.

The conversation dies down and I suspiciously look around to see if they're watching me. A phone rings and I look at my phone.

“I've got to get back to the studio Soph, maybe next time?” I hear the man say.

“I'll have Lee call you when she gets back.”

I will not!

I wait to hear the chime from the door and when I do, I let out a sigh of relief.

“Okay, come on out Lee” I hear Sophie say.

Jaime laughs again.

“Miss Lee isn't here So—”

“Take five, Jaime” Sophie instructs.

I immediately hear her footstep pad away.

“Lee?” Sophie calls out.

I slowly rise to my feet and fix my hair.

“Why?” she sighs.

“What do you mean by why, Fifi?” I ask. “You're trying to set me up with a hobo.”

“He's not a hobo, Lee. Geo likes you and he wanted to take you out for lunch but you blew it.”

“Lunch at ten, Fifi?” I ask. “He's just trying to get me into his bed.”

“And what's wrong with that? You're so pretty.”

I give her a look.

“Scratch that... smoking hot” she grins as I walk out from behind the counter. “Where'd you get these jeans? I loveeeee!”

I chuckle.

“I went through mom's old stuff last night and I found some clothes that give off some serious retro vibes.”

“You mean vintage?”

“There's a difference, Fifi,” I tell her.

“And you know that better than moi?” she gasps dramatically, flipping her white hair.

“Never” I fake the gasp too.

We laugh.

“Hey, let's go get something to eat at the eatery” she pouts.

“Or, you could help me out here for the rest of the day” I grin, handing her an apron.

"You don't pay me enough to be your best friend. Now you want to hire me to work for you?" she asks, taking the apron from me and putting it on.

“I love you too.”

✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

“We're home!” I call out as I walk through the door. “Where's every—”

Sophie pushes past me and makes her way to the kitchen. I shake my head and close the door.

“Not so fast!” I hear Bonita's voice from the kitchen.

I walk there and settle behind the breakfast bar.

“No more Mountain Dew.”

Sophie pouts.

“Marriage has taken the fun out of you.”

“Bonnie has never been fun,” I say with a chuckle.

“Err that's not true Lee and you know it” she defends. “Remember all those pranks we used to pull on the Gardners?”

I laugh.

“The worst neighbors” we all chorus.

“Where's Hank?” Sophie asks, jumping on the counter.

For someone her size, she was extraordinarily active. Bonnie shrugs.

“Bickering with Marisol over old people's stuff,” she says, picking the dirt from her fingernails.

Sophie and I laugh.

“Grandma,” we say in unison.

Bonita grabs the rolling pin and we move away from the breakfast bar, laughing. My phone rings and it's the shop.

“Timeout, timeout” I laugh and answer the call. “Hello?”

“Miss Lee, there's a problem” Veronica's voice comes from the other end of the phone.

I sigh.

“Can't you people survive forty-five minutes without me?”

Sophie tries to sneak a can of mountain dew out of the fridge but Bonita catches her and pulls her by the ear.

“It's not like that Miss Lee,” Veronica says.

I sigh and nod.

“What's the problem then?”

“Someone just called to order three hundred mini cupcakes and they said that they're going to pay fifty bucks per dozen.”

I scoff.

“We sell a dozen of mini cupcakes for twenty dollars.”

“I told them Miss Lee, but they insisted on paying fifty.”

I laugh and check my nails.

“And you said they want how many?”

“Three hundred.”

It hits me and I take a seat.

“That's too much money, Vee.”

“The woman on the phone said her caterer bailed on her and someone from the engagement party recommended you.”

I stand up.

“Well, why didn't you just start with that Vee?” I ask. “Have you started the order?”

“We have, but they specifically asked for you to deliver it.”

“And how's that a problem now?” I ask, gesturing at Bonnie to let Sophie have the soda.

“Well it's Thursday and you always go karaokeing with the girls.”

I chuckle.

“I will, Vee. I'm just going to deliver it not spend the entire night there.”

“Oh thank goodness.”

The relief in her voice makes me smile.

“I'll be right over.”

I hang up and open the fridge to grab a can of mountain dew.

“Someone just offered to pay fifteen thousand dollars for three hundred mini cupcakes.”

Sophie and Bonita stop bickering and turn to look at me.

“Heh?” they chorus.

I chuckle and nod.

“Fifteen thousand dollars?” Sophie repeats.

I nod and take a sip of the soda.

“Well, why are you sitting here drinking? Go get changed!” Bonita yells at me.

“Geez, okay!” I laugh, nearly choking on the soda.

I climb up the stairs and change into something more appropriate before coming back down.

“We're going karaokeing tonight so hurry back” Bonita reminds me.

“Yes Mom” I tease, straightening my top.

I wave them and head out. The packaging has already begun by the time I get to the bakery.

“Load them into my car boys” I instruct.

“Are you sure Miss Lee? Won't they get smushed again” Jaime asks.

I chuckle and shake my head.

“Don't worry. What happened last time isn't going to repeat itself” I assure.

She nods and hands me the address.

“So they said to come on in when you get—”

“Lee?”

“Shit!” I mouth to Jaime, immediately recognizing the voice.

I turn around with a little fake smile on my face.

“Geoffrey” I state. “What are you doing here?”

He smiles at me.

“I was just passing and... actually blondie and I were here in the morning but... how's your car now?”

“Fine Geo. As you can see, I'm about to start a delivery.”

“Would you like me to come with you?”

I make a face.

“If I did, I'd first ask my employees.”

“So? I'm offering” he chuckles.

“So no thank you Geo. I can handle this on my own.”

I turn away from him and sigh.

“Are you sure? Because I'm not doing any—”

“Geoffrey, please. I've gotta go.”

I don't wait for his response. I just get into my car and start it. He taps on the window on my side and I roll my eyes before lowering it down.

“Are you avoiding me?” he asks, threading a hand through his long hair.

I smile.

“Yes.”

I roll the glass back up and turn the car into the street. With the GPS on my phone, I arrive at the point of delivery shortly. I carefully load the cupcakes onto the large cake trolley and wheel them into the building.

“Hi, excuse me” I call out to a neatly dressed lady. “Hi. Sorry, someone ordered cupcakes. I just need to know where to put them and get paid because I have a thing with my friends and I have to go.”

She eyes me a little.

“Hold on.”

She walks away and moves behind a desk. Two minutes later she's back.

“Last floor. It's for a conference” she says.

“Ow okay.”

“Elevator is that way” she points.

I feel the blood drain from my face and I freeze.

“Hm?”

“Use the elevator which is that way.”

I look at her.

“I... I can't” I stutter.

“Well, then how are you going to be able to deliver what you're going to be paid for?”

I let out a breath.

“Can you just take it for me? In the elevator I mean.”

She eyes me again.

“Do I look like one of the caterers here?”

“No. I'm just asking you for a favor. Just take it up for me and I'll meet you there.”

“You just met me and you're already asking for favors?” she goes.

“Please?”

She glances at the trolley and sighs.

“Fine.”

I smile.

“But wait, why can't you take it?” she asks.

"Oh, well I um... I'm taking the stairs so I can't wheel it up without getting it all smushed.”

The woman frowns.

“You're taking the stairs?”

I nod.

“Why?”

“I'm trying to lose weight” I'm quick to reply.

She glances at my side.

“Weight where?”

I chuckle.

“You'll see when I do,” I tell her.

“So you'd rather go up four flights of stairs? Sixty individual steps?”

I nod.

“I'm very determined to lose this weight.”

“Uh-huh,” she murmurs, eyeing me before turning away with the cupcakes.

I spot the stairs and hurry up it. By the time I get there, the woman is laughing at me.

“First door on your left. Good luck with your weight loss” she pats my shoulder and steps back into the elevator.

I bend and hold my knees as I catch my breath.

“You're going to get fifteen thousand dollars, Lee. Get it together” I huff and stand up straight.

I grab the trolley and wheel it in the direction I was instructed to go. I knocked on the door and it was quickly opened.

“Hi. I'm here to deliver the cupcakes” I say to the boy at the door.

“Please come on in” he replies.

I step through the door and the conference room is empty.

“They're not in yet?” I ask, admiring the decor.

“No, Miss.”

Wow. They must be really rich.

“Where should I put this?” I look at the boy.

“Right through that door” he gestures. “Just go right in.”

I nod and wheel the cupcakes across the large conference room. My phone dings in my back pocket and I glance at it as I push the door open. The AC that hits me in full blast causes me to turn. I quickly walk inside the large office and close the door behind me.

“Hello?” I call out.

My voice didn't seem loud enough even though I was speaking above indoor voice.

“Hi, I'm here with the cupcakes you ordered!” I say louder.

A large man in an all-black suit and dark shades steps out from the other side of the office.

“In here” he instructs.

So much stress for fifteen thousand?

I smile politely and wheel the cupcakes toward him. He steps aside for me to fully enter the other side of the office. Someone was seated in a swivel chair, their back to me.

“Hi. You ordered cup—”

I trail off and my eyes widen.

Oh crap! It's Armani guy!

I chuckle.

“I should have known three hundred mini cupcakes were too good to be true,” I say.

He smirks and leans back in his chair.

“Sit” he instructs.

I eye him.

“No. You're going to pay me for these cupcakes and I'm going to leave.”

He shakes his head.

“I'm not paying you.”

I let out a laugh.

“Yes, you are,” I say.

He puts his hands together and stares at me

“Sit.”

I frown.

“I am not sitting do—”

He snaps his finger and the large man pushes me down into the seat.

“Hey!” I exclaim.

“Quit whining” Armani guy goes.

I narrow my eyes at him.

“What is your deal?” I ask.

He gestures to the large man and a box of cupcakes is set on the table in front of me. Armani guy smiles.

“Eat up,” he says and leans back against his chair.

“Excuse me?” I ask.

“You heard me... Sweets by Lee” he smiles. “Eat up.”

I frown.

“What kind of sick game are you playing here, freshie?” I ask. “You want me to eat my own cupcakes?”

He shrugs.

“I know you're not dead so I won't repeat myself.”

“Are you going to pay me to eat my own cupcakes?”

He leans forward.

“Listen here freshie” he goes. “I am not going to pay you a dime for this unhealthy stuff. You started this war when you purposefully pressed that cupcake into my face. But you don't seem like you can handle the heat so I'm going to be the better person and end this.”

I swallow.

“Eat the damn cupcakes. Or I will press charges against you for assault and have you thrown into jail right this minute and before you try and refuse again, know that the chief of police owes me favors. So your choice... Sweets by Lee.”

I feel my face redden from the anger.

“I am not going to eat three hundred mini cupcakes. Do you have any idea what all that sugar would do to me? I have perfect teeth and I am not going to risk that. So go ahead, Armani guy. Do. your. worst!” I rant, standing up and glaring at him.

He blinks and then smiles at me.

“Well in that case...” he slowly says, rising to his feet. “Shutting down your little cupcake store is a much better option.”

My glare is quickly replaced by terror. He was going to shut down my baby? I gulp as cold sweat breaks out on my forehead. I watch him reach into his drawer and bring out a checkbook. Scribbling an amount on it, he signs, rips it out, and pushes it toward me.

“Please... take it” he smiles. “And you better hurry so you make it in time to say goodbye to your little pet shop before it's shut down.”

You son of a bitch!

I glare at him and reach out to take the check. Looking at the figures, rage burns through me and I equally rip the paper to shreds. I sit back down and open the first box of cupcakes.

I see him smirk in satisfaction as I grab a cupcake.

“The battle line's been drawn, Armani.”

Thank you so much for reading!
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~the_atticwriter