Page 10 of Semi Sweet (Working For Love #1)

My life had become even more pathetic and sobering, but it didn't stop me from working on the manuscript until it was time for me to pack everything up in my floral backpack and change. I left the cafe, walking past the bakery department where several employees were watching me as I passed.

I knew they were much kinder than other people in the store, but they all seemed overly interested in me as of late.

I didn't know if it was because of the drama in my life, the cupcake conspiracy I was a part of, or some combination of the two.

I saluted the clerks quickly as I walked towards the employees only door and almost smiled when they broke apart and started busying themselves.

***

"Sir, do you know who you are sending this money to?"

"Um, yeah. I tell you every week that it's for my girlfriend in Zimbabwe," the skinny middle-aged man heaved an irritated sigh at me as he always did when he wired money to someone named Betty McBurney, who supposedly lived in Harare.

I pulled the suspicious activity pamphlet from a drawer and began to recite. "When you wire money, you often don't know if it's a scam until it is too late. Scams are a common way that criminals try to steal your money."

"They don't give me any trouble when I do this at Save and Go," the man snapped.

The rival grocery store chain was always open longer, had better sales, and did things that Cash Value Market didn't. I wasn't allowed to tell him that I didn't believe that, or if he truly felt that way that he should do his shopping at Save and Go and never come back.

Instead, I continued to read from the pamphlet. "Foreign lotteries, loved ones suddenly and strangely incarcerated, and fake relationships are just a few examples of how criminals can take advantage of you or someone you love."

The man grabbed his form off the counter with a dramatic flourish. "This isn't over! I'll be back!"

I continued to read the pamphlet until the man was walking towards the exit and out of earshot.

I couldn't help but laugh, not necessarily at the man, but that sometimes my life seemed like it was in a strange loop.

If it wasn't the fake fiancé man then it was the superstitious lotto lady, week after week.

"What's so funny?"

I looked up to see Evan by the door to the courtesy desk with his coat in his hand. I held in the jump that wanted to come out at the sight of him. I swore he was part ghost with how he seemed to appear out of thin air.

"Nothing." He would scold me for messing with a customer, even if I was following store policy. "Just chatting with a customer a minute ago. He always comes in with corny dad jokes."

Evan rolled his eyes like he didn't have time to interact with customers anymore. He was too busy creeping out his employees and attempting to catch their mistakes. "I just told Russel to send you on break."

I really wished that he would stop doing that. I saw the girl coming in to cover me roll her eyes as she saw Evan standing there.

"Okay, well see you later," I called before he could kiss my head again or the girl could say anything catty. I only had fifteen minutes, so I tried to think of what I could scarf down as I headed towards the food service department.

"Hey, Olivia," Beth called as I passed the display case. I'd come to the conclusion that the girl always had a cheery face even though she sometimes had frosting on it. She had been one of the people watching me as I walked by earlier. "There's something here for you."

She pulled the small white box off a shelf designated for today's pickups. The messy word "paid" was scribbled over the Cash Value Market label.

I scrunched up my nose as I took the box.

Again? Maybe that's why the bakery people had been staring at me.

These mystery sweets always seemed to show up at the most random times.

It was like the mystery person knew when I needed one to lift my spirits.

Evan had been obnoxious today and this treat would certainly soften the blow.

"Any idea who it's from?" I asked hopefully.

Beth shook her head, almost looking as disappointed as I felt.

"It's like we've told you, no one comes to the counter and orders it.

No one calls it in either, at least while I'm here.

" She turned and called to Sean who was checking inventory on a clipboard behind her.

"Sean, you don't know anything about the mysterious cupcakes do you? "

Without taking his dark eyes off his clipboard, he deadpanned, "I run a bakery in the most successful grocery chain in the state. I don't have time to play matchmaker."

I could have sworn the slightest shade of pink crossed his cheeks. I didn't often have time to look at him up close—he was always working and on the move. He was tall, fair skinned, maybe in his late twenties at the most?

I heaved a sigh, already wasting precious minutes of my break. I thanked them both before I headed back to the café and slid into my usual booth. I thought about engraving my name into it so people knew it was mine. Talk about not keeping up appearances.

I scanned the area to make sure Evan had truly left.

My stomach did backflips as I pulled at the label and lifted the lid.

I died to see what someone had made for me this time.

My breath hitched as I took in the chocolate cupcake with an exact replica of a violet rose made of frosting on the top.

It was more art than food, with the purple petal edges darker than the icing below it.

I took out my phone and snapped a photo before I ate it.

Semi Sweet was getting more and more popular and I was certain this new photo would only add to the hype.

It seemed like the rest of the world wanted to know what I'd get next just as much as I did.

I never shared the notes. That seemed too much like telling a secret, so I kept them in a zipped compartment in my backpack so that I could keep them safe from Evan and the rest of the world.

I saved today's memento for last even though the anticipation was killing me.

I held up the typed slip of paper, wondering if I was finally getting a clue about all of this.

Violets are blue

Roses can be more than red

I'd buy you a dozen

But you'll have to settle for this cupcake instead.

My heart leapt up to my throat. My face felt so hot I must have looked ridiculous.

For weeks this person had been subtly hinting that they might have been into me, but this one was the boldest yet.

I looked up, wondering if someone was witnessing me have an out of body experience in time to see Sean, who was packaging Ciabatta bread, look away from my direction quickly.

My thoughts were a jumbled mess. I put my face in my hands as I tried to make sense of something, anything about the situation. My break came and went, as did the remainder of my shift, and I found no clarity.