Page 23 of Ardently Yours

Chapter Six

Will

The workday flies by, but it’s not over yet. The sun is giving off a hazy reddish-pink hue, like it’s getting ready to turn in for the night, but it’s not quite ready.

I feel like the sun and I are on the same page. I stifle a yawn, readjust my apron, wash my hands in the kitchen sink, and mentally go over my notes for Jay and Nic’s pre-wedding donut tasting tonight.

They are newer friends but becoming good ones, especially Jay. He and I have formed somewhat of a guy crew with Edward alongside the girl crew of Nic, Lizzie and Jane.

So it’s part hang out tonight and part work, since the entire crew, both guys and girls, are getting together to help try out the options for the donut tower I’m making for the wedding. The wedding is brunch-themed, so I’m going with a mix of flavors: blueberry cake donuts, apple cinnamon sugar donuts, and chocolate and vanilla-glazed donuts with sprinkles that match the wedding colors, sage green and cream.

Lizzie and I are both working in the kitchen. The cafe is closed and we both stuck around to prep for tomorrow and to get ready for tonight. I take my donut samples out of the oven to let them cool off.

Lizzie hums while she makes her special latte recipe for the wedding, complete with latte art on top. I watch her stencil the initials of Nic and Jay on each latte, topping off the foam. I love how focused she is.

She once told me that she mastered her barista skills while working at the cafe on her college campus before it closed down. She knew then that she wanted to open her own cafe so Selah Falls could have its own go-to coffee shop.

Her dedication and passion shine through her work. I love the way she zones out when she’s in full barista mode. She looks up, catching my eye with a questioning look on her face.

“What?” she asks, holding her stencil.

“Just admiring your art.”

She squints her eyes at me, suspiciously looking from me to the latte in front of her on the kitchen counter. “You’re judging me, aren’t you?”

“No,” I say, throwing up my hands, taking off the oven mitts and placing them on the counter. I move closer to look down at the latte. “I just love watching you do latte art. It’s like you’re a painter using a tiny canvas. It’s cool, that’s all.”

Lizzie gets that look in her eye, and I know she is about to tease me. “Are you fangirling over me right now, Darcy?”

“I’m just saying you’ve got skills,” I laugh, backing away from her. “Don’t let it go to your head, though. It’s already big enough, Boss Lady Bennett.”

“Oh no,” she says, cutting her eyes at me. “It’s bad enough you call me Boss Lady. Do not, under any circumstances, start using my last name too, Darcy.”

“But you call me by my last name.”

“It’s different when I do it, duh.”

I shake my head at Lizzie. Taking an extra apple cinnamon donut from the tray, I break it in half so we can share. Lizzie takes a latte she made without the latte art on it and pours half of it into a spare mug. Then, she offers the mug to me.

She asks, rhetorically, “Are we sharing now?”

“I always share with you.”

She cocks her head to the side, shooting me a stubborn look.

“Well, I do,” I say. “Mostly because I want your opinion on the things I make, but also because I know you’ll enjoy them.”

She takes a bite of the donut and rolls her eyes at me. “That’s pretty selfish if you ask me. But this apple cinnamon donut is actually pretty good.”

“Me? Selfish?” I ask, taking a bite of the donut. I shake my head. “Couldn’t be. But you are right about one thing: this donut is pretty good.”

“Be humble.” Lizzie finishes her donut and rubs her hands together to get rid of the crumbs. Then, she takes a sip of the latte and gestures for me to do the same.

I take a sip from my mug, now that it’s cooled down, and let the flavors dance on my tongue. My taste buds are met with a light, sweet cinnamon flavor.

To her, I say, “It’s not too strong or overpowering. It complements the donut really well. I think it’ll go well with the other donut flavors too. And, I think having a hot and iced option could be a big hit.”

She takes the feedback in stride, pulling the journal lying open on the counter closer to her and jotting down a few notes. “Thanks, Darcy.”