AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Don’t worry,” Darith laughed. “I picked this place just for you.”
I exhaled a sigh of relief and followed her inside. As I walked in, the bell above the door rang loudly. The warm interior was filled with the sound of chatter and laughter. The shelves were lined with pastries and loaves of bread. The smell of sugary sweetness and fresh bread filled the air. And behind a marble counter, a woman decorated a cake with delicate corals. In the back, there was a small table, and Darith led me to it. The gold embroidery on her dress caught the light as she moved.
“This place is amazing,” I said as I sat down. “How did you find it?”
“I have my ways.” Darith winked as she sat across from me. “Besides, I know how much you love pastries.”
A waitress came over and Darith ordered for us. “A pleasant day to you. Can we get two coffees and a couple of your special pastries?” She glanced at me.
“Of course.” The woman replied with a smile. “I’ll have those right out for you.”
Darith sat down across from me and smiled. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“Starving,” I replied. And it was the truth. I had eaten nothing since breakfast, and that seemed like days ago.
The woman quickly brought out two cups of coffee with a plate of pastries. My eyes widened when I saw them. Baklava with honey and pistachios. On the side was a dot of cream.
“Try it,” Darith said as she pushed the plate towards me. “It’s fantastic.”
I didn’t need to be told twice. I took a bite, and the flavors exploded in my mouth. Sweet, sticky honey, crunchy pistachios, and flaky phyllo dough. It was heavenly.
I took another bite. “How did you know I liked this?”
“I didn’t.” Darith shrugged. “But I heard you grumble about missing your mother’s food the other day, so I thought you might like it.”
That was thoughtful of her. I ate another piece, and then another. I was so busy devouring the food that I didn’t realize Darith watched me with a small smile on her face.
“What?” I asked, self-conscious.
“You just… you have this look on your face when you eat. It’s like you’re in ecstasy or something.”
I blushed and looked down at my plate. “Sorry. I just love this. I could eat more.”
Darith laughed and pushed the plate towards me. “Help yourself. We can order more.”
I didn’t need to be told twice. I devoured the rest of the baklava and washed it down with the bitter coffee.
Darith signaled for the woman to bring us another round of coffee with a variety of pastries. Elvish pastries, I noted with amusement, as I saw the woman bring out a plate of delicate pastries filled with cream.
“Try one of these,” Darith said as she pushed the plate towards me. “They’re my favorite.”
I took one and bit into it. The pastry was light and flaky, and the cream inside was sweet with a hint of mint. “These are amazing,” I said, my voice muffled by the pastry. “I’ve had nothing like it before.”
“I’m glad you like them,” Darith said with a satisfied smile. “I come here often, so I’ve tried almost everything on the menu.”
“I can see why.” With a grin on my face, I took another bite. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this full.”
“Are you sure?” Darith asked with a mischievous glint in her eye. “There’s always room for dessert.”
I laughed. “I don’t know if I can.”
We chatted as we ate and enjoyed the sunny day. A few of the customers came in and out, but mostly, we had the place to ourselves. It was nice to just relax and not have to worry about anything.
The backdoor rang and a baker with a kind face and flour-dusted apron walked in.
“Sorry, I’m late,” she said as she hurried over to the counter. “I had some trouble with my oven this morning.”
“No worries,” the woman behind the counter said. “We’ve got it covered.”
