Chapter 3

An attractive young blond woman in a cream cashmere sweater and khakis awaited his arrival while poring over the selection of bagels. She stood up when he entered the room, pushing back a stray lock of honey-colored hair that had fallen across her brilliant blue eyes. She didn’t have the usual reaction of most people who were taken aback by his size upon first meeting him. There was a different look that was lurking within her behind her long, luscious lashes. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it. The word eager came to mind, but seemed silly upon analysis.

“Good morning, ma’am. How may I help you?” he managed to muster out despite his sudden nervousness.

“Are you open yet?”



“Um…” he floundered. “No, not yet. But it’s alright. You’re only five minutes early.”

“Did I interrupt you?”

“No, why do you ask?”

She leaned closer to him over the counter as if she were about to divulge a monumental secret. He leaned in her direction instinctively, awaiting a reply. She raised a hand and proceeded to trail her finger down the side of his face. He was relieved to remember that he had shaved that morning. His eyes closed for a moment, lost in the pleasurable experience of being caressed by this mystery woman. Then, upon recognizing the peculiar nature of her actions, he immediately came to his senses. She removed her hand from his cheek to reveal a smear of congealed white icing across her fingertips.

“Are they any good?” she giggled.

“What….” he trailed off in embarrassment.

“Your cinnamon buns, are they any good?”

“How did you know that I…”

“I could see you through the window,” she said, pointing.

He squinted in disbelief, absolutely flabbergasted. She had been watching him. He couldn’t believe it. He looked from the window and back to where he had been standing during his assault on the cinnamon buns. It was obvious that he had been clearly visible while he was stuffing himself. He needed to be more careful from now on. He began to blush. Sensing his distress, her razing metamorphosed into concern.

“I’m sorry, Peter. I didn’t mean that negatively. That is your name, Peter, isn’t it?” she inquired, gesturing towards the gold and white cursive lettering painted with expert precision on the window which read Peter’s Pastries.

“Why were you watching me?”

“I…I didn’t mean to. I was just stopping in to grab some bagels to take to work and I saw you back there. I …I thought it was cute….” she stammered.

“What do you mean?”

She cocked her head to one side, apparently undergoing some mental inquisition. She concluded the debate by shaking her head in dismay.

“Nothing. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry.”

An awkward silence ensued. He didn’t know what to think of this girl. It was too early in the morning to make sense of something so bizarre. He had done something that she thought was cute? He couldn’t imagine what. He hadn’t been told that since high school, and even then he had assumed that it was more out of pity than anything else. This woman hadn’t done anything so severe as to bruise his ego, but she appeared to feel as though her words had done just that. He was a little embarrassed, yes, but he felt that emotion steadily giving way to curiosity. He had to say something before she rushed out in humiliation.

“Where do you work at?” he offered, reasoning that small talk might salvage the conversation.

“This little bookstore that just opened up the street. It opens today, actually. It is my first official day open to the public. I spent some time setting up last week, but there weren’t any customers or anything. I am kind of excited. I thought taking some breakfast in might be a nice surprise for my first customers.”

“So it’s your bookstore?”

“Yes, it’s called The Treasure Trove.”

“Oh, where the antique store used to be up on the corner. I know right where that is. I pass it on my way to work each morning.”

“Really? I can’t believe I haven’t seen you before. I mean, I was there pretty much twenty-four-seven last week getting everything ready. You think I would have noticed someone as….You would have thought I would have noticed you. Anyways, how about some bagels? Which do you recommend?”