CH 41: 221Bakery Street

A cell phone blasted out the current popular songs on the charts. It had gone through all 50 of them several times since the afternoon.

It now went back to the first song at the top.

Andie danced around the kitchen. According to the timer, the cupcakes in the oven should be done soon. It was the second recipe she followed from 'D&D Cookbook.' Since the pizza turned out to be a success, she became motivated to try more.

Maybe she could even take some tips and use it at the bakery.

Her head snapped up when the front door opened. She stopped moving and peeked out of the doorway. A head of red hair walked inside the apartment. Pink ruffles fluttered around slender legs. The sling bag dropped to the floor, its metal accessories clattering from the impact.

Andie snorted.

A teasing smile blossomed on her face. She lowered the music's volume and called out to Eve. "So… how did the date go? Did he faint from your beauty?"

Her right hand grabbed an oven mitt from the counter. She slipped it on and checked the cupcakes. "He better have because I did an awesome job with your hair and makeup. Otherwise, I need to do better next time."

Eve headed for the kitchen. She placed the bag on the kitchen island and slumped on a stool. "I am so tired. My body aches so much. "

Closing her eyes, her forehead banged on the surface. She folded her arms over the counter and lifted her head. Her temple rested against the back of her hand. A relaxing breath exhaled out of her nose.

She could probably fall asleep in a few seconds.

"Already?" Andie questioned. The hot baking tray slammed against the kitchen island. Her stormy blue eyes widened in accusation. "Don't tell me you did it?!"

'Did what?' Eve thought groggily. She moaned and rubbed her nose against her arm. Her senses perceived little, processing things at a slow pace. Her brain buffered at the statement. It took a bit of time before the words sank in.

…

…

…

…

Eve woke up instantly.

Her eyes flashed open.

Her spine straightened up.

"Hell, no!" She yelled at her best friend, her nostrils flaring. Her face became red as a tomato. If smoke could come out of her ears, it would. She could feel her skin grow hot. It could rival a steam boiler.

'Well, that's one way to revive someone.' Andie cackled as she sat down. Her arms wrapped around her stomach at the comical sight. The reactions still made her laugh, no matter how many times she'd seen it before.

Her best friend was just too cute not to tease.

Eve narrowed her gaze into a glare. "Andie!"

"Just joking. I know you wouldn't let that happen." Andie snorted. She pulled off the mitten and transferred the cupcakes on a cooling rack. The purple paper cups stood out in the room. "Your horrified expression is so cute."

Eve rolled her eyes and put her head back down. "Fine, fine. Tease me."

Andie shook her head, placing her hands on her hips. She had been waiting all day for this. No way would she let her best friend ruin it. "But, seriously. How did it go? Did you find out anything about your boss that you didn't know before?"

Eve thought for a moment. The scene from the rink resurfaced in her mind. Blood rushed into her cheeks. They ignited like fire once again. Now that she was back in reality, the entire date seemed like a dream.

She slipped her arms off the counter—only to hide her face with her hands.

"Holy shi—schnitzel!" Andie exclaimed, pointing her finger. "Something happened!"

That sort of embarrassment didn't stem out of nowhere. No, no, it came from a memory. A moment that was embedded in her best friend's mind. It had to be from the date. It just had to be! Whatever it was,

She would get to the bottom of it.

"Nothing happened!" Eve denied as she sat up. She needed her full defense for this argument. One slipup and Andie would bulldoze her way towards the truth. She'd never be able to live it down.

"Uh-huh. Sure, sure. Why are you blushing then?" Andie shot back. She crossed her arms over her chest. A smug smile peeked from the corner of her lip. "Did you kiss?"

"WE DIDN'T!"

She bit her inner cheek, muffling her laugh. It was too much! What a precious cinnamon roll! If there were pillows nearby, Eve would have buried her face under one. She was sure of it.

"Hm, whatever," Andie sighed in nonchalance. She grabbed a bottle of purple food coloring and a bowl of cream cheese frosting. "I'll probably find out tomorrow in the tabloids anyway. I can just guess what happened."

"The tabloids?" Eve grimaced, watching her best friend mixed the icing. It slowly turned into a shade of lavender. "But Ambryan said he didn't like the press and had no plans about making our relationship public."

"That wouldn't stop reporters from telling the public about it, would it?" Andie cocked an eyebrow. Her hands paused from stirring. She looked at the wall and read out invisible words. "You'll just see headlines like, 'Eros' Most Eligible Bachelor out on a Date! Who is this Mystery Girl?' or even 'Ambryan Hathaway ready to tie the knot? Mystery Girl ensnared the heart of the CEO!'"

"Wow, I am good at this." She giggled, shifting her attention back on the bowl of frosting. "I should come up with more."

"Please don't."

"Then, would you mind telling me? I shared stories with you about Jarrett." Her best friend scoffed. "Come on, spill the tea. Give me some details."

Eve groaned. Andie would never let this go. She had to satisfy her best friend's curiosity somehow. Her mind figured out which details to share. Andie already knew about the lunch since that was the plan. Her best friend would want to know what happened after.

In the end, she went with a simple answer.

A sigh escaped her lips. "We went to a roller skating rink. There. That's the reason why I'm exhausted."

"What?!" Andie cried out. She set the bowl down on the counter. Her full attention was now on Eve. "Is that the one near Bogum Park? If I had known, I would have spied on you."

She covered her mouth. Just the thought of it sounded funny.

Eve hit the table. "Hey!"

"I'm kidding!"

"No, not that!" She grumbled, waving her hand, "Why didn't you tell me about it?!"

The rink was so close by. She could have spent free days in it. Not only was it fun but it was also another form of exercise. Maybe she could go back the following weekend. If they had membership, she'd sign up and spend less money.

Andie gave her a pointed look. "When are you exactly free to go?"

Eve's excitement turned into dread. If her schedule was full before, it would be more so now. Evangeline would have a new campaign shoot. There would be more dates in the future, social gatherings to attend to and people to avoid. She also needed to visit Ede and Eri regularly.

Her head bowed as her voice dropped into a small one.

"... I would have made time."

"Right, right," Andie replied, sarcasm laced in her tone. She cupped her cheek and rested an elbow on the kitchen island. "So did you have fun?"

"I loved that rink!" Eve gushed. Her dull eyes lit up in a daze. The exhilaration flowed into her veins. It was almost like she was in it again. "The energy is just something else."

Her best friend reached for a glass of water. "Okay, and then what? Did you trip on each other?"

"No, he just carried me out."

"Say what?!" Andie spit out the water. She twisted her neck so it wouldn't splash on the food. Her hand wiped off the rest from her mouth. "How?! Bridal, over shoulder or piggyback?!"

Eve fell back to reality. Her jaw dropped as she realized what she just said. She had been daydreaming that she forgot about the conversation. Taking her bag, she rose to her feet and headed for the doorway.

An awkward laugh stuttered out of her lips. "I'm gonna go take a bath."

Before her best friend could reply, she turned around and bolted for the stairs. Her feet thudded as she escaped the scene. What she said should have been enough. It was already more than what she planned to reveal. Her best friend shouldn't be picky anymore.

Andie stood up and leaned over the kitchen island. Her target vanished from sight. Screaming, her voice reverberated around the house. "Eve, you can't do this to me! Don't leave me hanging!"

A door slammed from upstairs.

She slumped back on the stool. Her shoulders slouched in defeat. So much for the girl talk she wanted. Her gaze flickered towards the cupcakes. They had cooled down during the conversation. She could now add the icing.

Instead of doing that, she took a cupcake and ripped off a piece. She dipped it in the cream cheese frosting then, popped it into her mouth, mumbling, "Darn it."

The flavor exploded in her mouth. She chewed slowly and savored the feeling. It lifted off her bad mood, allowing her to see the positivity. "Well, that sounded a lot better than I expected. Either the CEO is falling or he is crafty with this agreement."