Chapter 1

Maya scowled at Cherry as she was pulled along the path. Despite finishing their work that morning, she could still see numbers swimming through her vision as they walked towards the outskirts of the city, the workload that was dumped on them was heavier than usual, so when her friend and superior invited her to take a walk, she immediately agreed. To where, well she didn't particularly care, plus she wouldn't really say no to a break away from work.

She's been living in Los Angeles for more than a few years now but she still hasn't explored even half of it. Her friend was the one who usually took her to new places, usually to food spots that were high on Cherry's personal list of which restaurants were the best ones.

"Hey, where are we going anyway?" Maya finally broke the silence she was enjoying. Cherry replied while humming out a familiar tune. "It's a secret Maya, wouldn't wanna spoil the surprise y'know?" shooting her a smirk.

"Come on, can you at least give me a hint?" Maya asked, Cherry ignored her and just continued humming her tune.

The tune piqued Maya's interest, this was one of the songs she heard her colleagues discussing just this morning. Grabbing the opportunity she asked. "Hey Cherry, what was the title of that song?" Cherry's eyes lit up, "Oh this was just released by this kid, Jason Beiber or something," she explained, "I just heard it last weekend and it's just stuck in my head-" Maya listened as Cherry went off on describing how young and cute the artist was, but she didn't follow the music scene so she just kinda tuned her off.

Turning around the corner, the tall, leafy trees arched over the stone path, casting a cool, dappled shade. Maya smiled a bit enjoying the little bits of paradise she was in, meanwhile Cherry was still going on and on, "If only he was born a decade-" she sighed at her prattling, wanting to cut her off but didn't want to ruin her fun so she just hummed an agreement and threw in a comment or two. She just focused her mind on where they were going, she knew they were moving North towards Pasadena, but their destination eluded her.

Part of her trusted Cherry but her past experiences were ringing bells through her mind. She was curious but she was also cautious, so she just acted like an annoyed and curious friend. "Oh, he's just a doll too, so small and cut-" Cherry's mouth kept running.

"Cherryyyy, where are we going?" Maya whined finally getting enough. "It's been ten minutes of walking. I'm sweating." her blue pantsuit and coat looked nice and were comfortable in an airconditioned work environment but under the sun it was taxing." I'm starting to get hungry. Is there food there? Please tell me you're bringing me to a restaurant. And please tell me that it serves good food." Maya listed off, her patience finally ran out.

Cherry sighed before giving in. "Fine fine, I'll spill, we're going to a spot just outside the city, and it's one of my favorite places to eat."

Maya perked up, Cherry had never led her wrong, and if she was making the effort to walk there that means it was going to be worth it.

"I just hope there's still some left." She murmured, too quiet to hear normally but Maya caught it.

"Then we better pick up the pace!" With renewed vigor, Maya then proceeded to push Cherry along toward their destination.

Cherry chuckled at Maya's enthusiasm. She knew her friend wouldn't want to miss out on a new experience. "It's just over the park, let's cut through," she said, shooting Maya a playful look.

As they entered the park, their surroundings started to fill up with people. The pond in the middle had ducks swimming while people threw bread to feed them, the trees had tire swings hung on them where kids pushed each other. While a few couples took walks with their significant other without a care for the world around them.

The shade provided by the trees and the slow but cool breeze of the wind relieved them of their small stint in the sun. Laughter, murmurs, and conversations rang out in the park. The winding path led them toward the bridge above a small stream.

"Ahh, I wish I were one of them," Cherry exclaimed as they passed by a family enjoying a picnic by the water. "The kids?" Maya joked, making a face at her boss.

"Ahh the things I would do to be a kid again," she smirked. "But, no. I meant the parents, I just want to get married soon and have a family. Too bad my last boyfriend bailed on me." she griped. "What about you? Is there anyone in your life right now?"

"Ahh yeah I remember Cliff, I told you he wasn't the white picket fence type. but, no, I've just been focused on work." Maya replied quietly. To which Cherry just hummed, a mischievous glint sparkling through her blue eyes.

Maya often relied on work as an excuse to avoid explaining herself. This was partly because there were certain aspects of her past that she preferred not to revisit.

"Oh come on Maya, there must've been someone? And don't say Anthony I know you don't like him." Cherry questioned. "Is he still pestering you?" she added.

Nodding" Yes he's been extra annoying lately, and I've had a boyfriend before!" Maya defended, "It just didn't end well." she added weakly." So I'm not looking for anyone right now." she replied, walking ahead of Cherry in a quick step.

As the two walked through the park, Maya couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as she watched a couple playing with their toddler. She longed for that same sense of connection and joy, but the prospect of starting a family felt daunting and uncertain. Despite her reservations, she couldn't help but smile as she watched the little girl's laughter fill the air.

Thinking back to when she was growing up, she had always felt different from other kids, and her parents had noticed this too. Her father had coached her on how to interact with strangers, which proved to be a valuable lesson. Maya was surprised to discover that she had a fascination for studying people and how they interacted with each other. As she observed others, she began to realize that no two people were the same. This truth comforted her, as she knew that she too was unique.

Maya repeated one of her mantras, "You are one of a kind," whenever she had a bad day or made a mistake, and people around her made fun of her for it. Many years had passed since she had taken those words to heart, yet they still rang true to her whenever she recited them. The words brought her comfort, especially in moments of doubt or insecurity.

Maya was still working hard to overcome her social awkwardness and learn to express her emotions more naturally. She knew that she wanted a family of her own someday, but she struggled to find the right person who could understand her and appreciate her for who she was. Maya had been on a few dates, but they never seemed to work out. She found it difficult to fake interest in someone she wasn't truly interested in.

One time, she thought she had found someone who was genuinely interested in her, but it turned out to be a disaster. The guy was only interested in her because of her glasses, and it made her realize that she deserved better than that. Despite not being conventionally beautiful or outgoing, Maya had her charm. She was the type of person who enjoyed spending her free time in the library, nose buried in a book, preparing for her next finals.

Maya longed for a partner who would appreciate her quirks and idiosyncrasies, someone who would stick by her through thick and thin. She knew that her other job, which took up much of her free time, made it difficult for her to meet new people and form connections. But she remained hopeful that one day she would find someone who would accept her for who she was, and she was willing to keep trying until she did.

"Ta-da!"

Maya's recollection was interrupted by Cherry's voice. As she looked around, she noticed that Cherry had passed her and stopped in front of a small cafe just outside the park. The cafe was unassuming, and on any other day, it would have blended in with the surrounding businesses. However, it had a charming signboard outside that caught Maya's attention.

"Heavenscent?" Maya repeated, a slight smile forming on her lips at the name of the shop.

Cherry's eyes sparkled with excitement as she led Maya toward the sweet shop. "You won't believe how amazing this place is," she gushed. "Miles introduced me to it a few weeks ago, and it's been my go-to spot ever since. It's been around for years, but it's still a hidden gem. The owner doesn't even advertise it.". This was one of the few times Maya had seen Cherry like this, she was practically bobbing up and down, it was a big plus for the shop in her books.

As they entered the shop, a small bell rang out. She didn't know what she was expecting but the aroma of bread and pastry hit her. It came in small waves of joy that tickled her nose, it was like the ambrosia of the gods were used to make everything inside the cafe, she fell still, enjoying the moment.

The interior of the shop was warm and welcoming, with a color scheme of earthy tones and cool blues that immediately put Maya at ease. The seating area looked comfortable, and she could imagine herself sinking into one of the chairs with a hot cup of tea and a pastry.

Looking for her friend she found her already lined up. "Wow, I never would have expected the inside to look like this." Maya began. The inside of the shop had a lived-in feel to it, people were sitting by the window reading and enjoying their food, and a few were on the big tables working on their papers or laptops.

"I know right? Cherry smiled, "The first time Miles brought me here I had the same reaction, hell I almost dropped to the floor because of the smell, it's just heavenly or was it because of the owner? I really can't remember." she confessed looking around pastries adorning the counters.

"The owner?" Maya voiced out, curious.

"Dang it," Cherry cursed, "I can't see any tarts in the display cases."

"Maybe he still has a few in the back?" Maya replied absentmindedly, her mind still occupied with analyzing the shop. She looked up at the counter where she found a menu of sorts, having a list of the pastries with pictures, along with a small description of them.

Treacle Tart: A buttery, flaky pastry crust is filled with a sweet and gooey lemon-infused filling.

"Ooh, look at this one," Maya said, pointing to a picture of a golden brown croissant filled with chocolate ganache. "And this one has raspberries and cream," she added, indicating a pastry topped with fresh fruit. This would be heaven for anyone who liked sweets.

Liking what she was seeing, she picked out one of the treats she was getting for herself. And started to peruse the menu for more of what she would like to sample. Ticking a checkbox in her mind about what she was buying.

"Cherry! What a surprise I wasn't expecting you until the afternoon." A deep voice tore her eyes from the menu and looking up she saw a head full of red hair. The voice caught her off guard, it was comforting but also alluring to her. Customers before them had already taken their orders and the line had moved up quicker than she had thought, or maybe she was just distracted by all the different types of pastries the cafe had to offer, she couldn't really tell, and she wasn't about to implicate herself.

"Jesse! Are there any Treacle Tarts left?" Cherry asked, Maya had to fall into step with her friend to get a better look at the proprietor of the place.

Jesse was a towering figure, standing well over six feet tall. His striking red hair and pale brown eyes contrasted sharply with his pale skin. Maya's gaze lingered on his sharp, chiseled features and the stubble on his chin. He wore a simple t-shirt and a red apron that accentuated his hair color.

"None left but, good afternoon to you too Cherry," The redhead replied, talking banter with Cherry for a bit before moving his gaze from her friend. The owner turned to her and smiled. "You must be Maya," He smiled, reaching out his hand to shake hers, her hand feeling too small being in his. The warm and callous hand felt and showed signs of hard work and was now working its way toward her heart.

"It's nice to finally put a face to a name. Cherry here has been telling me a lot about you." his warm smile hit the imaginary ball toward a home run, startling her to a degree she didn't expect.

Maya blushed, feeling a little overwhelmed by the sudden attention. "You're really tall!" she all but shouted. All the jitters she had turned into something else entirely.

Jesse had to stifle a laugh just to save her from embarrassment but it had little to no effect as Maya was now as red as a tomato. Cherry who was looking through the display cases let out a snort as she let out a bark of laughter further driving Maya into a hole.

"And you're really beautiful." Jesse countered trying to ease the tension with an even more awkward response.

If she could've, she would've just run out of the shop and be done with it, but with the constant allure of freshly baked bread and sweet pastry digging through her senses, Maya had gone in a completely different direction.

"And you're really handsome," she challenged with a predatory grin.

Raising an eyebrow at the unexpected counter Jesse let out a laugh, if he had tried that with any other woman they would have become a spluttering mess. Taking a better look at Maya she was attractive, she was wearing a simple office uniform, the book-y type if he had to guess, with long dark hair that was just touching her shoulders, electrifying blue eyes that would catch anyone off guard, almost hidden by the non-matching glasses she had on. Almost as if she didn't want anyone to see the real her beneath the boring exterior.

"Oh ho, easy there honey I might just bite," Jesse eased off with a grin, trying to lighten the mood. "Now what can I get you two lovely ladies?" he asked, redirecting their attention to the sweet treats on display, and his attention back to his job.

"I'll have a piece of chocolate cake and also a slice of baked cheesecake to go, also one of those hazelnut coffees that you do, with whipped cream." Cherry listed her order. Jesse noted punching the orders to start preparing them, "And you?" he asked Maya.

"And I'll get a Treacle tart," Maya answered, still distracted but Jesse interrupted. "Sorry no more Treacle tarts, not even one for our avid customers " he replied pointing his chin to Cherry. "I would recommend the baked cheesecake, we have raspberry and blueberry ones." he offered.

Maya didn't really know what the difference was so she just ordered both, along with an Americano, she would need more caffeine in her with the workload she was expecting back at the office.

As Jesse went to prepare their order Cherry sneaked up behind her, a mischievous glint in her eye. "So what do you think?" She asked, her smile reaching up to her ears.

Maya turned around, her eyebrows raised in confusion. "What do I think about what?" she asked.

Cherry laughed. "About Jesse! He's cute, right?"

Maya blushed a little, feeling caught off guard. "Uh, I guess he's okay," she stammered, trying to play it cool.

"Okay? You think he's just okay? Come on, I've been talking you up to him for a month now. And here I thought you'd appreciate my efforts." Cherry sighed dramatically, putting her wrist up to her head for effect. Cherry herself knew that Maya was too focused on work for her own good. But as a friend, here she was trying to introduce a bit of spice to her boring friend's life.

Maya sighed and answered, "And here I just embarrassed myself. Well, maybe if you'd have given me a heads up, I could've prepared myself."

"I thought you made a good first impression, though," Cherry said, trying to cheer her up.

"What do you mean? I just blurted out that he was tall and handsome like some lovestruck teenager. How Is that a good impression?" she ranted. Not noticing the redhead owner approaching them with their orders.

"A solid 6 out of 10 for first impressions. Here you go, ladies," Jesse interrupted, returning with their order. He handed them a paper bag each and added an extra container of cookies to Maya's bag.

"Ohh I love those!" Cherry squealed. "Gimme one too," she looked at Jesse, making him sigh as he placed a similar one in her bag.

"I didn't think I made that good of an impression?" Maya looked at him curiously.

"Nah you didn't, Okay maybe a 6 was too harsh, let's go with an 8, but. I just do that for first-time customers," Jesse answered.

"So is this a bribe or something?" Maya asked, confused.

"Just something extra to make sure you come back." he winked, moving on to the next customer.

As the pair walked out of the shop Maya took a cookie out of her bag. "Okay he's cute," she whispered, enjoying the sweetness in her cookie.

"I knew he was your type." Cherry squealed, grinning victoriously.

"Fine fine, he's my type," she relented, "Thanks," she added, finding a card inside her bag with a phone number written on it. Realizing what it was she started the long walk back to their workplace with a smile.