New Chapter 2

"What are you doing in Minnesota?" she asked, since not saying what came into her brain was something that wasn't possible for her.

"I live here now, have for the past 5 years, actually. I just moved into one of the lofts over the weekend and couldn't resist the smells coming from your store. Jesus, it is amazing to see you", he said.

"Yeah, amazing". Just then she heard someone coughing behind Daniel, and remembered that it was 8 am and her morning rush hadn't quite finished yet. As much as she would love to talk to Daniel, to look at him and to smell his delicious cologne, she really had to get moving. "I'm sorry" she finally said, "this is probably the worst timing ever. I would love to catch up, but I really can't right now. Did you want to order something?".

'Lame' was all she could think. How was she expected to make conversation with someone that she hadn't seen in 7 years, yet thought about at least once a day, all while running a bakery? Really, it was too much.

"Yeah, of course, I am sorry. I was just so surprised.....well, yes, I would like a cappuccino, large, and one of those raspberry donuts. If it tastes as good as it looks on you, then I want it". He made a gesture towards her apron, where Mollie quickly wiped away a giant blob of raspberry.

Great. Raspberry filling on her too! Could this get any worse?

She filled his order, wondering what to say to him next. Luckily, he took the lead. "Listen, would you mind if I stopped by at another time and we caught up?".

"Of course not" she laughed, relieved, "I would love to! Well, um, you know where to find me." With that they gave an awkward wave and a big smile and Daniel was on his way. Now instead of obsessing about her eclairs, she could obsess about whether or not he would come back to see her.

Great.

Next Chapter

Walking back (from somewhere....not sure where yet!).

Daniel felt a raindrop on his nose, followed by several more on his cheek . "Uh-oh", he said "I am feeling rain. Don't suppose you carry an umbrella on you?"

"Nope" said Mollie, looking up at the perfectly blue sky, "must be a sunshower. I love those!".

Since Daniel didn't have an umbrella either, he ran over to a nearby free newspaper stand and grabbed a couple. He figured this would hold off the gentle rain for the block or so to the coffee shop. He turned to give one to Mollie only to find her with her arms wide open, twirling in the rain. A look of pure joy and happiness on her face and as if she was living life to the fullest. He watched her twirl a bit more, slow down and take a little jump into a tiny puddle forming near her feet. Her hair was drenched, as was her clothes, but when she looked at him with a smile that could devastate mere mortals and her eyes shining like the finest sapphires, his chest felt as if a fire ball was inside of it and he knew that if he didn't go to her this second, he would regret it for his entire life. And that if he did, he would remember it forever.

So he did what any sane man would do - he ran over to her, grabbed the back of her head in both of his hands and he kissed her but good. He poured his soul into her, every feeling he had ever had and still had for her. He ate her lips like a starving man at Thanksgiving. He pulled her close and kissed her. It was everything he remembered and so much more. She seemed shocked at first - they were the middle of fairly busy sidewalk - then melted against him and seemed to be giving as good as she was getting. Daniel was starting to feel that clawing at the pit of his stomach, something he hadn't felt for a long time, and knew he was dangerously close to pushing her up to the window of the bookstore behind them and taking her right there. He pulled his mouth away just a bit, but not his body, and rested his forehead against hers. They both looked into each others eyes, feeling something they didn't want to put a name to, not wanting to be the first to say where they wanted this to go, not knowing where they wanted it to go beyond a bedroom and a bedroom fast! They took a couple ragged breaths, and just when it was about time to do or die, a big, fat, raindrop landed on Mollie's cheek. It was the first signal that rain was going to start coming down hard; the second being the now dark grey sky overhead. They looked into each others eyes for a split second and both started running, hand in hand, to their original destination of the coffee shop.

Mollie giggled as she tried to shake the water from her hair and body before entering the coffee shop. She felt as if she had been hit by a mac truck and wasn't sure what was going on. But she didn't want to examine it; she wanted this moment so that later, when he was gone, she could take it out and feel it again and live on this day for years to come.

Then found a table near the register and sat down. Daniel went and ordered them some coffee and when he came back, they both avoided looking at each other. It was awkward, and Mollie didn't know what to do. She wanted to pick up where they left off, or at least continue it after the storm subsided, but she suspected that Daniel was remembering that he was engaged to the stunning Gillian and was regretting the kiss. And just as she had decided to put the kiss aside and pretend it hadn't happened, she felt the side of Daniel's finger running down her nose. She looked up in surprise to find him looking at her with longing, desire and a tenderness that made her want to weep. Her eyes filled with tears and she fought to keep them from sliding down her cheek. Just when she thought she had a handle, one slid down her cheek and she quickly looked at the table, hoping Daniel didn't notice.

Daniel was looking at Mollie so closely, so intently, that not only did he see the tears fill her eyes suddenly, he saw the escapee and wondered what was going on in her head. He took his finger and caught the tear with the tip, before it could fade down her neck. And then he did the hottest thing Mollie had ever seen - he put that finger in his mouth! Mollie was stunned. So was Daniel. He wasn't sure what had come over him. But he was burning hot for Mollie and it wasn't going away. He was holding reality at bay and all he could think about was Mollie and getting her naked.

The barista took that moment to deliver the coffees. They both looked at the coffees and Daniel wondered how Mollie would take it if he asked her to go back to her place. NOW. Daniel was about to burst and all he could think about was loving Mollie until he was stupid. But the crying had thrown him off. Before that, he was sure that her feelings mirrored his own. So he took a drink of coffee and mulled the whole situation over.

Meanwhile, Mollie was just staring into her coffee and wondering how she could ask Daniel to leave. With her. NOW. She was burning inside and was determined to not waste a minute of this day. It felt like it was a magical day, something out of the real world, and it she didn't take advantage of it, she may just lose it. She looked Daniel right in the eye and said "Why don't we blow this pop stand?".

Ok, not the sexiest, nor the most graceful, but since Daniel leapt out of his chair, grabbed her hand and started pulling her to the door, she figured it did the job.

Chapter...?

Gillian asks Mollie if she makes wedding cakes.

"Well, I have, for friends and family"...she hedges. She is afraid of where Gillian is going with this.

"I just love your food" says Gillian, "and think it is so awesome that you and Daniel have reunited after all these years, and I think that is a terrific sentiment that I want added to our wedding."

Gillian was hard to say no to. She wasn't a ball buster, but she was really nice and confident, two deadly atrributes for a people-pleaser like Mollie.

"I would be honored" said Mollie. Keeping the other adjectives, like heartbroken, fraudulent, and dispondent, to herself.

"Fantastic! I will show you some of the clippings I have been collecting and we can get together and maybe brainstorm ideas." Gillian pulled out her iPhone and said "how does Monday afternoon work for you?"

"Fine" said Mollie, "Monday afternoons are nice and quiet, so why don't you just come by here and we can talk" she said.

"Sounds like a plan. I will tell Daniel, as I am sure he will want to come and chat with his ladies!" she gave a little giggle, obviously clueless to the look on Mollie's face that showed just how much she wished it were true.

"Fantastic" Mollie muttered as she turned to go back to the kitchen and take her frustrations out on some cherries that needed pitting.

Chapter 5

I seriously should not be doing this, thought Mollie and she tried, unsuccessfully, to gently stir the egg whites in the the cake mix she was making for a custom order. I should be chopping or whisking or even just breaking plates, but gently mixing egg whites is definitely not for her at the moment. She wondered if she would have to make this cake all over again.

It had been 2 days since she had met Gillan and had heard their bombshell news. She spent the rest of Sunday in a fog, didn't sleep at all that night and, since she had worked the entire weekend, took Monday off and spent it in bed. But it was now Tuesday and she was pissed. How dare he get his whity tighties in a twist over her failed marriage when he was engaged?!?! And it isn't like he it was old news, since she clearly remembered Gillian gushing about how it had happened just one week before, on the first night they spent in their beautiful condo. PUKE. Mollie almost had, when she replayed that in her mind.

The really sickening thing was, Mollie really liked Gillian before she knew! Sure, Gillian was intimidating to a Mollie; she was so tall, so shapely built, obviously fit and scrubbed and spa-ed and well groomed, oh, and how could she forget, sexy as hell. But she had been so nice, so friendly and so approachable, that Mollie felt herself relaxing and not feeling like she couldn't be friends with this magnificient specimen, and then HE walked through the door.

Mollie was obviously working through the stages of grief. Although it hadn't even been a week since she had seen Daniel the first time, she had already had lovely daydreams floating around in her head about them getting together for real this time and making a life together. Building a house, on a lake, and filling it with kids. Expanding her bakery, taking on more help and enjoying it more than just working on it. She was worried about the lunch on Friday, but she was optimistic that when he heard the whole story he would understand.

Understand? HUH. No way, not now!! All that was gone in a cloud of smoke. And when Mollie wasn't kicking herself for being so foolish about rushing ahead and making something where there was nothing, she was furious at Daniel for not telling her. For letting her thoughts run away from her. FOR PICKING A FREAKING SUPERMODEL.

Of course he didn't tell her! He probably just wanted to be nice and catch up, he never would have seriously thought of Mollie as a sex object. They would just be those kind of aquaintances who said hi, how are you, enjoying your summer? Here is your coffee. Enjoy your muffin. Don't choke on the cinnamon roll. When you had steak at home, why go out for hamburgers, right?

Meanwhile Daniel wasn't sure what he was feeling. After leaving Bliss on Sunday morning, Gillian had wanted to hit furniture stores, so he obliged. He knew that he wouldn't have to say a whole lot or engage a lot of thought into stuff, just nod his head one way or another to indicate if he could live with whatever she had her eye on. It turned out to be a bit more taxing than that, with them hitting every store in a 35 mile radius.

Monday

Chapter 3

Madie gave herself 2 minutes to calm down, another three to change her clothes (maybe he would still be waiting and she would not let him see her in threadbare yoga pants again!) then she went into her office and called a temp agency. She was not going to be caught unawares again!

She she told them that she wanted someone to come in mornings and work the register, so that freed Jules could make goodies, fill cases and help out the temp while Madie was free to sit in her office and do paperwork.  She had been meaning to do this for a few months, ever since her bakery, Honeybuns, got rave review from Mpl/St Paul magazine and business got crazy. 

She returned to the kitchen, and dared to peek out the door.  She was half afraid Daniel was still there, and half hoping.  She had argued with the hopeful part the whole way down the stairs, but whew it was stubborn!

All she saw was a much emptier case than when she had run off and a frazzled Jules.  Madie immediately felt terrible.  She had run off without saying a THING to Jules!  She stood straighter and walked through the door, having thoroughly perused the tables and not seeing Daniel anywhere.  Little Hope inside wilted, but Madie told her to behave as she took stock of the case.  She mumbled a not-so-graceful "I am so sorry, Jules, will get this filled right now" as she walked back into the kitchen.  Luckily, the day stayed pretty crazy, so Jules never had the chance to give Madie the third degree.  It was inevitable, Madie knew, but she bought herself a little time. 

The next day, a temp named Milo started.  Milo was 22, was a senior at the U and needed a little fill in work for spending cash.  His mom actually ran the employment agency I contacted, and she said he was a good kid.  A little lazy and entitled, sure, but great with customers and trustworthy. And available weekday mornings at 6.  Sounds great!

For the next week, Madie woke up an extra half an hour before her ridiculous normal 330am wake up time, to take some extra time on make up and hair.  Just in case she had to go out front some morning and Daniel happened to be there again.  It wasn't that she didn't want to see him; now that she had time to think (and to shower) she definitely wanted to see him.  Things were so different now, maybe it could work. 

By Friday afternoon, she started to think she imagined the whole thing.  Jules hadn't said a word and there hadn't been anyone by since, asking for her or even anyone she had caught a glimpse of as she did vital things out front around  8 am every morning. 

On Sunday, it occurred to her that he could have been in town for business or vacation (because didn't everyone want to vacation in Minnesota in KJuly?  100% humidity, awesome!).  She probably missed her only chance to see him again, to talk to him, to apologize for the way she had left.  That night, she cried a little about all of the things she let run through her fingers, including this one opportunity.  And then she vowed that tomorrow she was turning over a new leaf.  She was going to grab life by the horns!

Murphy's Law would state that Daniel come in at 7 am on Monday, but even Murphy's law didn't always get it right. It was 6:30 am on Friday.

"Hey, Mollie, how are you doing?" he said, looking as handsome as ever in a brown suit with baby blue dress shirt. Yum, he always did look scrumptious in brown and blue, thought Mollie.

"Hey stranger" she said, "it is nice to see you". Damn, why did she say that? She was pretty much resigned to the fact that he wouldn't come in again. But she had coached herself that if he did, she would act like she hadn't noticed.

Mollie was not great at acting.

Daniel blushed a bit, which was annoyingly attractive and endearing. Didn't he do anything gross? Mollie quickly racked her brain and came up with something. "Yeah, I meant to come in earlier in the week, but I was out of town, unexpectantly" he said, sheepishly. Mollie wondered if he would fill in the blanks, but instead he said "did you miss me?".

Mollie swallowed the panic in her throat. He had said it innocently enough, but she didn't want to come off crazy right out of the gate. She let out a nervous chuckle and said "Oh, you have been out of town? I am sorry, I have been so busy around here, making......things, I mean, cupcakes and donuts and stuff....and then with the customers and everything, well, um, I didn't even notice". That was just pathetic..

A slow smile quickly replaced the look of hurt that Daniel had after she started talking. He knew her so well, why hadn't he forgotten some things? "It is a little awkward, after all this time, isn't it? I am a little nervous, too. Anyway, I came in extra early, hoping we may have a minute to catch up, but I can see I was wrong. Things are already jumping here. I was hoping that you might have some time to get together? Catch up?"

"Sure, yeah. Well, um, I don't know if this is what you had in mind, but what about lunch? Today? I am sure you have plans or customers, but I thought I could just, you know, suggest it". Her voice was trailing off at the end and she just kind of stopped, her face was bright red and she didn't want to look up but couldn't help herself when she heard his chuckle.
Daniel smiled that smile again, like he knew exactly what she was thinking, bastard. "Lunch would be great", he said "can you meet me at Manny's at 1?"

"Can't wait", she said, with a smile of her own. Now when the hell am I going to find time to slink upstairs and do my hair?

They met at Vanderbilt, Mollie was a junior and Daniel was a sophomore and they had marketing 101 together. Daniel was an MIS major and Mollie was majoring in communications with dreams of opening her own bakery. But she was really just wasting time. Or putting things off, more like it.

They sat next to each other in the first class. Mollie noticed him right off the bat, how could you not, but it took Daniel to the next class (sitting next to each other, of course) to notice her. They smiled and exchanged names, and eventually started saying hi to each other regularly and purposefully sitting next to each other. She was definitely attracted to him but gave off a friendly vibe; he was interested in her. She was so nice and open and sweet, something he was after since his recent binge of hooking up with sorority girls was over. He figured he had plenty of time to get to know her first.

They settled into a rhythm of studying together and chatting impersonally. Daniel started asking more personal questions but Mollie tried to be evasive. It just made him all the more interested. Finally, just before mid-terms, she admitted that she had a boyfriend. Parker, whom she had been dating since high school and his parents and her parents were great friends. She didn't sound excited about him, but she never gave Daniel a chance to ask more.

They spent a lot of time together, studying and then hanging out, too. Daniel would sometimes ask where Parker was, and Mollie said that he was in the pre-med school at Vanderbilt, in his last year, and was doing various internships or studying. They didn't spend much time together. Daniel decided that their relationship was coming to an end so he saw his chance and started to get closer to Mollie. He genuinely liked her and he felt that if she were to open her eyes and see the possibility of the two of them together, she would dump Parker.

The week before first semester finals, Daniel and Mollie spent almost all of their free time together, getting ready for finals. The night before their first final, they studied late into the night at Mollie's apartment. There had been many looks and flirty things going on between them all week, and Daniel sensed that this was his chance. She would be going home for Christmas, seeing Parker, and she would realize that Daniel was what she wanted.

About 3 they decided to call it a night and get some sleep before their final. Daniel got up to leave, and Mollie followed him to the door. He turned around and said to her "Mollie, I have just got to say this. I have had feelings for you for a long time now and wasn't sure if I should tell you. Instead, I just want to show you". And with that, he took her head in her hands and kissed her. Long, soft but with a hint of what could be. He pulled back and looked at Mollie. Her eyes fluttered open, with a look of surprise but also lust. He knew he had her. "I will see you in the morning" he said as he walked out the door.

He had a hard time sleeping that night. He was so excited, he could barely stand it. Instead of going over what he would be tested on, he found himself thinking of where he wanted to go with Mollie, what he wanted to do with her, and to her, or course. He could feel the change in the air.

Chapter 2

They raced back to her dorm room, too excited not to, knowing that her roommate would be done with class in about 15 mintues and alone time was too precious to waste. Once they got in the room, they started kissing while simultaneously ripping off clothes. They giggled in between kisses, eager and happy for some time together, alone. Daniel turned her around and played with her nipples while she finished peeling off her underwear. Now they were completely naked and ready to go. Mollie bent over her desk chair, this position perfect for the quickie that was needed right now. They both groaned as Daniel started to slide inside...


The ringing on Daniel's left shook him out of the memory he was reliving, and none too soon. He was at work, supposed to be working, not remembering what it had been like when he and Madie had been together. He rubbed his hands down his face before he picked up the phone.

"Daniel Spicer" he said in his back-to-business voice.

"Daniel, babe, I have the most wonderful news!", said Gillian, the other reason he shouldn't be remembering what it was like to be inside Madie.

"You do? What?" he asked, trying to get into an excited mood, but he was still so shaken over seeing Mollie and also feeling guilty about daydreaming about anyone other than his fiancée.

"They are making me junior partner!!!!!". Daniel could practically feel Gillian's desire to scream through the phone and understood her need to calmingly celebrate right now.

"Oh, hon, that is so awesome! You totally deserve it! How do you want to celebrate?" he asked, truly happy for Gillian.

"Weeeeell, I was thinking we should go up to the cabin", she replied. Gillian's parents had a 4500 square foot cabin on Battle Lake, about 4 hours north of the cities. It was gorgeous, but hard to relax in someone else's pride and joy. But it was Gillian's triumph, so of course he would comply, "tomorrow" she snuck in under Daniel's radar.

"Tomorrow??" he said "but isn't that rather sudden? And don't you have cases?"

"I start a big one on Friday, so I really only have a 2 day window here to do this. Plus, Heidi and Bennett are free as well, so I thought we could make it a foursome" Gillian said, all excitedly.

Daniel paused. Obviously she had already discussed this with Heidi. And while this junior partnership wasn't out of the blue, he was pretty surprised that she planned to celebrate it in advance. He liked Ben and Heidi well enough, but he just didn't feel like leaving right now. Not when he had just found Madie.

Realizing that this was highly inappropriate, and that his new fiancée was his main priority, he agreed with her and said he would find a way to make it work. And then he spent the rest of the afternoon clearing his schedule and swatting away old memories.

Cast of Characters

Mollie McGovern - female lead, 32. Owns and operates a bakery (Bliss) in downtown St. Paul in a renovated building. Size 14, feels bad about it, but not bad enough to do anything about it. Moved back 3 years ago to be near friends and family and to open the bakery. Medium height, green eyes, chocolatey brown hair. Divorced from Parker, 37. Arranged marriage of sorts, lasted 3 years.

Daniel Spicer - male lead. It Junior VP for large corporation with offices in Minneapolis. Recently engaged (see Gillian). Tall, 6'2", brown, almost black, hair, blue eyes. So nicely successful and still young (31). Loves fiancee, but still remembers one who got away. Just bought and moved into loft in neighborhood where bakery is.

Jules - 29, sister to Mollie. Tall and rail thin, tho no boobs. Hasn't found her calling in life, doesn't date great guys, but totally there for her sister. Only person who ever met Daniel in Mollie's current life.

Bakery - in newly renovated part of St. Paul. Warehouse space. Red brick walls, high ceilings. Lofts above the building. New and up and coming area. Mollie has gorgeous penthouse with views of river and of downtown.