Emma's POV

"Stacey, honey could you please take this order to table Number 5" I ask Stacey, my waitress. This bakery has been my whole world ever since I lost my parents in the car crash. They started running this bakery when I was a baby. They were so passionate about baking. All the confectioneries that were sold in the bakery were baked by my parents. But their unfortunate demise has naturally put all their responsibilities on to me. The business has boomed over the years, with the introduction of our famous Buckeye Brownies. I make those babies myself with my secret recipe that I am willing to share with no one! I don't want my secret to be used by the competing confectioners now do I? I still have a long way to go, but I hope in every step I take, my parents will be there for me. They can be separated from me physically, but no one can separate them from my heart. And this bakery is my heart.

"Sure thing hun" Stacey says and takes the order to an old couple.

****

"Emma dear, do you mind closing the bakery for me today? Liam has fallen sick and Danny has got night duty today so I got to rush." Caitlyn, the manager, asks me. She's the closest I've got as a friend. She is 10 years elder to me but looks like she just graduated from college.

"Oh my God is little Liam alright? He looked absolutely fine yesterday." I ask apprehensively. Liam is an adorable 5 year old munchkin of Caitlyn's.

"Yeah it's just a mild fever. He gets it every year around this time. Blame the climate change." She says with a worried look on her face.

"Oh alright then. You go ahead I'll take care of everything. Give Liam my kisses and tell Danny I said hi." I say with a warm smile.

"Sure thing Emma, Liam is gonna be heartbroken for not being able to see you today. Anyways I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight honey" Caitlyn says hurrying towards her car.

Once I'm done closing the bakery, I head towards the grocery store to buy some ingredients for my new recipe. I just love experimenting with the ingredients. Although I love to bake, cooking up yummy meals have always been my personal favourite. It calms my nerves. And the pride I carry when I cook up something new is just so satisfying. But sometimes I just wish that I could cook for someone else other than myself. The solitary life is a tad bit depressing.

"Why do they always have to put the sauce way high in there" I mutter to myself. These are the times when I curse my height.

"Do you want help with that?" A deep voice interrupts my attempts to grab the sauce bottle.

I turn around and see the same man who had come earlier to the bakery with a little girl who I assume is his daughter. To say that I wasn't drooling over the man would be wrong. He is absolutely gorgeous. He's got hazel brown eyes, dark brown hair and is quite built along with broad shoulders. Unlike me this man is blessed with an amazing height of......6'3 maybe? But I shake away these thoughts and feel horrible for thinking like this about a married man.

"T-that would be great. Thank you....." I say hoping he would answer me with his name.

"Jon. You can call me Jon." He says with a polite smile.

"Thank you J-Jon" I stutter. Good looking men always make me nervous. I just start getting self conscious. You see, I don't have the typical body the girls my age have.

"No worries...." he trails.

"Emma." I reply with a bright smile.

"Emma. "He repeats softly.

"Where is your daughter? I don't see her anywhere " I ask wondering.

"Daughter?" He asks discombobulated. "Oh you mean Lily? No she's not my daughter. Actually we had a small accident because of which she dropped her ice cream. So I just wanted to pay her back with something sweet". He says slightly embarrassed.

"Aww that's really sweet of you Jon" I say, slightly relived at the fact that she wasn't his daughter.

We resumed our shopping along with our conversation. He is a really nice person to talk to. He owns a car workshop and is crazy about cars. The more I spoke to him the more I realized that we are total opposites.

"So how are you going back home? Do you have a ride?"he asks me.

"I actually live a few blocks from here. It's just a 10 minute walk from here" I say hoping that he wouldn't offer me a ride home. He might be a nice person but I haven't forgotten my stranger danger rule.

"I can drop you home if you don't mind. It's pretty late and I know this is the safe part of the town but I insist" he says scratching the back of his head with a shy smile. My stranger danger tule is thrown out in the trash and I agree to his offer smiling like an idiot. I mean, how often does a guy looking like THAT offer you a lift?

"Sure. I don't mind at all" I say my pitch going higher with excitement. Jesus, get a grip girl. He chuckles at my reaction and we head to his car.

" Wow that looks.....classic?" I say looking at his car. Now when it comes to vehicles, I have zero knowledge. But his car looks like those vintage vehicles.

"Thank you,it's a 1969 chevrolet corvette stingray. I had been saving up for 5 years to buy this bad boy." He says with a smirk.

"Woah that's really impressive. Though I apologize that my company isn't the best when it comes to vehicles. I just have no clue about cars or bikes." I say.

"Oh don't worry about that" he says with a boyish grin.

"I can never get bored of your company Emma".