Chapter 2: Important Client, Who?

                                    

                                          
♡ L I L Y ♡
Sweet Life is a quaint bistro-style bakery and cafe. It's pretty popular among office-goers and college students, and there is never a shortage of customers despite being an average size. I make eye contact and greet our regulars when I notice a girl on her phone calling out, "Zara!?" The platinum-haired girl with big headphones looks over at me and straightens up, "Oh my God, Lily! You're finally here! You have no idea how I was freaking out—" setting her headphones on her shoulders.
"Why freak out when you know I am here!?" I grin.
"I don't know, genetically." Zara shrugs and sighs when I scoff and look over at the counter. "Have some doughnuts. You are just hungry! I have got it handled, and you know it, right!?" offering her some doughnuts, but she shakes her head and mutters, "I can't."
"Why not?" I frown. 
"Diet." 
I tilt my head and ask, "Again?" 
Zara shrugs, "What can I do? I am a model working part-time in a cafe. I have been on a rigorous diet for a week because of this gig I got through my agent. I have to let go of my temptations if I want to succeed." 
"Hard part of life, aye!?" I quip, and she nods in response. 
I clear my throat, "Well, not that I support rigorous diets but do your best; I support you!" 
She smiles, "Thanks,"
Settling down, I ask, "So, where is Rae?" I walk into the kitchen, and Zara follows me as she answers, "School. She is a high school senior now."
"Ooo, is she taking extra classes already?" I exclaim, and Zara clicks her tongue as she responds, "You can say so, though her extra classes started way before her new semester. Do you think we could hire a new part-timer, just in case? I mean, Rae would be busy now with her schoolwork. Huh?"
I ponder and smack my lips, "Actually, it's not a bad idea. We can take that upon with Linda and see what she wants." 
Zara flips her hair and leans back, "Sweet!" 
I raise my eyebrow when she waves her hands and snorts, "No pun intended." 
I remove my jacket and shake my head as we laugh when a customer calls out, "Excuse me, is anybody here?" and Zara excuses herself from the kitchen. 
With her gone, I put my things away and don my apron to work. I have been working on a chocolate dump cake.
The secret ingredient is that a little espresso makes it taste extra chocolatey. 
Sshh!
***
I walk out with a tray of biscotti and shortbread cookies when Zara looks at me and exclaims, "Ha, I knew something smelled good!" but then playfully slaps her forehead and snorts, "Kidding! It's a cafe and will always smell this good."
I smile and transfer the cookies into the display case when I notice something and frown, "Are we already out of powdered doughnuts, huh?" 
"Yup! A guy named JP bought them all. He was a cutie but a total immature person for a detective." Zara answers. 
"How did you know he was a detective?" I ask, amused. 
"Because he had a badge around him—" she clicks her tongue, "Oh, wait! I thought I told you we were out of the powdered doughnuts—"
"When?" 
She shrugs, "An hour ago because that's when JP or whatever entered the cafe." she then gasps, "Woah! I can't believe you were so absorbed in your work not to hear me."