MidReal Story

Emily, the owner of a specialty bakery, becomes

Anonymous

Apr 1

Scenario:Emily, the owner of a specialty bakery, becomes intrigued by a Max across the bar, but soon finds out he is off limits and tries to escape the situation; meanwhile, Jake, a professional baseball player and Dom, is holding out for a more lucrative deal while also searching for a sub and takes his friend Ethan's advice to attend a gathering at The Sugar Spoon, where he spots Emily across the room.

Create my version of this story

Emily, the owner of a specialty bakery, becomes intrigued by a Max across the bar, but soon finds out he is off limits and tries to escape the situation; meanwhile, Jake, a professional baseball player and Dom, is holding out for a more lucrative deal while also searching for a sub and takes his friend Ethan's advice to attend a gathering at The Sugar Spoon, where he spots Emily across the room.

I’m late for my date.

The thought flashes through my mind as I step into the bar, the familiar scent of coffee and baked goods wrapping around me like a warm hug.

I glance at my watch—fifteen minutes late—then hurriedly scan the bar, my heart pounding in my ears as I try to spot the man I’ve been texting with for the last week.

I’m only about half an hour from making an utter fool of myself when I remember that I don’t have a date.

I’m not meeting anyone here.

And I haven’t been exchanging texts with some guy for the last week.

So why do I keep imagining that I am?

And why does it feel like I’m supposed to meet someone here, in this bar, even though I have no reason to be thinking that?

I push the thought aside and move deeper into the room, stepping behind the bar to greet Isabella, the owner of The Sugar Spoon and one of my closest friends.

“Hey, girl,” she says, smiling as she wraps her arms around me and pulls me into a tight hug.

“What’s up with your hair?”

I pull back far enough to see her face, and she cocks her head to the side as she examines the thick braid I’ve twined around my head like a crown.

“Just playing around,” I say, tugging on one of the strands and feeling a pang of disappointment when I see that it’s already starting to unravel.

“Oh, yeah?”

She lifts an eyebrow.

“Is this what you wear when you’re out with your mysterious boyfriend, or did you just roll out of bed and run over here?”

“Sorry it took me so long to get here,” I say, ignoring her question about my hair.

“I got caught up at work.”

“You always get caught up at work,” she says, releasing me so I can move around the bar.

“And I can never get you out of here once you finally do show up.”

“I swear I didn’t stand you up on purpose.” I grab a clean glass from behind the counter.

“I was just trying to make sure Jake can run the bakery without having to call me every five minutes.”

“You mean without having to come running every five minutes?”

“Exactly.” I glance toward the back of the bar where Rebecca is sitting with a group of men, then lean across the counter so I can lower my voice.

“Is she still planning on leaving for her date in ten minutes?Because I’m starting to think she came in here just so she could avoid going out with me tonight.”

Isabella follows my gaze and groans.

“She better not be.”

I grab a bottle of rum from the shelf behind the counter and pour a generous amount into a glass filled with ice before handing it over to her.

“Is she always this impossible?”

“Only when she knows she’s driving me crazy.” She takes a sip of her drink.

“But that never happens because she knows I’ll make her pay for it later.”

I watch Rebecca for a moment longer, catching the eye of a tall man with blond hair and hazel eyes who is watching me with a knowing smile before turning back to Isabella and giving her a pointed look.

“Just checking.”