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 Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 9:07 pm
Karone had decided that this blustery winter’s day was a great day to go out and get cookies. And after getting the cookies, she fully intended on eating most of the cookies…and most likely going to get more cookies, and deliver them to Gently, because they hadn’t seen one another in far too long. After a lengthy time in getting her scarf tied, her hat on and her longer than life coat buttoned and zippered, Karone headed out for the one bakery that had always smelled quite delicious when she passed it.
Today was the day for cookies. And maybe a hot chocolate, or a coffee. Or heck. Maybe she’d be bold and get both, it was cold enough, and it was always better to end your day with an empty wallet, rather than ending your day with frostbite. And that was a creed that Karone was going to stick with, no matter what.
She entered the Bakery and looked around, kicking some of the snow off of her stylish yet affordable boots as she entered. It seemed like nobody had really wanted to brave the gusty winds and raging snow to come get cookies today…oh well.
More for her.
“Hello? Is anybody here? I would love some cookies. And something warm to drink, please.”
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Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 10:09 pm
For a moment, nothing moved—and then the door behind the counter opened and a man stepped out. He seemed surprised; he was wearing an apron over a very thick sweater and had his brown hair tied back in a low ponytail. His face immediately split into a smile. "Hey! I'm surprised, I didn't think we were going to have anyone come in today. Even the other employees called out."
Arias, unfortunately, did not really have a great excuse. Unlike anyone who might have been afraid of getting snowed in or driving in ice, he walked to work.
Just.
Walked right down the stairs, and here he was.
On the bright side, it meant he was practically always home. On the down side…today didn't count for a snow day.
He stepped forward to meet her. "I can get you some hot chocolate while you browse the menu, unless you already know what you want?" he asked, seeming pleased for the company.
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Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 10:17 pm
“I mean, I wasn’t planning on going out, but I just wanted some cookies, like something awful. The craving hit me suddenly and without remorse so here I am, after walking half a mile in the storm…I really really do…hope they’re…uh. Warm.” Karone grinned, quite pleased with herself at the unintentional rhyme and laughed. “I was thinking of going to see my girlfriend, to be honest, but I didn’t want to go empty handed, so I figured some cookies would cheer her up. I know they had been talking about this storm being awful, but I wasn’t anticipating it to be this bad.”
Her fingers felt like she might have some mild frostbite, and she removed her sodden gloves and sighed. “You don’t happen to have a heater or something where I can set these to dry while I’m in here, do you?”
Because that would be the best thing ever.
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Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 10:38 pm
Arias paused and glanced around before finally gesturing towards a table. "The heater is right over that, but if you want I can take them in back and set them by the stove for a few minutes?" he offered. He was already fixing up some hot chocolate and set it in front of her. "I was going to ask what would have someone out in this storm, but I guess love is a pretty good reason," he laughed.
"I was baking some, trying out some new recipes, so you are in luck if you're looking for something warm! Well. They are for right now."
He rubbed the back of his neck and laughed sheepishly. "I am surprised you managed to make it a half mile in this weather without your blood freezing, so I don't know how long they'll be cold out there."
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Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 10:47 pm
“If you’re offering to put them by the stove, there is absolutely no way I’m saying no to that!” She handed him her gloves, and then her hat and scarf as well. Since he had been nice enough to offer, why would she not make sure everything was warm and dry?
“What kind of recipes are you trying out? I am dying for some chocolate chip, so I hope that you have some of those.” Karone glanced around the bakery. It was kind of cute and homey in here and quite relaxing. Just the place she would want to go when grading papers, so she figured that she would be back, maybe. If the cookies were good, that is.
“So, this place is yours hm? Tell me…do you make anything with toffee in it? I do like toffee, and I think my girlfriend would too…she’s English, you know…toffee is English.” Not to mention the fact that she loved toffee too.
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 11:39 am
"A lot of vanilla, a lot of fruits. Honestly, just the extra stuff," he laughed. "I don’t want it to go bad and the best way to do that is by cooking it." He did not stop talking, but took the damp clothing she had offered. He disappeared for a few seconds, and then returned to the counter with a platter of cookies.
The warmth radiated off of them as he set them down in front of her.
"But regardless of whatever experimenting," he smiled and gestured to the plate. "I always have chocolate chip. Toffee.." He scratched his chin. "…I haven't made anything with toffee in it today. I can make something now, but it won't be done for a little while. Though, I can make some toffee hot chocolate for you to go? That takes much less time. And if you ever want a special order and don't want to come pick it up, we can deliver."
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 3:49 pm
Karone stared at the steaming pile of cookies that Arias had but down and inhaled the aroma with a happy sigh. “Oh, yeah I need one of these, like right now.” She reached over and grabbed one, putting the whole thing in her mouth without thinking about it. It was so hot. So hot it burnt the roof of her mouth, and that wasn’t fun…but it was so good, so in a way the burn was worth it. So worth it.
“Oh these are amazing, you should sell these…it’s like eating some sort of cherry pie with icecream but it’s in cookie form.” Her eyes glanced around the display cases full of cookies and she nodded. “I’ll take all of these, I think. And a dozen chocolate chip…and I would love a toffee hot chocolate, that sounds amazing, and I’ll keep that in mind, the special order thing. That sounds great. Do you have business cards?”
She reached for another one of the cookies and chomped it in half, staring at the other half in wonder. How on earth did someone get so much flavor into a cookie?
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 4:02 pm
Arias blinked. "All of them he asked, just wanting to clarify. The chocolate chip cookies were easy enough to get; he pulled out a box and started packing a dozen into them. He moved to get the toffee hot chocolate going since that one would take a second. "—Business cards should be right there, next to the plate. On the right."
…Even if she hadn't just bought a chunk of cookies, he'd have been in a good mood. His eyes seemed to light up when she enjoyed the cookies and he was just beaming. Of course, he might have also just been a little too excited to have someone around to disrupt his normal, boring day.
"I'll pack you up with whatever you want, but you just promise to head home soon! The snow looks like it's taking a break, but this would be awful to be caught in," he mused, and then shook his head. "On the back of the card, there's a website. You can sign up for our newsletter, it's just a little email. We send out coupons, and have free samples on Fridays if you want to drop buy and give us some feedback on some of the recipes we're playing with. If you have special requests for things you want us to try, you can shoot that to our email. I'll remember to keep a little extra toffee stocked if you're planning on coming back," he said with a laugh, moving the very full cup of toffee hot chocolate away from the machine. "Whipped cream?"
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 4:16 pm
Karone snatched up one of the business cards and drew out her phone, already on a third cookie. She signed up for the email list at once and slipped the card into her phone case so she’d know right where it was. As she grabbed her forth cookie and watched him making the hot chocolate, she nodded. “Of course whipped cream, the more the better. I hadn’t realized that I had such a sweet tooth today, but I mean, if there was ever a day to have one, this is it!”
The hot chocolate looked thick and rich and delicious and she could not wait to try it. Lavender eyes flicked towards the windows and it turned out that Arias was right—the snow had stopped for a moment…maybe she should take this time to plan her escape and get to Gently’s house without incident. “I think you’re right…as much as I’d like to just chill in here for the rest of the day, I suppose I should be getting on my why while I have a chance…”
Even though the thought of staying here all warm and cozy eating cookies appealed to her so very much more…
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 4:45 pm
Arias laughed and nodded; he put more whipped cream on the hot chocolate than looked even possible, but he didn't stop there; he looked for some syrup and then drizzled some atop the whipped cream before finally crushing up a few toffee bits and sprinkling them on top.
He was prompt to bring the drink over and pack up the rest of the cookies. He rang them up, gave her a price, and then pulled out a bag to put the boxes in. But he didn't stop there; he had too many cookies, and not enough customers, and he'd rather give them away free than let them go to waste. So he started loading up two of whatever miscellaneous treats he had that would fit in the extra box he'd pulled out.
When the girl had paid, he smiled and held the bag out for her. "Good luck with your girlfriend. If you get snowed in, there's not any better company than someone you care about. Be safe!"
…Which sounded like such a great idea and now he was a little bummed that he was here, by himself.
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 5:51 pm
Karone grinned, picking up all of her things and getting her now very warm and toasty clothes back on, holding the cookies tightly in one hand and her drink in the other. “I’ll be back, you can count on that. This place is great, so…don’t go closing it on me forever now.” She gave a little wave and with a heavy sigh, made her way back out into the frigid cold winter wonderland that the city had turned into.
Hopefully Gently would like the cookies…she knew she did, and she liked that bakery, it was very nice, and so was the worker there. What a great day it had been.
Frostbite be damned.
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