Chapter 233: Sweet like Fudge Brownies

"Who's a good kitty?" Eve cooed at Blueberry in her arms.

The photoshoot had ended for the day. Her stomach grumbled urgently, begging for food. She was in luck. The bakery Andie worked at was only a few blocks away. Her sneakers scraped against the sidewalk. The city air filled her lungs. It was another short adventure.

Ambryan followed a step behind her. 

The shutter of a camera caught her attention.

"I heard that," Eve accused him, whirling around. Her hand continued to scratch the back of Blueberry's ear. Ambryan didn't notice her glare and tapped away on his phone. She rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't even pretend. I know you took a photo of me."

He paused from typing and met her stare. "Look who's acting shameless now."

"Must have rubbed off from you."

"I take full credit if it means that you'd also catch my habit of impulsively kissing."

Eve hurried her footsteps. The cat in her arms meowed at the sudden change of pace. She had enough surprises for one day. First, it was Jane. Now, it was Ambryan. Her mind retreated back to the first thought while her legs slowed down to a stop.

She hadn't seen Jane since they crossed paths in the hallway. Eve figured that the latter knew that Ambryan dropped by to pick her up. It would have been another chance to take him by surprise. The fact that she missed him gave Eve anxiety.

Blueberry gazed at her face when her hand stopped caressing his fur.

Meanwhile, Eve weighed the pros and cons of having an annoying presence around. The setup allowed her to monitor the other person's mischief and schemes. But, at the same time, it tested her patience. Eve couldn't decide which was more exhausting.

"Everything okay?" Ambryan asked as soon as he reached her side.

"Uh, yeah," Eve assured him with a nod. She shook herself out of her overthinking head. "I just can't decide if I should go for a cinnamon bun or for fudge brownies."

He took Blueberry in one arm and held her hand with his free one. They resumed walking. The faint smell of freshly baked goods teased their noses as well as their appetites. Eve clutched her stomach, comforting it silently.

Ambryan chuckled at her helpless hunger. "Why not go for both?"

"Aren't you supposed to be looking after my diet?"

"A cheat day rarely hurts."

"Really? I hear the opposite."

"If the person isn't serious about the diet then, yes. The opposite would happen and they gain more weight to shred," Ambryan explained. He ignored the stinky eye look she sent his way. "If you really want to look that good then, don't eat sweet food for a month."

"I'll pass." Eve snorted. The request sounded ridiculous but she knew what he meant. Still..., "We don't know until when cocoa beans will survive. I have to seize every moment."

Ambryan gripped her wrist. She kept moving forward until his hold on her caused her to stop. Blueberry watched as his new hooman leaned down. His lips touched the corner of Eve's. 

The kiss lasted for five seconds. 

"Seize every moment. I like that," Ambryan chuckled against her skin.

Eve hugged herself tighter. Her bottom lip stuck out into a pout and her wide puppy eyes glanced at her 'impulsive' companion. "Don't tease me."

Ambryan stiffened. His heart beat erratically. The feeling became more familiar as he spent more time with her. "Do you want me to stop or do you wish it was a full kiss on the lips?"

He bent down for another peck.

But Eve beat him to it. Standing on her toes, she reached a random spot on the side of his neck. She heard his breathing hitched into a halt. A fit of giggles escaped her throat. She had managed to turn the situation in her favor. 

She had won this round.

"I guess you don't mind doing that in public?"

"Eep…!" Eve ran for it. She took full advantage that Ambryan had a cat in his arms. It caused him to rethink his movements and chased her at a slower speed. Melodic laughter pierced through the air. Passersby stood out of their way as they reached the bakery.

Not only did the smell of bread entice her nose but the sound of chatter filled her ears.

Eve frowned and forgot about the chase. Her scrunched eyebrows deepened as she took more steps forward. The jumbled voices grew louder. Did the paparazzis take a headstart? But the security teams should have kept them at bay—so that they wouldn't interrupt their stroll.

Her confusion increased when she finally turned on the corner. 

A mob of people stood outside the bakery. None of them held cameras nor did they pay attention to her. They talked and argued among themselves. Hands were thrown in the air. Eve couldn't make sense of it all.

"What's going on?" Ambryan asked once he saw the ruckus.

"I'm not sure—" Eve began to say. Then, she spotted a head of dirty blonde hair. "Andie!"

Her best friend turned around, stormy blue eyes popping out of their sockets. She jogged towards the pair and cried out, "Ev—angeline!"

Ambryan averted his gaze and hid his reaction. 

That slip-up added another name on his mental list of people who knew.

"Why are you outside? Is there an emergency?" Eve bent her knees to take a peek at the shop windows. There was no sign of smoke. The furniture also looked orderly. The food seemed okay. "Is there a gas leak or something? I can't smell it."

Andie panted for breath. Her hands shook until her whole body trembled. Eve grabbed her elbows for support. Ambryan joined them, placing his hand on Eve's upper back. 

Concurrently, Blueberry stared at everything—silent judgment reflected in his eyes.

"Y-You know how the owner of the bakery only rents this spot?" Andie stammered.

Eve couldn't tell where this was going. "Yes…?" 

"Well, someone bought the lot. And... that person has ordered for the bakery to evacuate."

The statements sank in slowly like a floppy disk inside an old computer. 

"But this bakery has been around for more than a decade!" Eve exasperated. This establishment became a part of her life after moving to the city—and she was damn sure that locals felt even more strongly about the place.

"We know! Everyone's upset, especially our boss, Shie." Andie pressed her lips together. Tears threatened to leak out of her eyes. The more she spoke, the more hysterical she came across. "We've tried to negotiate. Raising the rent, cutting the space by half, advancing payments… anything we could think of on the spot! But they want nothing. Nothing! Nothing but for us to leave. It's a nightmare come true."

Eve opened her mouth.

Then, she closed it again. She fell at a loss for words. 

Suddenly, it seemed like she could read her best friend's mind. Andie had given everything she could for this place. She had grown fond of its people, co-workers and customers alike. It always motivated her to get up every morning. It drove her passion for pastries…

The only thing keeping her together right now was her resolve.

"Who is the new land owner?" Ambryan cut in, scanning the area.

"We actually don't know. Only the lawyer and subordinates are here. We checked their documents. Everything is authentic." Andie exhaled sharply. Her hysteria almost over, a wave of sadness blanketed her eyes. "The bakery is being taken down—probably for some new business that earns a lot more."

"That can't be right." Eve twisted her neck over her shoulder. Her desperate eyes met Ambryan's calculating ones. He understood her immediately and handed Blueberry over to her.

"I'll see if I can get more information," he said. Then, he left them without another word.

Andie finally shifted her attention towards the cat. "Are you parents now?"

"It's a friend for his cat, Kiri," Eve explained.

"Uh-huh." 

They stayed silent for a moment. Everyone else continued to ramble about the turn of events. Eve found comfort in brushing her thumb on the back of Blueberry's neck. Andie swirled in her thoughts. They came tumbling down like dominos

Each one turned out to be scarier than the last.

"... what am I supposed to tell Jarrett?" Andie breathed out.

Eve went rigid. She snapped her gaze to her left. "Still no luck at a new job?"

"Not just that. They wouldn't even give him a chance!" Andie wailed, burying her face in her hands. Everything came pouring out like a flood. "I know he got sort of fired but this is ridiculous. He has outstanding skills and plenty of experience. Any company should be ecstatic to have him on board."

"Maybe the recommendation letter…" Eve tried to console. Other than that, she could only offer a one-arm hug. Guilt seeped into her chest. Her mind couldn't come up with anything else to say. She almost wished Jarrett were here to help her.

Andie hid her face at the crook of Eve's neck. Her grunts transformed into muffles."It's terrible. What did we even do to deserve this? We just wanted to be happy."

"I know, I know—" Eve stopped short. 

A dangerous thought came into her head. 

Something that she would have gladly thrown away if it meant that it wouldn't come true.