WARMING UP THE BILLIONAIRE'S COLD HEART

STOP BAKING

The Happy Bakery has been existing for years in Prattville as the most popular bakery, it was near the deck so sailors passing by were always found in the bakery most of the time alongside their ship crews. The bakery is owned and being run by Mr. Rollins who is Amelia’s father, he is a talented and excellent pastry chef who knew everything about pastries but ventured into breads only as his main product and expertise.

Although, his daughter Amelia knows how to bake but she doesn’t like it so she doesn’t stay at the bakery most of the time, she either practices her dance or study which explained why she was one of the top students in school.

The bakery is always filled with people from different races and the customers are always trooping in and out, those buying to take along to work, those buying when coming back from work to take home, those coming around to get for urgent needs but Rollins never sold his bread in bulk to any other places for distribution, he loves to present his bread hot and freshly baked and that has always been his mode of operation

“Do you want to see our bakery?” she asked trying to make him stay longer, she was enjoying his presence and that was the only way to let him stay a little longer

“Your bakery? which bakery?”

“Yes, my dad owns that bakery over there” she replied pointing to the building standing few meters from them.

“The Happy Bakery?” he asked once again to be sure and she nodded to his surprise

“Why? Do I look like a kid whose father is unsuccessful? you don't expect something like that from me?” she asked and he quickly waved his hands while shaking his head in denial

“no! no!! that’s not what I meant! I was just surprised because I have never seen you there ever since I came around, I have visited here a few times but I have never ran into you” he responded with a stutter which made her snort

“you might not see me there because I don’t like staying at the bakery but that's my father's bakery anyways, let’s go in” she directed him as they head inside the bakery.

The bakery’s door was jammed when they got there but she reached for her own key in her bag and pushed the door open, she head for the fridge immediately and as expected, a sticky note was waiting for her there. Her father left a message that he is out of town to get some ingredients but she can bake herself some breads from the little ones remaining in the store so she won't go hungry.

”My dad went out to get ingredients” she informed him raising the note for him to see before moving back to his side

“Is it okay to be here when he’s absent? won't he get mad when he comes?” he asked looking around in fear

“what is not okay there? It’s not like I’m a stranger, I’m his daughter. why would he get mad at me for being in the bakery?” she replied with a shrug before pulling out a stool for him

“Sit here, I’m coming”

She went inside leaving him to scan the bakery on his own. The bakery was not too big, it was warm and cozy and divided into sections. The store was by the right hand side, the oven and working tables and shelves were by the far left and the middle was filled tables and chairs where customers sit and have their meals

“This is wonderful and lovely” he muttered as he scanned the room that was decorated with plants, accessories that looked like souvenirs from Hawaii and different beautiful sea shells that were given to Rollins as gifts by the sailors. He had arranged them aesthetically on the shelves and slabs, they looked like some museum's exhibition

Amelia soon came out with the first aid box and instructed him to have his seat so she could treat his wounds that he sustained from the restroom fight. She dressed them up bending towards him closely and he just held his breath at her closeness while scanning her face from up close, that was the first time he had looked at her so close and she was really beautiful, he just realized that she was more beautiful than he had thought or ever noticed

They finished the wound dressing and she baked breads for him with milk since they were both hungry and tired from school.

He stood up to go because he was getting uncomfortable about only them being alone in the bakery but just as he was about to leave, he heard her groaning inside the store so he went to check if she was okay and found her trying to fight with stack of trays that looked like they would fall any instant.

“Are you okay?” he asked running quickly to help her with the trays

“Yes, I'm okay, Thank you! I was using all my strength to hold them back so I couldn’t open my mouth to call out to you for help but thank goodness you are here” she replied with a bright wide smile before wiping the sweat off her forehead with her shirt but right at that moment two of the trays came crashing down and he swiftly swerve her to the right making them fall on each other with her on top of him

Her eyes bulged out in shock as she heard the stainless trays crash on the floor with shattering noises, she looked back immediately while still on top of him before taking a long breath of relief that at least it didn't come crashing down on them

“Won’t you get off of me anymore?” he slowly asked looking away as her chest pressed into his

“Ah thank you so much” she replied before placing her hands on the floor to stand up but in a seconds, she changed her mind and rested on his chest instead

“Your chest feels so much comfortable, do I really have to stand up? I like it better like this” she teased and he looked at her in disbelief but she smiled and gave him a small kiss on the lips which shocked him to the bones

“That’s for saving me” she remarked before standing up from his chest

what a bold lady!

His face was flushed and his heartbeat increased in double folds, he has never had any close contact with a girl not to talk of a kiss and it was definitely making him go crazy, something told him that he shouldn’t be there before any further accident happens so he stood up quickly, ran to the table where he dropped his bag earlier, picked it and ran out making her smile at his actions

“He's so cute” she remarked as she watched him race home.

***

After three days of the incidence, he began to take interest in bread making but he was not sure if he really wanted to do it or because of Amelia and after discussing with his father, Richy who gave him the go ahead to explore his curiosity, he officially signed up at the Happy Bakery with Rollins.

“None of the kids here have ever told me they want to learn bread making, even my own daughter doesn’t like it, I’m so glad that I can pass down my knowledge to you” Rollins said with happiness as he came to enroll for apprenticeship

“How much is the learning fee?” he asked politely and Rollins shook his head

“I will gladly teach you, don’t worry about such, just come around and learn comfortably” Rollins told him and he could not believe his ears

He was actually afraid that the learning fee might be a problem but hearing this made him want to work hard right at that instant. He was given his own apron and other equipment and he got to work immediately, Amelia was not around because of her dance practice so she didn’t know he had started working at their bakery.

She went to the bakery on Saturday afternoon only to find him trying to make dough which surprised her, he explained to her that he had been learning for a week and he’s very interested in bread making

“Traitor! You were learning here for a week and you didn’t let me know?” she pouted and he smiled at her

“I’m sorry, you were so serious with dance lessons so I didn’t want to disturb you but now you know” he replied and she moved closer to see what he was doing

“Are you making a dough? This is too thick though, it will be difficult for proofing, you need to adjust it” she corrected him by adding some water to make it softer

“I will teach you bread making too alongside my dad, that way I can stick by your side for a long time” she told him

"or you don't want me as your teacher?" she asked looking up to him for answers

"I'll gladly accept you ma'am" he replied with a small bow and smiled comfortably this time.

They both knew that they loved each other’s presence and they didn’t try to stop or deny it, after all they are not little kids who know nothing about feelings.

Rollins was very strict in teaching him and he too was ready to learn making him pick up the skills in just few weeks. He could make simple breads excellently by now and he was assisting Rollins in the bakery actively after school and on weekends, there he started getting closer to the sailors and some other residents of the town.

Amelia began to visit the bakery frequently so she could see him more and also helped out in teaching him more things about baking which made them grew closer naturally, they were by now sure of their feelings and didn’t need any confessions to be sure of themselves.

Rollins went out of town to get some ingredients on a Friday as usual while Richy went to the neighboring town leaving both of them at the bakery to serve the customers. They closed early that night because of the little ingredients available and they got to washing the pans and cleaning up the store which took them almost two hours.

“Do you want a cup of chocolate? it will help you regain your energy” he asked her and she nodded in approval

In minutes, they were sitting at the counter drinking the hot chocolate as they watched people pass by in groups or alone.

“Do you want to go out with me? I can’t assure you that I will do well because this is my first time but I believe we can make it work if we both try” he said to her suddenly looking into her beautiful eyes and she was amazed at his boldness

She wasn’t expecting him to confess his feelings anytime soon but she was glad he finally did, they both knew they like each other so there should be nothing holding them back anymore

“I can’t guarantee that I will do well too but just as you have said, if we both try we can make it work so why not let’s go all the way? we can make it work” she said and Connor burst into a big smile.

He heaved a sigh of relief which showed that he had been nervous and tensed when he proposed to her just few minutes ago. She moved closer to him and pecked him on the cheeks before turning back to take her empty cup back to the sink but he pulled her back by the hand and went in for a deeper kiss this time, they both dropped their cups slowly on the counter and kissed the night away.

It was both their first proper kiss and they wanted to make good memories with it so they didn't hesitate to have a good feel of each other's mouth

They closed up the store and went home after arranging the ingredients when Rollins brought them, he couldn’t talk with her that much because Rollins was there but they both communicated their hearts through the slight brushing of hands and smile as they parted ways and went to their different houses to rest up for the night

He stepped inside the house to see Richy on the sofa reading a book with his glasses on and he greeted him before heading inside but his thick voice cut through the room making him stop.

“Stop wasting your time with bread making and take your school serious! I don’t want to see you at that bakery tomorrow, it's high time you stopped” he instructed and he turned around in surprise.