Chapter Text
“I’m telling you, Amy, candied bacon is a great topping, and it would go so well with a maple-based ice cream and-slash-or syrup.”
He was at his usual seat at one of the bar stools, and Amy was leaning over the counter. As per usual, she had come over to chat with him once the evening rush had reached a lull.
She rolled her eyes. “Jake, bacon is a meat product. Meat and ice cream don’t go well together. You can’t mix savory with sweet!”
“Geez, have an open mind, Amy! But also, it’s candied bacon, so we’re just mixing sweet with more sweet! Trust me on this one, Ames, I saw it on Yahoo Answers when I was searching for ideas for your next fundae.”
Her eyes widened a bit. “You go online and search up ideas for my fundaes?”
Before he could fully process his mistake, a middle-aged woman in a maroon apron had appeared right beside him. “You must be Jacob! I’m Amy’s mom. I’ve heard so much about you from my unica hija.”
“Mama,” Amy squeaked, suddenly looking like a deer in the headlights.
“Mrs. S! I’m so glad I finally get to meet my favorite Santiago,” he said before switching to an exaggerated stage whisper. “Amy’s alright, but we both know I’m only here for your dulce de leche ice cream.”
Mrs. Santiago laughed and patted him on the back. “So you are as charming as Amy says.”
If the earth could’ve opened up and swallowed her whole in that moment, Amy would not have been opposed.
“Hey, if Amy thinks I’m so charming, then maybe she’d consider my candied bacon suggestion and not write it off immediately.”
Mrs. Santiago gasped then turned to her daughter. “Mija, what have we told you about arguing with customers? You should’ve written down your friend’s suggestion and put it in the comments box for us to discuss at our biweekly family meeting.”
She looked back at Jake. “I’m sorry about that, Jacob. Candied bacon sounds very interesting, and I will bring it up at our next family meeting myself.”
He smirked and stuck his tongue out at Amy. She huffed and stuck her tongue out at him as well.
Mrs. Santiago shook her head and chuckled at the exchange, then continued. “Jake, I do want to ask you something though. How would you like to start working at 99 Scoops? We’re a little understaffed this summer since her brothers are all busy, plus her cousins are just so unreliable. I’ve heard you’re very creative, and you definitely seem to know your ice cream. You’re here so often that I think you know our menu just as well as any other Santiago might. What do you think? I’m sure Amy would love to see you around the shop even more.”
Amy was horrified. “Mama, you can’t just offer Jake a job like that! He could be busy! He probably has a life! You can’t expect him to come here and work full-day every day!”
Jake wasn't sure if he was more shocked about getting offered a job at an ice cream shop or about the Amy-related implications of Mrs. Santiago's words. Either way, he was over the moon.
"I probably can't work full-time every day, but a part-time job sounds pretty sweet! I know my mom would approve of me earning some cash instead of wasting my summer away on video games."
"Perfect, Jacob. Can you start tomorrow? Mija will enjoy showing you the ropes."
He nodded quickly while Amy put her head in her hands.
"I'll let you two figure out scheduling, and Mr. Santiago can help you process your official paperwork in the next few days. I'm going to go bake some cookies for that bulk order of ice cream sandwiches. Adios, niños!" She pinched Amy's cheek, ruffled Jake's hair, and walked back toward the kitchens.
Jake grinned widely at Amy, who was pouting and rubbing the cheek her mom had pinched. "So what time should I come in tomorrow, boss?"
Working with Jake was somewhat of a nightmare. His scoops were sloppy and inconsistent. He got toppings everywhere. His maroon apron was thoroughly stained by noon (he knocked over a cup of caramel earlier and problem-solved when he couldn't find a dish rag).
Amy wasn't sure if she wanted to kill him or kiss him.
She had to admit he wasn't all bad, though. His customer service skills were superb. He could easily lift heavy objects, making restocking the freezer a breeze. He somehow looked adorable even in a thoroughly stained apron, with flecks of ice cream up to his elbows and a bit of hot fudge on his cheek (he went a tad crazy when Mrs. Santiago said employees were allowed a reasonable amount of free ice cream).
Amy definitely wanted to kiss him.