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Rose was browsing through the sci-fi new releases at her favorite bookshop, when she heard a whispered argument from the brother and sister who’d recently taken over the shop from their grandfather. She didn’t want to intrude, but at the same time she couldn’t help overhearing.
“What crawled up your arse this morning?”
“Donna!”
“No, seriously. You’ve been a right prat since I got in this morning.”
There was a heavy, masculine sigh.
“Did you eat breakfast? You know how you get when you don’t eat.”
He mumbled. “Didn’t have time.”
Rose heard a feminine snort. “Mr. I Don’t Need More Than 4 Hours of Sleep, didn’t have time for breakfast? An’ what were you doing this morning instead of eating? Shagging that ex of yours that’s been sniffin’ around, tryin’ to convince you to sell the shop and take her traveling?”
Rose couldn’t resist peeking around the bookcase. John, Donna’s brother, ran a hand down his face. “Was goin’ over the books again last night and fell asleep upstairs. Didn’t wake up ‘til 15 minutes before we opened. An’ for the record, I haven’t seen Reinette since she eloped with Louis.”
“Right. Sorry.” Donna’s expression softened and she patted her brother on the arm. “But you’ve got to take better care of yourself. That’s the fifth time in two weeks that you’ve slept here. You can’t keep-”
“I brought in a camp bed. It’s fine.” He ran his hand over his close cropped hair. “I’m missing something. I know we can turn this place around and bring in a lot more money, I just have to figure out how.”
“John…” Donna bit her lip. “Er, so how bad is it?”
“We managed to turn a small profit this month, but with all the debt Gramps managed to get into, we still don’t have the money to make any new hires. Sorry, I know you’d rather spend more time at home with Gramps and the kids.”
“A profit’s good, yeah? A step in the right direction at any rate. I know how you get when you put your mind to something. If you think we can turn it around, then it’s only a matter of time. An’ don’t worry about me, I can stick around a bit longer. I mean after I get back from my holiday. I’m still plannin’ on going-”
“No. I know. I wouldn’t ask you to cancel. And thanks.”
“That’s me, best sister in Chiswick. Now get your arse next door, and get somethin’ to eat before I have to leave for the school run.”
Rose’s eyes widened and she blindly grabbed a book from the shelf. With a bright smile on her face, she walked around the tall, bookcases toward the front of the shop.
“Rose! Didn’t see you there.”
She shrugged. “On my lunch break and you know I can’t resist checking the new releases.” She handed John her book and credit card and rested her elbows on the counter. “Also, I just wanted to tell you how much I loved the Madman in a Box that you recommended.”
John’s brow furrowed in confusion for a moment, before his eyes took on a glint of mischief. “So much that you wanted to read it again?”
“Oh, yes! Definitely plannin’ on it.” She smiled at him with a hint of tongue poking out the side.
His eyes darted down to her lips and he had to clear his throat. “You know you can reread the copy you bought last week.”
“Huh?”
He held up the book that she’d handed him. The very same Madman in a Box that she’d purchased the week before.
She gaped at it for a second and blushed. “Uh, oh, this one’s for a friend. A, erm, a...a gift for her birthday.”
He grinned a lopsided smile, one that might have looked daft if he wasn’t so bloody handsome, that caused another flush to appear on Rose’s face - although this time it had nothing to do with embarrassment. “I was just teasing.”
“Right. Yeah. I reckoned.”
He handed her the book and credit card back. “I hope your friend enjoys it as much as you did.”
“Thanks. Laters.” She gave Donna and John a small wave and headed out the door.
“My God, just ask her out already.”
John startled and crossed his arms over his chest. “What? I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”
Donna crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes.
John shook his head. “Just leave it. She’s not interested in me.”
“She absolutely fancies you. Ask. Her. Out.”
John moved to fiddle with the buttons and levers of the antique cash register. “I’m too old for her. An’ even if that wasn’t enough, she’s...she’s like a ray of sunshine. An’ ’m a storm cloud. She’d never-”
“John, Rose is one of the most compassionate people I’ve ever met. She had a rough childhood, but she fought all the stereotypes and people telling her she wasn’t good enough and made something of her life. She’s exactly the type of woman you need, one who can understand everything you’ve been through.”
“But what about her? What does she get? A broken old soldier? She deserves better.”
“Oi! That’s my brother your talking about. He’s a brilliant, hard-working, adventurous, and fantastic man. Any woman would be lucky to have him.”
John flushed at his sister’s praise and mumbled, “Thanks.”
“Now get your arse next door, and let Miss Tyler butter your scone.”
“Donna! What- I- What’s that even mean?”
Her peal of laughter followed him from the shop.
--
The few mornings later, John was rushing to open and found a steaming cup of coffee and a white bag of freshly baked croissants complete with little jars of assorted jams waiting in front of the door. He looked around but the early morning street was deserted. He picked up the treats and noticed a message written underneath the Bad Wolf Bakery logo: Hope you have a brew-tiful day! xx
He pushed the door open to the bookstore and scratched his head. Who on Earth sent him breakfast? Oh! Breakfast! Must be Donna’s doing. Knowin’ she can’t keep an eye on me while in Egypt. An’ she always signs her texts with ‘xx.’ I’ll have to remember to thank her when I talk to her later.
In his rush to prepare the store for opening, the thought was soon forgotten.
--
All week, it was the same. He’d taken to sleeping in his office while Donna was away, but without fail, every morning, just before opening, there was a coffee and something freshly baked waiting for him by the front door. Sometimes there was a funny little coffee pun or joke about books written on the cup, other days a simple ‘xx.’
He was sipping that morning’s said coffee, when the bell over the door signaled a customer.
“Rose! You’re here early today.”
She bit her lip and gave him a small grin. “Yeah. My mum got caught up in a work emergency, so I’ve got to pick up my little brother from his créche during my lunch break an’ I didn’t wanna miss our, erm, out on any new releases.”
“Blimey. You must be my best customer.”
“Oh…” Rose blushed and lowered her eyes to the floor.
“Love me an avid reader.” When she’d garnered the courage to look once more at John, he was giving her a soft smile. “I’m the same. ‘S why I run this place.”
“I thought you got it from your granddad?”
Running a hand along the close cropped hair at his nape, his grin turned sheepish. “Aye, but coulda sold it. I love books though, me, and running this place is a dream come true.”
Rose smiled up at him. “Nice neighborhood too.”
John swallowed as his eyes narrowed in on her lips. “Yeah, like the neighbor a lot.” Rose’s lips formed a perfect ‘o’ and his gaze flew up to hers. “I mean, the neighbors! All of them. I didn’t mean to imply- Not that you’d be- I, er, I meant that everyone’s been really great since I got here. You included, of course. Don’t know what I’d do without your breakfasts. Probably starve. Or scare away all the customers. I’m a right grump when I haven’t eaten. And I’m gonna stop talkin’ now.” He covered his eyes with his hand.
“I, er, I’m just gonna go check on those...” She pointed toward the book cases.
Rose ducked into the first aisle she came to and leaned against the shelves trying to calm her fluttering heart. What’d he mean by- Was it a Freudian slip, or just a mistake? I thought he might- An’ he was staring at my lips, but then… Ugh. Get a grip. He’s obviously not interested or he would’ve already asked you out and the sooner you get that through your stupid-
“Rose?”
She pushed off the bookcase and smiled brightly. “Yeah?”
“Biographies today?”
Rose glanced over to the books on her left. “Oh, uh, yeah. Thought I’d change it up a bit.”
John stepped right into her personal space and reached up to one of the upper shelves. One whiff of his cologne and it set her heart back to hammering wildly in her chest. God, he smells good. How does he have any right to smell...that good? She bit the inside of her lip to keep from embarrassing herself with a moan or sigh.
“Then I think you’ll really enjoy this one.”
Rose took the book he’d pulled down for her and stared at it. She couldn’t make her eyes concentrate on the words of the title - his nearness was overwhelming all her senses.
“Y-yeah. Looks great.”
He tilted his head and examined her face. “Are you okay? You look a little flushed.”
“Yup! Never better.” She forced a big smile and tried to hold her breath without being obvious about it. Seriously, what kind of cologne is he wearing? It made her want to push him against the stacks and snog him senseless.
He took a step closer to her, and-
“Well, don't you two look cozy?”
A squeak of surprise from Rose had John turning around.
“Donna! What are you doing back? I thought you weren't due back ‘til-”
“Cut the trip short.”
“What? Why?”
“Egypt wasn't what I expected. You know how I was gonna go barefoot? But it was all bus trips and guidebooks and ‘don't drink the water.’”
“Let me guess, Lee drank the water?”
Donna sighed and nodded. “He was miserable. I was miserable. So we decided to just come home.”
“Sorry.”
Rose stood clutching the book, trying not to attract the notice of John’s sister. Not that she didn't like the other woman, quite the opposite. It seemed, though, that more often than not, she was around when Rose was making a fool of herself in front of John. And she always gave her such a knowing glance. God, I must be so obvious.
“Eh, it’s okay. Missed the kids anyway.” Donna turned her sights on Rose.
Shit.
“Hi, Rose. You’re in awfully early today.”
“Hi, Donna. Sorry to hear about your trip.”
Donna waved away her concern and her mouth tilted into a smile. “It's nothing. I'm more interested in whether my idiot brother finally asked you-”
“Donna!” He hissed at his sister, before grabbing the book from Rose. “C’mon, Rose. Let me ring you up.”
Rose looked from John to Donna and back. “Asked me what?”
The tips of John’s ears turned a delightful shade of red. “Oh, er, whether you, erm, might like to…” Her eyes shone with hope. “Erm, I’ve been thinking about...oh, having a book signing here, if I can manage it, I’d like to get Davis T. Russell.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, you know, the author of Madman in a Box.”
She smiled as she handed her credit card over. “Yeah. That sounds amazing.” Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
He handed her back her credit card and watched as she walked out the door.
Donna slapped him upside the head.
“Oi!”
“You really are an idiot. Book signing?”
He rubbed the back of his head. “‘S somethin’ I’ve been thinking about doing. What?”
“Just ask her out.” Donna picked up John’s coffee cup and took a sip. She nearly gagged. “Ugh. Cold coffee.”
“Well, yeah. It’s from this morning.”
Donna’s eyebrow rose as she noticed the ‘xx’ on the side of the cup. “Two kisses?”
“Yeah? It’s how you always sign off on texts.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Well, you’ve been buying me breakfast all week.”
“What? No I haven’t.”
“Donna, all week since you’ve been gone, breakfast has been waiting for me at the door with your two little x’s sign off.”
A cheeky grin blossomed over Donna’s face. “Wasn’t me, sunshine. Sounds like someone’s got a secret admirer. Though, come on, not really all that secret, is it?”
“What does that mean? Who?”
Donna rolled her eyes. “It says it right on the side of the cup. Who do we know that owns a place called Bad Wolf Bakery?”
“You can’t mean Rose?”
“She has a huge crush on you to the point that she comes in every single day to see you.”
“Donna...”
“The same Rose that you just let walk out of here even though she was waiting for you to ask her out!”
“She wasn’t.”
“She was.”
John glanced at the door. “You really think…?”
“Yes! Now go after her.”
He didn’t need to be told twice. John rushed out the door and toward the bakery entrance.
He pulled open the door. “Rose!”
She squeaked, hands at her back from tying her apron back on. “John?”
He walked up to her and with his intense stare asked, “Have you been sending me breakfast all week?”
“Er, yeah.”
“Why?”
She bit her lip and her eyes darted nervously around the shop. “Oh, well, I knew that with Donna away that you probably wouldn’t have time, and then when you didn’t come in at your normal time for your coffee... I, erm, just wanted to make sure you had breakfast.” She blushed under his scrutiny. “‘S the most important meal of the day.”
The way he was looking at her had her pulse racing, and she jumped when he finally spoke. “Would you like to go out for dinner with me?”
“Wha’?”
“I, er, a date? I...really like you an’ ‘ve been wanting to ask you out for a while. Just too big of a coward, me.”
“Yeah? I’ve been hoping you’d ask me out for a while. And I’d love to.”
The two stood grinning daftly at each other until Amy threw a dish towel at them for blocking the register.
--
One year later:
John took a sip of his coffee and savored the last of the morning’s quiet moments. He’d be unlocking the shop’s front door in a matter of minutes.
Rose walked through the newly built archway that connected their two stores carrying two mugs. She handed one to Donna and snuggled into John’s side holding the other.
“Thanks, Rose.” Donna took a sip of her tea and asked, “How was the honeymoon?”
“Barcelona was beautiful.”
“Did you two even make it out of the hotel room to see any of it?”
Rose shook her head and raised herself onto her toes to kiss her new husband.
John chuckled. “There may’ve been one or two days of sightseeing.”
Rose slapped his chest. “Oi!”
“Is it my fault I have the most ravishing wife on the planet?”
She stuck her tongue out the side of her smile. “Well, yeah, but Donna doesn’t need to know all the dirty details.” She turned dancing eyes to her new sister-in-law. “And believe me, they were very, very dirty. Filthy even.”
For once in her life, Donna blushed. “Oh my god, you’re as bad as him! Too much information!”
Rose shrugged and primly stated, “You’re the one who asked.”
John stole another kiss from his radiant wife. “Ready, love?”
“Ready.”
Rose walked to the front door of the bakery as John prepared to open his own. They’d merged their lives as they had their livelihoods. Bad Wolf Bakery & Booksellers was open for business.