Her phone alerted her of another incoming text and Stacie wondered again why she'd agreed, not only to plan, but to host this ridiculous party on top of all the work she had to do. Of course deep down she was happy she was getting a chance to celebrate two years of partnership with Beca and all the work they'd accomplished since starting their record label, but she didn't get why Beca couldn't be more involved with the party planning.
The only good thing about Beca's involvement so far was her demand that it be a small gathering. Stacie's initial suggestion had been a way bigger event, one where they could invite their artists and investors and maybe get some exposure. Instead, they were having a small get together with their closest friends at Stacie's apartment. Which still had required more planning than she had time for.
"Hey, Stace!" Beca intercepted Stacie as she walked by the open studio door on her way to her office. "Can you pick up the dessert for the party?"
Stacie pursed her lips, fighting the urge to refuse outright and arched an eyebrow at the shorter girl. "I thought your new girlfriend was doing that."
"Something came up and Chloe's gonna be a little late." Beca waved a post-it note in front of Stace. "It's super close, please?"
"Fine," Stacie grumbled, taking the note from Beca and adding it to her ever-growing to-do list.
"Ask for Chloe's order," Beca called as Stacie continued down the hall.
Stacie waved her hand dismissively and dropped the note with the address on her desk, hoping to get some work done before she had to leave. Just as the thought crossed her mind, her phone rang, her stomach sinking as she read the caller ID, knowing this would take a while.
A few hours later there was a knock on her door and her assistant looked in.
"Amy-" She lifted her finger for her assistant to wait as she tried to get out of this call. "I know you have the money for another Fat Amy Winehouse album but-" Stacie sighed as she got interrupted again. "Why don't we talk about it on Monday?" Stacie rolled her eyes at her assistant and he smiled sympathetically. "Okay, bye."
Stacie's assistant stepped forward when she hung up. "You told me to make you leave at five."
"It's five already?" Stacie stood up and started shoving things into her purse, taking the post-it note Beca gave her before running out of her office. "Thanks!"
Stacie ran to her car and typed the address on the note into her phone. She was relieved Beca hadn't lied and the place was in fact just a few blocks away.
She jumped out of the car as soon as she was parked, hurrying towards the store, the smell of baked goods making her stop and take a deep breath as soon as she walked in. She closed her eyes and took another breath, smiling. If she'd believed in heaven, this is what it would smell like.
"Can I help you with something?"
Stacie jumped and turned, startled. Her eyes landing on a blonde smiling amusedly at her from behind the counter. "Huh?"
"Do you need help?" The blonde repeated slowly.
She was still smiling and Stacie found herself smiling back even though she was sure she looked like a total idiot. "Yes, I'm picking up an order."
"Your name?"
The girl pursed her lips and Stacie couldn't help looking down at them as she walked over to the counter. "Umm, Stacie."
She nodded and turned around looking at the boxes she had lined up behind the counter, giving Stacie a chance to study her further without her noticing. She was hot, way hotter than what the apron she was wearing let on from the front. Her hair was tied back in a messy ponytail and Stacie wondered what she looked like with her hair down.
"Are you sure it's under that name?"
The girl's voice interrupted her daydreams and she looked up guiltily. "Chloe. It's Chloe's order."
"Oh! I thought..." she tilted her head and looked at Stacie with a confused frown. "Chloe said you were short. And isn't your name Beca?"
"Oh no, no, no, no. I'm not-" Stacie shook her head. "I'm Stacie."
"Yeah, you said that." The girl smiled again.
"I'm Beca's partner. Business partner. I'm single." Stacie grinned nonchalantly even though she probably shouldn't have said that last part.
"Okay…" The girl placed two pie boxes in front of Stacie. "They're already paid for."
"Oh." Stacie grabbed the boxes, her stomach sinking at the thought of having to leave without knowing her name. "Well, thank you."
"Enjoy."
Stacie took the boxes to the car, the crisp winter air clearing her thoughts. The scent inside the shop had triggered a memory which in turn had accentuated her emotional response to a hot girl, that was all. She was being ridiculous.
She drove home, knowing she still had a lot to deal with before the party, the pie and the pie girl forgotten until the party was well under way and she had a moment to stop and eat something. She grabbed a slice of apple pie, completely distracted from the conversation she was in as soon as it touched her tongue. If she'd believed in heaven, this is what it would taste like.
Stacie thought a lot about it over the next couple of weeks and decided to just go back to the pie shop on her lunch break.
She knew that going over to someone's place of work, especially someone she didn't really know, was completely inappropriate. And even if she did know her name, it could be extremely awkward. But she had told herself she would just go and get a pie without an agenda or ulterior motive. Just pie. No flirting, no ogling, nothing inappropriate. She had even convinced herself that the mix of exhaustion and hunger had made her have a wild hallucination and that the girl who worked there wasn't even that cute. She really was just going for some of that heavenly pie.
She took a second to inhale the sweet scent of baking as she entered the shop, before continuing further in and staring in shock at the person behind the counter.
"Chloe?"
"Stacie!" The redhead smiled widely. "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted more pie." Stacie tilted her head with a deep frown. "Beca didn't tell me you worked here."
"Oh, yes! I co-own the place with my best friend." Chloe nodded. "Kinda like you and Beca, except we make pies, not music."
"Right." Stacie looked behind Chloe but the kitchen was closed off from the front of the shop so even if the blonde was there, she couldn't tell.
"So, what kind of pie do you want."
Stacie looked back at Chloe, remembering why she'd come to the shop. For pie, not looking for a cute girl. "Do you have that apple pie we had at the party?"
Chloe turned around and looked at the pies in the fridge behind her. "I don't think we have one ready, but I can put one aside from you if you wanna come back after work."
"Oh, that's not- it's fine. I was just walking by and I came in on a whim." Stacie shrugged.
"Come on! I'll even throw in some peach tartlets on the house."
"Okay," Stacie chuckled.
"Great!" Chloe wrote her a receipt for the pie and slid it over the counter. "We'll have your pie ready after six?"
"Thanks, Chloe." Stacie took the receipt absentmindedly and walked out of the shop, still lamenting not having seen the girl from the other night.
She knew she was being ridiculous. She'd barely even talked to her, she didn't know her name, it was stupid to be disappointed by this. Still, she dragged her feet, grumbling about it all the way back to work.
She would've continued to mope about it if Beca hadn't barged into her office shortly before the time she left the office.
"Why don't you like Chloe?"
"What?" Stacie looked up with a frown. "Where's this coming from?"
"Her!" Beca threw her arms up and stalked forward. "She called me to tell me you'd been at the shop and that you were acting weird and you hated her."
"I don't-" Stacie rolled her eyes. "It just wasn't what I expected."
"So you were a bitch to her because they didn't have the pie you wanted?" Beca asked exasperated.
"What? No! Did she say that?" Stacie replied.
"No, Chloe would never say that about you because she's the nicest person alive." Beca shook her head. "Which is why it makes no sense that you don't like her."
"I like Chloe." Stacie took a deep, calming breath. "Okay, I'll tell you why I was acting weird but you gotta promise you won't make it a big deal." Beca shrugged and Stacie figured that was the best she was going to get. "I went to the shop because I was hoping I'd run into the girl who gave me the pies the day of the party."
Beca frowned in thought for a few seconds and then her eyes widened. "No!"
"What?" Stacie didn't get why everything was such a big deal today.
"You can't sleep with Aubrey!"
Stacie smiled. "That's her name?"
"Yes, that's her name and she's Chloe's best friend. You can't sleep with her."
"I wasn't-" Stacie bobbed her head. "I mean, eventually… but I wasn't going to start with that."
"She's off limits Stacie, I'm warning you." Beca pointed her finger seriously at her and walked out before Stacie could protest.
Stacie was stunned that Beca had forbidden her to sleep with Aubrey. She hadn't done anything yet, she hadn't known her name until she told her and hadn't even seen her again, but she wasn't planning on leading her on and then ditching her. She could admit that sometimes she'd handled things wrong with some people, but she wouldn't do that with someone Beca knew. She couldn't believe that Beca thought she'd put her relationship at risk, and if she believed in petty revenge, which she didn't, she'd go to over right then and bang Aubrey against every single surface in that shop.
Stacie huffed, looking at the time and realizing she wouldn't even get to the shop on time to pick up her pie if she didn't leave soon.
She hurried out, cursing when she saw the lights were out and someone was locking the door. She ran out of her car hoping she'd at least get the chance to apologize to Chloe, skidding to a halt when she spotted blonde hair.
"You're closing."
Aubrey stopped and turned to look at her, letting go of the door. "Very observant."
"Shit." Stacie knew it wouldn't help her case with Chloe if she didn't pick up the pie. "What time do you open tomorrow?"
"Ten." Aubrey tilted her head. "You're Stacie."
Stacie momentarily forgot about Chloe and preened at Aubrey knowing her name. "You remembered."
"Chloe said you were coming." She turned towards the door again and turned the key, opening the door and motioning Stacie inside. "Come on, I just put your pie in the fridge."
"Thank you!"
Aubrey turned the lights on as she walked to the back of the shop. "Well, you're sort of Chloe's friend," she said with a shrug.
Stacie leaned next to the fridge in the back and watched as Aubrey looked for her pie. "So you bake everything yourself?"
"Me and Chloe." Aubrey took out a box and passed it to Stacie.
Stacie took a peek inside the box. "Chloe said something about peach tartlets?"
Aubrey arched an eyebrow. "We're out."
"Oh." Stacie pouted, making Aubrey chuckle. "What?"
"Nothing." Aubrey took a step back and crossed her arms. "Can I close now?"
"I should probably pay first," Stacie reminded her.
"Right." Aubrey pursed her lips. "First one's free?"
"You don't have to do that."
"The register's closed." Aubrey shrugged and led her to the front.
"Thank you for coming back in." Stacie followed her around the shop as she turned the lights back off. "And for the pie."
"Sure."
"Even though I didn't get peach tartlets," Stacie mumbled.
Aubrey rolled her eyes as she locked the door. "You're ridiculous."
"Ridiculously cute?" Stacie gave her a flirty smile.
Aubrey laughed despite herself. "No, just ridiculous." Stacie narrowed her eyes but Aubrey just shrugged. "Goodbye, Stacie."
"Hey, Aubrey." Aubrey swung back around. "You're ridiculously cute."
Aubrey rolled her eyes again but there was still enough light for Stacie to notice she was blushing. "Bye."
Stacie knew it was probably too soon, but she hadn't been able to stop thinking about Aubrey, so she headed to the shop at lunch a few days later, smiling when she spotted her at the counter.
"You're back." Aubrey smiled and Stacie's stomach flipped at the fact that she was visibly happy to see her.
"I wanted to try those peach tartlets I was promised." Aubrey chuckled and grabbed a paper bag from under the counter. "The thing you do with food is otherworldly."
"Thank you." Aubrey blushed, turning to put the tartlets in the bag. "Three okay?"
"Yeah." Stacie took the bag, her smile falling as Aubrey turned to the register. "I thought these were on the house."
Aubrey arched an eyebrow. "Are you planning on paying for anything ever?"
Stacie leaned forward over the counter, lowering her voice. "See, if I never pay I'm technically not your customer."
"So you're just gonna keep coming in and hoping I say yes when you ask for free stuff?" Aubrey moved closer to the counter, her hands almost touching Stacie's on the cold surface.
Stacie smirked. "Actually, next time I thought I'd come in hoping you'd say yes when I asked you out."
Aubrey seemed surprised struggling to say something for a few seconds until she stuttered out, "I don't date customers."
"So it's a good thing I haven't paid for anything yet." Stacie looked down at Aubrey's lips, smiling when the blonde's tongue swiped over them. "Think about it."
Stacie winked at her and straightened up, grabbing the bag with the tartlets and walking away. "Bye, Aubrey."
Stacie walked back to work, taking one of the peach tartlets as soon as she was at her desk, moaning in delight at the first bite.
She was still finishing the first tartlet when Beca walked in. She swallowed quickly, hiding the bag under the desk and wiping the crumbs that had fallen, but Beca was looking out the window.
"I really like Chloe." Beca stated.
"Okay…" Stacie didn't understand why Beca came in to tell her this.
"She makes me happy." Beca turned to look at Stacie. "For the first time in my life I feel like everything's where it should be, work, my friends, Chloe."
"I'm really happy for you, B." Stacie smiled. She still didn't know where this was going but it was rare for Beca to share her feelings.
"Chloe is having a small dinner party next Friday and she asked me to invite you." Beca didn't look happy about it which seemed to contradict her earlier statements.. "Aubrey will probably be there."
Stacie grinned but then realized why Beca was telling her. "Beca, I'm not going to-"
Beca shook her head. "Just don't ruin things for me."
Stacie looked at Beca. She knew that she didn't have the best track record, that she had a reputation for screwing things up, even when she had the best intentions, but she'd never do something to hurt Beca. "You could just tell her I can't go."
"She already thinks you hate her."
"So what, I'm supposed to go and behave? Not talk to Aubrey at all?" Stacie rolled her eyes.
"That's not what I said," Beca protested.
"Then what do you want, Beca?"
"Just don't sleep with her!" Beca yelled.
"Fine, I promise I won't sleep with her on Friday." Stacie thought about it better. "Well this Friday, I could do it some other Friday."
Beca huffed. "Why can't you find someone else to sleep with?"
"I like Aubrey!"
"You don't know her!"
"I know her enough to want to get to know her better." Stacie moved around her desk and approached Beca. "I'm not gonna do anything to hurt your relationship with Chloe. We're all adults here who can make our own choices."
"You make the wrong choices!" Stacie flinched, taking a step back and looking down. "I'm sorry, Stace, I didn't mean-"
"No." Stacie paused, walking back to her desk. "You did."
"Stacie." Beca shook her head not knowing what to say. "I hope you can be there on Friday."
Stacie didn't look up until Beca closed the door behind her, sighing heavily when she did. She got that Beca was wary about anything going wrong with her new relationship but that didn't mean she could be a bitch about it.
She decided to go for a walk. Her feet quickly leading her back to the pie shop. She hadn't planned on being back so soon but she figured seeing Aubrey would cheer her up.
The bell rang when she entered but the shop was empty and she heard someone call out from the back, "I'll be right there."
Stacie leaned on the counter, grabbing a cookie from the free sample plate next to the register. She hummed happily. Oatmeal cookies weren't her favorite but these were soft and warm and amazing.
"Did you forget something?" Stacie looked up, smiling at Aubrey's adorably scrunched up face.
"No, I just," Stacie mumbled, pausing to swallow. "Do you wanna go somewhere?"
"Right now?" Aubrey looked around the shop. "It's the middle of the day."
"Right." Stacie nodded. "I'm sorry, I don't really know why I came."
Stacie ducked her head and shrugged, not seeing Aubrey come closer. "Are you okay?"
Stacie smiled when she felt Aubrey's take her wrist. "I just had a fight with Beca." Aubrey chuckled and squeezed Stacie's wrist softly. "That's funny?"
"No, I've just always found her annoying so I'm not surprised." Stacie pouted and Aubrey tugged on her arm, moving back towards the kitchen. "Wanna help me make a blueberry pie?"
Stacie smirked. "I don't know how to make pie."
"I can teach you." Aubrey let go of Stacie and walked to the back door. "You need a distraction and I have work."
Stacie grinned widely, and skipped to catch up with Aubrey in the back of the shop.
"Hands." Aubrey pointed to a sink and Stacie moved to wash her hands. "So you don't like baking?"
"It's not that I don't like it, I just tend to burn things."
"Good to know." Aubrey smiled. "I'll pay attention this time."
Aubrey took a dough ball from the fridge and started rolling it. "What you wanna do when you're making a pie is handle the dough as little as possible so, once you have your dough, you roll it into a circle around a quarter of an inch thick and…" She noticed Stacie frowning at her from across the table. "What?"
"You already have the dough."
"I make a bunch in the morning and keep it in the fridge so it's ready later when I get an order." Stacie was still frowning and Aubrey tilted her head. "What?"
"I'm not gonna learn how to make the dough." Stacie stated.
Aubrey smiled. "Well, you're gonna have to come earlier for that."
Stacie walked around and stood next to Aubrey. "Maybe in a few weeks."
Aubrey shook her head and went back to rolling the dough. "It's easier to transfer it to the pan if you roll it around the rolling pin than if you try to lift it."
"So you start making them after you get an order?" Stacie asked, poking some of the excess dough Aubrey cut off from the pan.
"I'm gonna use that." Aubrey swatted her hand away. "And yes, most of the time. I bake a few for walk ins but most of our sales come from our website."
"You sell pies online?" Stacie arched an eyebrow.
"Yeah, you order, we bake, we deliver." Aubrey turned to put the pan in the fridge and grabbed more dough. "We even do personalized ones."
"Wait, you deliver? Why have I had to come here to pick up my order twice?"
Aubrey shrugged. "You're not a customer. Grab the blueberries."
Stacie grabbed a bowl from the counter next to her and placed it in front of Aubrey, waiting for Aubrey to turn back from the fridge. "Does that mean you'll go out with me?"
"It means you don't get free pies delivered." Aubrey scooped sugar into a bowl and gave it to Stacie, adding a few spoonfuls of cornstarch and cinnamon. "Mix that."
Aubrey went back to the fridge and took the pie pan out, taking the bowl from Stacie and sprinkling the mix on top of the blueberries before pouring it on the crust. Stacie watched attentively as she cut out strips of dough and formed a lattice on top of the blueberries, using the excess dough to cut out little leaves which she arranged on the edges.
Once she was done, she turned to the oven, sliding the pie in and starting a timer that was sitting next to it. She turned to Stacie and smiled. "Want to talk about whatever happened between you and Beca while we wait?"
"Not really." Aubrey arched an eyebrow and Stacie groaned. "I don't want you to get the wrong idea."
"I'm pretty sure whatever it is, isn't as bad as whatever popped into my head with that statement."
Stacie sighed and took a moment to decide how to phrase it. "I think you know by now that I like you."
Aubrey smiled. "I kinda figured you did when you asked me out."
Stacie matched her smile for a second before going back to her explanation. "Beca doesn't think it's a good idea for me to pursue this since you're her girlfriend's best friend. She's worried it might affect her relationship with Chloe."
Aubrey frowned deeply and stared at Stacie in silence, making her nervous. She was about to break the silence when Aubrey opened her mouth. "Well, first of all, Beca doesn't have a say in this. We're both adults."
"That's what I said!"
"And second." Aubrey smirked. "I haven't agreed to go out with you so she doesn't really have anything to worry about yet."
The bell from the front door rang and Aubrey pushed off the counter.
"You said yet!" Stacie intercepted her before she made it to the door.
"I have a customer, Stacie," Aubrey said with a smile, looking down at Stacie's lips for a second.
"You said yet," Stacie repeated.
"I'm keeping my options open." Aubrey walked around her and went to the front.
Stacie followed after her when she heard the door again, finding Aubrey behind the counter writing down an order. "Are you going to Chloe's thing on Friday?"
"Yes," Aubrey replied without looking up. "Are you?"
"I am now." Aubrey looked up and Stacie grabbed her pen and pad, writing down her phone number. "Call me."
Stacie heard music as she approached the apartment door. It wasn't too loud but it was louder than she expected at a dinner party. She knocked a little loudly so she'd be heard over the music and almost immediately heard someone call out they had it, followed by heeled footsteps.
Her breath caught in her throat when Aubrey opened the door, her eyes travelling up her tight jeans and the loose green top she was wearing. "Hey."
"Hey." Aubrey returned the smile. "Did you bring the wine?"
Stacie lifted the wine bottle Aubrey had asked her to bring and Aubrey smiled, reaching for it, but Stacie pulled it back. "Don't I get a thank you kiss?"
Aubrey frowned deeply. "No."
Stacie pouted, lowering the bottle again. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were so against the idea."
Aubrey grabbed the bottle and shook her head. "No, but this is not where our first kiss happens."
Aubrey walked inside and Stacie followed her into the kitchen, taking her hand and pulling her to the corner. "You've been thinking about kissing me?"
"What?" Aubrey blushed and looked away, moving past Stacie to find the bottle opener. "No."
"You said that's not where our first kiss happens, which means you have an idea of where it does."
"I just meant, we can't kiss outside Chloe's apartment." Aubrey finished opening the bottle and grabbed a couple of glasses. "We're not even dating."
"When is that gonna happen?" Stacie took one of the glasses from Aubrey and watched as she poured.
"I don't know." Aubrey took a sip from her glass and looked away.
"Bree, babe, I really like you and I think you like me too, but you can't keep giving me mixed signals." Aubrey arched an eyebrow. "You talk about first kisses and call me every day after work but you won't go out with me."
"Can we talk about it after the party?" Aubrey pleaded.
Stacie sighed and nodded, looking down and taking a step back. Aubrey reached out, taking her hand and stepping closer. She stood on her toes and kissed her cheek. "Thanks for bringing the wine."
The side of Stacie's mouth quirked up and she turned her hand in Aubrey's, giving it a quick squeeze before letting go. She looked towards the door when she heard a chorus of laughs coming from outside. "I thought this was supposed to be a small dinner party."
Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Chloe has a hard time not inviting people when she sees them. This is small for her."
"Is there food? I'm starving." Stacie looked around the kitchen.
"It's outside." Aubrey chuckled.
"Did you make something?"
"Pie." Aubrey smirked. "And I might have something in the fridge for you if you're nice."
"I can be really nice." Stacie said in a low voice.
"I meant with Chloe and Beca." Stacie rolled her eyes. "We can't go out until you fix that."
"What?" Stacie gaped. "What happened to we're both adults and Beca doesn't get a say on what we do?"
"She doesn't, but she's still your best friend, and she's dating my best friend. It would be a lot easier if we all get along."
Stacie arched an eyebrow. "You don't like Beca."
"I never said that."
"You said she was annoying," Stacie pointed out.
"Which is not the same as not liking her," Aubrey said carefully, handing Stacie another glass of wine. "Take this to Chloe, it's her favorite."
Stacie smiled at the fact that Aubrey had asked her to bring a bottle of wine specifically so she'd look good with Chloe. "Do I get another kiss for good luck?"
"Go," Aubrey said and pushed her towards the kitchen door.
Stacie pouted but Aubrey only waved her away so Stacie turned and walked into the living room.
There were clusters of people around the room and in front of the dining room table, which had been pushed to the side and stacked with finger food. A smaller table had an assortment of tiny pies and tartlets, and Stacie's mouth watered knowing Aubrey had baked those.
She was tempted to walk straight to the dessert table, but she spotted Chloe and Beca on the other side of the room. Chloe was talking animatedly with a couple of people while Beca stood silently by her side, watching her in awe.
Stacie approached them and Beca gave her a cautious smile. They had been avoiding each other at work since their fight and Stacie hadn't even told her if she was coming. Beca gave Chloe a small nudge with her elbow and Chloe looked up at her, smiling widely and excusing herself from the conversation she was in.
"Stacie!" Chloe hugged her and Stacie had to carefully maneuver the wine glasses out of the way. "I'm so glad you could make it."
"Thanks for inviting me." She handed Chloe the spare glass of wine. "I hear it's your favorite."
Chloe took a sip and her eyes widened when she confirmed it was in fact her favorite. She turned to Beca with a wide smile. "I didn't think you were paying attention when I mentioned it."
Beca blushed and looked at Stacie in panic but Stacie stepped in. "Beca is full of surprises."
Stacie winked at Beca and she hid her smile by taking a sip from her glass.
"Chlo, we're running low on food."
Chloe looked at the table and shook her head. "I'll be right back."
Stacie watched Chloe walk to the kitchen, turning back when Beca spoke.
"Hey, Stace, I-" Beca paused for a breath, shuffling nervously on her feet. "I'm sorry about what I said the other day. I was a jerk."
"You were." Stacie chuckled. "But I get where you're coming from."
Beca shook her head. "I was out of line."
Staie shrugged. "If it makes you feel better, Aubrey still hasn't agreed to go out with me."
Beca tilted her head and studied Stacie for a few seconds. "You really like her."
"I told you I did." Stacie looked across the room and watched as Aubrey helped Chloe refill some of the food plates on the table. She smiled, a warm feeling creeping up her stomach. She turned back to Beca. "I want to do this right, Becs."
"Just try not to hurt her or-" Beca shrugged. "Fuck her to death. Chloe wouldn't forgive you."
Stacie cackled. "I can't promise I won't do the latter." Stacie shook her head. "If she ever agrees to go out with me."
Beca rolled her eyes. "You just met her, don't tell me you're losing interest already."
"No, that's not it." Stacie shrugged. "She's just making it harder than it should be."
"Yeah, Aubrey doesn't strike me as the kind of person who would make things easy." Beca laughed. "But Chloe's been asking about you so I guess she said something to her?"
"Really?" Stacie perked up, but Chloe's return prevented her from asking more.
"Do you guys want something more to drink?" Stacie shook her head. "Stace, you know Aubrey, right?"
"Yeah." Stacie couldn't control her smile at the sight of the blonde. "I've seen her at the shop a few times."
Aubrey smirked, stepping beside Stacie. "She keeps showing up and demanding free food."
"I've never demanded anything." Stacie pouted. "Speaking of free food… Help me get a plate." Stacie took Aubrey's wrist and tugged her to the table.
"I don't think this requires much help."
Stacie brushed her thumb on the inside of Aubrey's wrist, smiling when she noticed her shudder. "No, but I like keeping you close." Aubrey blushed and Stacie's smile got wider. "And you can point out what you made so I can get more of that."
Stacie wanted to leave. Aubrey had disappeared at some point, Chloe said she'd gone out to get more ice, which she wouldn't have minded doing with her. But Aubrey hadn't told her about it so now she was bored and had been cornered by some guy.
Stacie wasn't really used to waiting for people. She didn't normally have to try this hard to get a date, but she was fine with it because she knew Aubrey was worth it, or would be worth it if she ever agreed to go out with her. So she was willing to wait and talk to this guy who had been talking to her for what seemed like hours, trying, and failing, to get her to flirt back.
She was trying really hard not to look at her watch, caving after a bit and deciding to give herself five more minutes before she called it a night. Her eyes roamed around the room and found Aubrey standing across from them, staring at her, and she smiled, her smile widening when Aubrey smiled back and started walking their way.
Aubrey stepped into Stacie's space to the obvious annoyance of the guy she was talking to. Stacie immediately moved closer to Aubrey, taking her hand and completely forgetting about the guy now that she was there and had willingly and effortlessly inserted herself between them.
"Want a ride home?" Aubrey asked.
Stacie smiled, trying to not look too surprised even though it was the last thing she expected from Aubrey right then. "I thought you were gonna stay and help Chloe clean up."
"I can come back tomorrow." Aubrey shrugged. "I thought we could talk?"
"Does this mean you've decided where the perfect spot for our first kiss is?"
Aubrey blushed and looked down, shaking her head. "It means that I want to talk."
And just like that the wait was worth it. "You're adorable." Stacie whispered, sighing and taking a step back without letting go of Aubrey's hand, wanting to enjoy this for as long as possible. The party looked far from being done, even though it was starting to get late and the food was dwindling. "Let me know when you're ready to go."
Aubrey looked around for a moment, turning and tugging Stacie back towards the kitchen still holding onto her hand. "I just gotta say bye to Chloe."
Stacie smiled, following Aubrey wordlessly until they found Chloe leaning into the fridge while putting away some of the food. "Anything you need help with, Chlo?"
Chloe pulled herself out of the fridge, noting Aubrey's hand in Stacie's with a small smile and shook her head. "I think I've got things and Beca's staying over."
Stacie let out a scoff at the thought of Beca helping out with anything, but she hid it with a fake coughing fit.
Aubrey arched an eyebrow at her but turned to Chloe. "I'll come back tomorrow and help you with whatever's left."
"'Kay." Chloe smirked. "Be safe."
Aubrey let Stacie lead her out of the kitchen, through the front door, and to the elevator, where she stopped and turned to face her. The fact that Aubrey hadn't let go of her hand making her bolder. "I already know the hallway's not an option, but how about the elevator?"
Aubrey chuckled, pushing her inside when the door opened. "No."
Stacie pressed herself against Aubrey and smiled. "Are you sure?"
Stacie felt Aubrey melt against her, her breathing quickening as she tilted her head up, their lips mere inches apart from each other. Stacie lifted her free hand to Aubrey's waist, her fingers sliding against the soft fabric of her shirt. She heard Aubrey breathe in sharply and saw her close her eyes. She started to lean down, about to close the gap between their lips when they arrived at their floor and Aubrey jumped back at the sound of the doors opening.
Stacie groaned, following Aubrey out to the street and to a parked car. She leaned on the roof, watching Aubrey walk to the other side. "Your car looks comfy."
"We're not kissing in my car, Stacie."
Stacie pouted and opened the door, dropping onto the passenger seat. "Not ever?"
Aubrey glanced at her, starting the car and pulling out onto the street before replying. "Not now."
Stacie beamed at the fact that Aubrey wasn't completely ruling out a make out session in her car.
They rode in silence for a while the only sound was Aubrey's GPS directing her to Stacie's place. Stacie noticed Aubrey's hands shifting on the wheel nervously, tapping out a tuneless beat, but she waited her out.
Finally, Aubrey gave her a quick look and a stiff smile. "Do you feel like you know me?"
"I'm not sure." Stacie frowned, pausing to consider the question. "I mean, we haven't known each other for long, I can't really presume to know you well-" She shrugged. "-but I'd like to think I've gotten to know you a bit these past few weeks."
"I'm not good at this." Stacie arched an eyebrow. "At relationships. I don't want you to come into this expecting me to be something I'm not."
"I don't expect anything."
"We might not work out."
"That's always a risk."
"I might disappoint you." Aubrey said sadly.
Stacie reached out and took her hand, squeezing it before lacing their fingers. "I'm not asking you to marry me. It's just one date."
Aubrey sighed. "Alright."
Stacie knocked on the doorframe between the kitchen and the shop, smiling when Aubrey looked up, her hands on a rolling pin and flour streaks on her face. "Hey, gorgeous."
"Hey." Aubrey finished rolling out the dough and cut it, placing the finishing touches on the pie before putting it in the oven.
She turned, wiping her hands on her apron and approached Stacie. "You know you don't have to come pick me up at the shop each time we go out, right?"
Stacie shrugged. "I get to spend more time with you."
"You just want pie."
Aubrey narrowed her eyes but Stacie could tell she was trying not to smile. It'd only been a few weeks since Aubrey had agreed to go out with her, but Stacie found herself stopping by the shop several times during the week, sometimes during her lunch hour, other times before she picked up Aubrey for one of their dates.
"Can you blame me?" Stacie kissed her softly. "You make the best pies in the world."
Aubrey chuckled, kissing her quickly and pulling back. "I think we still have some orange curd pockets." She walked around Stacie to the shop front where they kept the smaller pastries and pies. "There's a raspberry hand pie too."
Stacie hurried out with a wide smile, taking the small pastry with reverence. "I haven't tried this one yet, you always run out."
Aubrey rolled her eyes, bagging the orange curd pockets so Stacie could take them home. "Do you want me to heat it up in the oven a bit or-"
She turned to find Stacie with her mouth full, her chewing slowing down when she realized Aubrey was watching her. She swallowed and grinned. "These are amazing."
"They're better warm."
"I bet." Stacie popped the last bit into her mouth, moaning in delight and wrapping her arms around Aubrey. "I'll eat a warm one next time."
Aubrey shook her head but let Stacie pull her closer. "I'll save you some next week."
"You're the best." She placed a couple of kisses on her neck and then pointed at the kitchen with her head. "Was that your last pie?"
"Yeah, we can leave in thirty." Aubrey's hands tightened on Stacie's waist, letting her trail kisses down her neck. "I have to clean up though."
Stacie lifted her head, giving her lips a quick peck. "It'll go faster if I help."
Aubrey's eyes crinkled with a smile, kissing Stacie deeply before pulling her back into the kitchen and handing her a rag so she could wipe down the table.
She was being careful about not letting the flour fall on the floor so sweeping would be easier later, when she saw Aubrey leaning across from her.
"So I've been thinking." Stacie looked up briefly to let Aubrey know she was listening and continued to clean. "You really should learn how to make the dough. Tomorrow."
Stacie arched an eyebrow. "Sure, I can get here early."
Aubrey shook her head. "No, that won't work." Stacie tilted her head confused. "I think you should sleep over at my place so you can come with me in the morning. Just to make sure you're not late."
Stacie laughed, letting go of the rag and walking around the table. "I am terribly unpunctual." Aubrey nodded. "I think you're right, I should definitely sleep over."
"It's the prudent thing to do."