Recipes of Love Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I own none of the amazing characters from Orange is the New Black.
Piper couldn't figure out what had come over her, she was so drawn to this new raven haired beauty. Red had shown up moments later, ruining the moment and taking over as the one to show Alex the ropes. But here, an hour after Nicky had finally come barreling in the door, Piper kept finding little jobs to stay at the bar. A little cleaning here, a little stocking there. She was fascinated by Alex, she had picked up on everything so quickly. After less than an hour of training and bantering back and forth with Red, she was handling the menu and the lunch crowd by herself. Once it slowed down Piper was bringing some dishes back to the kitchen and found herself alone with Alex again.
"Do I have something on my face kid?" Alex asked smirking at her again.
"Um no, why?" she responded, a few moments later when she found her voice.
"You've been staring you know, all day." Alex's smirk grew as she genuinely enjoyed watching this girl squirm. Whoever she was, she was gorgeous and Alex had caught her looking several times already over this short morning. She might just be hot enough for Alex to break her no sleeping with co workers idea, that didn't seem to be making it very far past her first day.
"I was not!" Piper exclaimed, probably a little too quickly. She could feel herself turning red. Damnit, what was happening to her?
"I was um, just looking for Red. Where is she?" Piper continued, still looking anywhere but into those green eyes.
Alex raised an eyebrow and her smirk grew into a smile. "Why kid? You afraid to be alone with me?"
Piper knew she was flirting with her. The hottest woman she had ever laid eyes one was flirting with her! Wait, a woman? Piper had never been with a woman, yeah she had found plenty attractive over time but never had any desires beyond that. But this one, she could already tell she was different. She was hot, like real hot. While Piper sat dumbfounded trying to come up with a witty response she was quickly interrupted by someone who neither her, nor Alex had been watching their whole interaction.
"Yo Chapman, I hate to break up whatever is happening here but your lame ass boyfriend is at the bar looking for you." Alex's face fell as Nicky spoke, and it didn't go unnoticed.
"Yeah rookie, hate to disappoint you but Piper here, she likes pipe, just as her name suggests." Nicky shrugged and turned around and headed back to work.
"Alex..." Piper started, and Alex just held up a hand.
"I was just teasing you Pipes, go on to your boyfriend. I have work to do. Don't wanna let ol Red catch me slacking on my first day."
And with that Alex disappeared into the walk in, leaving a very confused and flushed Piper behind. Nicky was right. She liked guys, right? She might not be so crazy about Larry these days, but she had always only dated men. Why was this woman throwing her for loops within hours of meeting her? She headed back towards the bar to face Larry, who she was sure was thrilled she hadn't responded to any calls or messages that morning.
Alex busied herself grabbing ingredients so she could start prep. She had no idea why Piper Chapman being straight irritated her so much, or why Nicky's interruption was so unwelcome. Probably because the glances Piper had been throwing at her all morning seemed to be a mix of trying to figure Alex out, and also very UNstraight. Alex knew she was hot, but she also knew when someone was checking her out. And Piper had very much been checking her out, basically every chance she thought she wasn't being watched. The thought brought a small smile to Alex's face. She couldn't deny that she was curious about the 'lame boyfriend' Nicky had described. So she brought her ingredients out to a place she could work, and discreetly watch the interaction out at the bar.
Piper clocked out on her way to the stool Larry was sitting at, nursing his beer.
"Hey Piper, you know I have been trying to get a hold of you all day. You were supposed to be off work today. You know I was worried, you should have told me you were going in." he leaned in and tried to kiss her but she moved her head to the side.
"Larry, Nicky asked me last minute for a favor to come in and open up. We have a new girl in the back and I stayed to make sure everything was going smoothly her first lunch shift. I don't need to tell you every single thing I do. I mean seriously, you just left my house five hours ago. Aren't you supposed to be at work anyway?" Piper rolled her eyes, she knew she was being rude, but she honestly just wasn't feeling it today.
"I was at work Piper, but once I couldn't get a hold of you I was worried, When you weren't home, I thought I would check here." he tried to motion for her to sit down but she stood still, in her position standing in front of him.
"Larry, this is exactly what I'm talking about. We just talked last night about me needing some more space. You can't be at my work every time I'm working. You can't just take the rest of the day off when I don't respond to a couple texts. It's all too much and clearly you're not listening. When I'm here, I'm working, not getting paid to text you" She motioned towards his beer, "When you finish that, can you please just go? I'll call you later. I just need the day to myself please."
It was more of a statement than a question, and Larry definitely got the point. Grumbling something under his breath, he threw a five dollar bill on the bar and stood up to leave.
"Fine Pipes, have it your way. Call me when you want to act like you have a boyfriend again."
Piper honestly felt a pang of guilt watching him leave, she knew his feelings were hurt. Larry was a good guy, but he was just way too much for her. At first it was okay, but now all the neediness and controlling was making her feel suffocated. And every time she tried to talk to him about it, he promised to chill out and hours later was back to trying to spend every waking moment with her. That or accusing her of sleeping with every man that came into her bar. The guilty feeling rose a little bit when she found herself thinking that the nickname Pipes, just sounded so much better rolling off of Alex's lips.
"Chapman, what was that all about? Did it have something to do with you making googly eyes with the rookie back there?"
Nicky grabbed Larry's empty beer bottle and replaced it with a fresh beer and a shot of tequila for Piper.
"You look like you could use this. Care to share your thoughts?" Nicky smiled at her, to show she was teasing her best friend and try to get her to open up.
Piper shook her head and looked through the window to the kitchen to find Alex's gaze meeting her eyes. Shit, she witnessed the whole thing. Piper thought as she took a seat on the stool and brought the beer bottle up to her lips. She was relieved to see Alex smile at her, and smiled back. Looking back over to thank Nicky, she saw her wild haired friend shaking her head.
"What Nick?" Piper asked, her eyes narrowing at Nicky's grin.
"You, Chapman, I just know you. And you are so fucked." Nicky waved to a still staring Alex in the window and walked away laughing.