A few weeks into summer break, Emily was feeling completely refreshed. She had managed to catch up on the sleep deprived from her during finals, had made some new friends and was making money hand over fist. While she was barely making minimum wage on the books, Paige's customers tipped, and tipped well. It was nothing like the tips she made in a college town pizzeria. At this rate, she'd have enough cash for her first semester's books and even a little extra to play with after that.
Paige, just like Emily had anticipated, had quickly become the best part of her summer. She was a dreamboat, everything Emily had ever wanted and more. Emily was falling for her more every day, but after a few of their Friday night hangouts had figured how to maintain a friendship with the girl without acting like a total spaz every time she opened her mouth.
They had become quite close actually, texting each other all through the day and night, and even meeting up for coffee, just the two of them, on their days off. They had the same sense of humor, the same taste in movies and never seemed to run out of things to talk about. It was nearly perfect, Emily thought, the only thing standing in the way of her epic summer romance with Paige was Kelsey.
She couldn't even hate Kelsey, try as she might at first. She wanted desperately to find something despicable about the other girl, but the more time they spent together, the more she liked Kelsey as well. She was funny, spontaneous and had actually grown fiercely fond of Emily, too. The only thing Emily could fault her for was getting to Paige first.
"Em! Hey! You're early, what's up?" Paige hollered from the stove as she saw Emily enter the kitchen out of the corner of her eye. She looked like a dream, sunglasses pushed up on her head, white dress shirt hanging open over a light blue tank that left little to the imagination as she made her way over to Paige with two coffees. Sure, Paige was taken, but it didn't mean Emily couldn't show her what she was missing.
"I had to drop my mom off at the airport early...thought I'd bring you a coffee," she smiled, handing one over, taking a sip of her own.
"Thanks. She's going to visit your dad?" Paige asked as she too took a sip.
"Yup. For a few days and then he'll actually be coming back with her until after July 4th. He's coming home for their anniversary. I haven't seen him since I graduated, over a year ago. I can't wait," she explained excitedly.
"That's great. Do they have plans?"
"Uh...I don't really want to know," Emily laughed into her coffee.
"I mean for dinner, silly. Where do they usually go for their anniversary dinner?" Paige chuckled as Emily blushed.
"Oh...um, they don't usually go out. My mom cooks. His favorite dinner. Stuffed pork chops and roasted potatoes,"
"Yum. What does she stuff them with?" Paige inquired as she went back to chopping some celery.
"I have no clue," Emily laughed, "but they're good. She made it on their first date...and when she told him she was pregnant with me. Now with how much he's away, she makes it every time he comes home. Things aren't as bad now as they were when he was in Afghanistan, obviously. But my mom's cooking is what he misses most no matter where he is," Emily explained.
"I get that. Food is love, it's comfort, it's everything you know? At least that's how I feel. But hey, if they want to try something different, tell them to come here for dinner. On the house," Paige offered.
"What? Are you crazy? You don't even know them, Chrissy will kill you!" Emily exclaimed.
"Chrissy is in Venice, I could care less what she has to say. It's the least I could do for the parents of one of my best employees," she smiled.
"Wow...um...I'll ask my mom...she has been wanting to come try your food,"
"I'd love to meet them. I bet your mom's a classy lady," Paige mused, now rapidly chopping carrots.
"Why do you say that?" Emily questioned, unable to hold back her smile.
"Cause you're a classy lady...and somebody who cares enough to make her husband's favorite meal every time he comes home obviously knows what matters. Family. I like that," she elaborated.
"Yeah? That's pretty intuitive of you. What's your family like?" Emily asked, leaning against the counter, elated just to watch Paige work.
"Gah, where do I start?" she laughed, "I'm the youngest of 5. 4 big brothers," she explained, tossing all her chopped vegetables in a pan, "Do you have any siblings?"
"No, only child. Gosh, four brothers though? What's that like?" Emily gasped.
"Complete insanity. But also the greatest thing ever. I love my brothers more than anything," she replied.
"I can't even imagine. Your parents wanted 5 kids? Or did it just kind of happen that way?" Emily wondered.
"I guess both, in a weird way," Paige laughed, "they really wanted a girl, so they refused to throw in the towel until they got one. Mom says she would've had 10 more boys if she needed to, she was just destined to have one girl. So, viola', here I am!" she recalled with a smile.
"That's really cool. Do they live here in the city?"
"Nope, they've scattered. Florida, New York, Maryland...and my oldest brother lives about 2 hours from here, up in the Poconos. Even my parents moved out of the city a few years ago to New Jersey. It's just lonely old me back here in the city. But they all visit when they can. We Skype a lot. They'll all be at my 4th of July party though, with all my nieces and nephews...you're coming right? Hanna told me you're coming," she rambled.
"Yeah, of course I'm coming. Hanna hasn't shut up about the famous Paige McCullers 4th of July BBQ. How many nieces and nephews do you have?" she asked, entranced. She could listen to Paige talk forever.
"3 nieces and 2 nephews, soon to be 4 and 3. My brother Jordan and his wife are expecting twins,a boy and girl. They're the ones that live in New York," she announced proudly.
"Wow. You really are into family, huh Aunt Paige?" Emily chuckled.
"Don't make fun, I'm an awesome Aunt," she laughed back, pulling her phone out of her pocket and pulling up a picture of all her nieces and nephews, showing it to Emily.
"Aww. They're beautiful, all of them. They've all got your good looks," Emily crooned, handing her phone back.
"They're the best," she grinned, taking one last proud glance herself before shoving the phone away and returning to work.
"So how does your family like Kelsey?" Emily couldn't help but ask.
"They like her, for the most part I guess. She was a little outspoken for my mom's taste at first. But she came around. Kelsey's really good for me. Keeps me on my toes you know? Keeps me from losing my marbles, I guess. This line of work can drive people nuts," she explained.
"Yeah. You love it though. It shows," Emily smiled.
"Thanks. That means a lot to me,"
"So...where is Kelsey? She doesn't come in early with you?" Emily asked, finishing her coffee and tossing the cup into the trash.
"Hell no, she was still snoring like Big Foot after I got out of the shower. You know she's not a morning person," Paige laughed.
"That's true. Either am I, usually. Hence the coffee. That was my 3rd cup," she chuckled.
"How about some breakfast? I just gotta get this sauce on a low simmer and then how about I make us some waffles? I picked up some fresh berries at the farmer's market this morning. They're beautiful, you'll love them," Paige offered, gesturing to the packages on the far counter.
"Waffles sound great…" Emily smiled.
"Awesome...just uh, give me a few minutes okay? We'll eat out on the loading dock. It's nice out there in the morning,"
"Cool...can I do anything?" Emily offered.
"Sure, run out to the bar and get me a bottle of champagne, two glasses and some orange juice. Then just take a load off," she smiled as she got set to prepare her fruit.
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"Oh my God, these are delicious," Emily moaned, her mouth full of waffles, quickly cutting herself another bite.
"Glad you like," Paige chuckled in response, taking another bite of her own breakfast. She had set the table out on the loading dock perfectly, with a platter of fresh, steaming hot waffles, a bowl of the fresh berries and another full to the top with fluffy, homemade whipped cream. With them they enjoyed mimosas, a little on the weak side given they still had a full shift to work. Emily was in heaven.
"I mean it, these are the best waffles I've ever eaten in my entire life. Kelsey's really missing out. If I was your girlfriend I'd be out of bed at the crack of dawn for breakfast every damn day," Emily replied, almost immediately regretting it. Her jaw froze mid-chew and she looked up at Paige slowly, who was looking back at her as she sipped her drink, seemingly unphased.
"I uh...I'm sorry, I didn't mean...that was rude," Emily stuttered, taking a large gulp of her own drink.
"How so? You're totally right. She whines that I never make her breakfast, but if I try to wake her up before noon she tries to break my fingers off," Paige laughed.
As if on cue, Kelsey's car came clattering into the parking lot, windows down and music thumping, as she throttled over to the loading dock and parked next to Paige's Jeep. Without bothering to roll up the windows she parked and killed the engine, she all but rolled out of the driver's seat, clad in wrinkled camisole, flip flops and pajama pants that Emily suspected belonged to Paige. Her black hair was wet and tied sloppily atop her head, a backpack slung over her shoulder and an iced coffee in hand as she shuffled her way toward the loading dock.
"You used all the hot water, butthole," she grumbled, making her way up the short flight of concrete stairs, "Oh, okay. Leave me with no hot water and old ass coffee, but come make gourmet Belgian waffles for E-money. Nice," she whined when she caught a glimpse of the spread in front of them, sliding in next to Paige and kissing her anyway.
"I told you my hot water has been acting up. If you recall I suggested we stay at your place last night," Paige reminded her, piling waffles and fruit onto her now empty plate and sliding it over.
"And if you recall, I've told you a million times to move out of that dump and in with me. Em, tell her to stop dragging her feet," Kelsey whined, picking up a waffle and eating it like a cookie.
"Oh...uh, I...I'm sure she has her reasons," Emily shrugged. No way in hell was she going to talk Paige into moving in with her girlfriend when her girlfriend was someone else.
"Is that so babe? You have your reasons?" Kelsey teased, elbowing Paige in the ribs softly.
"Sure do. You snore like a beast, and your shoes...your shoes are fucking everywhere," Paige laughed, elbowing her back before embracing her in a playful headlock.
"Oh shut up," Kelsey barked a laugh, "not like you're the perfect roommate either, miss thing. Miss 'never put the clean laundry away, just pick out of the basket until there's nothing clean left'. Miss 'use all the hot water'," she replied, squirming out of Paige's grasp and giving her one more playful shove. Emily sighed softly at their cuteness. She'd give her left kidney to be the one play fighting with Paige.
"Why are you two drinking before work anyway?" Kelsey wondered, stealing a sip of Paige's mimosa. Emily shrugged as Paige swiped her glass back with a tisk.
"It's hardly drinking, the waffles will soak it up. Besides this is barely champagne. It's the shit Chrissy brought back from South Beach. She said some food writer gave it to her. I'm pretty sure she just swiped it from the hotel," she laughed. Kelsey nodded in understanding, taking a swig of it straight from the bottle and grimacing.
"Yeah, that's absolute piss," she groaned, causing Emily to laugh heartily.
"I didn't take you for a champagne connoisseur, Kels," she commented, mopping up the leftover whipped cream on her plate with her last bite of waffle and devouring it happily.
"Oh yeah, don't let her predisposition for Coors Light forties fool you. She's a real booze officionato," Paige rolled her eyes, and Emily chuckled.
"Whatever, and whatever, okay?" she flipped them both off playfully, "we should be talking about what we're doing this weekend," she finished.
"What's this weekend?" Emily asked, eyeing Paige.
"It's nothing," she replied, looking pointedly at Kelsey.
"It's Paige's birthday! Duh, why are you being stupid?" she asked Paige with a teasing shove.
"Paige you should've told me! What day is it?"
"Sunday. July 1st,"
"We have to do something fun! Really, you're like the center of our little group. Let us do something," Emily pleaded with a smile.
"It's no big deal, the BBQ is in a few days, we can just celebrate them together like we always do," came her reply.
"No, we're celebrating on your actual birthday, just us girls. What do you think Em? Club? Or we could catch the bus into NYC?" she rattled off ideas.
"Why don't we just go to a Phillies game? Joey said we could use his season tickets anytime," Paige mentioned, speaking of a friend of hers from culinary school who also lived in the city.
"Ugh...baseball? That's what you want to do for your birthday? We could go to the beach, babe! We could do anything you want!" Kelsey replied with a whine.
"I want to go to a baseball game!" Paige laughed with a shrug.
"I think that sounds fun," Emily threw in with a smile.
"Are you a fan?" Paige asked with a hopeful grin, glad that Emily was on her side of this silly argument.
"Uh, of course," Emily lied. Truth was, she had never watched a full baseball game in her life. She would have to do some brushing up before the weekend came if she wanted to not look like a total fraud in front of Paige. She knew from conversations with both Paige herself, and Hanna, and from the few times she had hung out in Paige's apartment, that Paige was a huge fan of the local sports teams. Emily had watched football here and there with her dad when she was little, and while she had considered herself a jock in high school, playing basketball and lettering as the captain of the swim team, Paige's knowledge on sports like baseball and hockey far exceeded her own.
"Cool. So that settles it. You think Hanna will be in?" Paige asked, pulling out her phone again to text her friend a time to meet up for the tickets.
"Totally. She uh...she's not one for sports so much, but...she loves you so she'll definitely come," Emily rambled.
"Awesome. Sorry babe, you're gonna have to suck it up and be bored for me," Paige said with a shit eating grin as she slipped her phone in her pocket.
"Whatever, I'll get drunk with Han while you two dorks talk about RPI's," Kelsey rolled her eyes.
"RBI's," Paige corrected.
"What the hell? You bitches didn't invite me for breakfast?" Hanna whined as she emerged from the back kitchen door and sat next to Emily.
"Don't worry Han, I wasn't invited either. I crashed their little breakfast club," Kelsey explained to her friend, now playing on her own phone.
"I'll make it up to you Hanna. Hey you free Sunday? We're going to the Phillies game, for my birthday," Paige explained.
"Oh...uh, yeah sure. Just us 4?" she asked.
"Yup. I know you don't like sports but it's still a good time. All the hot dogs and beer you can stomach on me," she smiled excitedly.
"Deal. You're still having the BBQ right? Isn't that usually your birthday party?" Hanna wondered as she picked at the remains of everyone's breakfast.
"Still having it. Lacey skyped me last night. She can't wait to see you, she wouldn't let me go to bed until I told her 100 times you'd be there," Paige recalled happily, speaking of her eight year old niece that absolutely adored and idolized Hanna.
"That's awesome! I can't wait to see that freakin kid. Wait till you meet Paige's nieces and nephews Em. They're the coolest kids," Hanna gushed.
"Yeah I've heard," she replied.
"Well...I've got to get back to work. You guys can all punch in if you want the overtime. I'll deal with Chrissy," Paige offered, beginning to pick up the dishes scattered on the table.
"I'll get those," Emily smiled, making to stand up and give Paige a hand.
"Take it easy there, employee of the month. We still gotta talk about presents for the birthday girl. Scram, babe," Kelsey ordered, grabbing Emily by the arm and yanking her back down into her seat. Emily's eyes widened at this. What the hell was she supposed to buy Paige for her birthday?
"Fine, I'm gone. Ditch that bottle would you? The last thing I need is someone narcing to Chrissy that I made mimosas for a minor," she pleaded, before heading back into the kitchen.
"So what are you getting Paige?" Emily asked Kelsey, hoping to get some ideas herself.
"Well I arranged for all her nieces and nephews to stay for a few days longer, and got tickets to take them all to Hershey Park. She's always wanted to take them there. Dragging 5 kids through an amusement park is gonna be a long day, but she'll love it. And as long as she buys me one of those 5 pound peanut butter cups in the gift shop I can get through it," she explained.
"That's amazing! She's gonna love it!" Emily exclaimed, wishing she was the one that could pull off a surprise like that for Paige. She imagined for a moment, Paige and herself walking through the theme park hand in hand as they watched the kids go on rides and bought them every single thing they wanted in every single gift shop, sharing an enormous cone of sickeningly sweet cotton candy, kissing between feeding each other bites of overpriced ice cream. She wanted so badly to fit into that place in Paige's life.
"Yeah," Kelsey replied, a lot less excited than Emily was.
"What about you Han?" Emily asked.
"I'm thinking a new chef's coat. I know a guy, makes really cool edgy ones," Hanna replied and Emily arched an eyebrow.
"You know a guy who sells chef coats?" Emily questioned.
"Emily...chef coats are clothes. I don't know anything about being a chef but I know clothes," Hanna replied as if it were nothing.
"Fine then. Let's go shopping tonight. You can help me pick something out too," Emily insisted, earning a simple nod from Hanna as she tapped away at her phone. Emily really wanted a gift that would impress Paige, and make her feel special. It seemed to her as though Paige took on the role of caretaker in every situation, even on her own birthday she would be supplying the tickets for everyone and buying Kelsey whatever she wanted, even though Emily believed it should be the other way around. She had her heart set on spoiling Paige in that moment, showing her how special she was and how much she meant to her.
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Sorry for the delay guys...had a little accident right after I posted the last chapter and was kinda bedridden for a few days. I've been just trying to get back into the swing of things, so thanks for being patient with me. This isn't going to be a chapter a day kind of thing, unfortunately. I don't want to rush this, as I've said before. But I'll do my best to update as quickly as I can.
I know Pretty Little Liars is based in Pennsylvania, so a lot of fics are set there as well. I live just a little drive outside of Philadelphia, born and raised, so it will be an even bigger part of my story. (I am literally in a Flyers jersey as I type this lol) Just a little context for my context :)
I appreciate you guys for reviewing and following this story! Thanks again and always!