My dear little broccolis💚💚💚

~ So here comes a new update, and see, OMG, two in one day? What's happening to me? Haha. Writing spree. Enjoy while it lasts. For those concerned about Jace's behaviour being out of character, remember that Jace is a lawyer, and that it has been stated over and over and over again that he was a workaholic. Don't forget what happened the first months after Clary left, and how he acted. And as for the cheating (?), remember that Jace hadnt had sex in over two years, waiting for Clary. Maybe it means he can't wait anymore, or maybe it means that he can wait even longer ... Only the story will let you know.

~ BY THE WAY, for all of those who want to read my book, I am putting it on Wattpadd. Same user name as usual, and for those who knew the original fanfic, it was Beaten At His Own Game. Go ahead and check it out, and let me know what you think about it. It would mean the world to me. A NEW CHAPTER HAS BEEN UPDATED.

Love, Mina💚💚💚

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PART 2

Chapter12: Jordan (2,9K)

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Michael Jackson - You Are Not Alone

Rihanna - What Now

Evanescence - Together Again

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Clary's PoV

"See? The secret to a perfect whipped cream is in the cold," I tell Paolo as I show him how to properly whip cream.

It's past six in the evening, and usually, we stop to bake around that time so we can start to clean in order to close the shop around seven. But today I decided I'll show something to Paolo. I mean, Christmas is next week, and I can't always be on his back. I already have sick orders from individuals as well as from hotels. Though, if I'm being fully honest, I also avoid going home.

The fact that I know I'll be there alone is not very alluring. I know that I always come back to an empty flat because Jace works late. That's not something new, it's how t's always been between us. But knowing that he'll come back very late makes me kind of sad. I guess before I could always imagine that a part of him wanted to come back, even if he didn't. Now, he just doesn't want to come back. I mean, he works for himself (well, Hodge and him), so he can come home whenever he wants, and doesn't have to stay at work until the wee hour. If he doesn't, it's just that he wants to.

"A real créme fouettée is all about the airiness. I know that some people help themselves with icing sugar, but then the cream is too heavy. And anyway, I feel like it's cheating," I keep going, whipping my cream vigorously and doing my best not to think of my empty apartment. Yesterday night, Jace came back an hour before I woke up. And it sucks. I thought getting an assistant was supposed to give him more time, not make him stay at the office even more.

"What did you add in the cream?" Paolo asks, paying real attention to everything I'm going, and making me smirk at him. I added a little of salted butter caramel so my cream can have a little of sugar in it, as well as a little hint of something that people always wonder about. Because it's very little, and that it amplifies the flavours of the pastry without giving away its own taste. But that's my little secret, and I'm not ready to give it away like that.

"My special touch." Paolo nods, apparently understanding that I'm not ready to give him all my tricks, yet; and I give him the bowl so he can keep whisking. "Never stop whipping, okay? Always in the same sense, and at the same tempo. Baking is like creating an opera, and right now, you're in a very intense and orchestral piece."

Paolo takes over the cream, and once I feel he's going to be okay on his own, I go to the shop so I can look if Maia took any more orders for next week. I'm really nervous about next week. I think I'll even have to spend a couple of nights here. I just hope my big oven will be back on time, otherwise I am sue I am going to do a mental breakdown.

It's crazy how I have ten times more job to do during this week when I actually said that the shop would be closed on the twenty-fifth evening. And that I'll close earlier on the twenty-fourth. I mean, my employees have lives, and myself have a fiancé to go to on Christmas Eve. I doubt lawyers work on Christmas night.

We didn't actually talk about Christmas night with Jace, but I found him the perfect gift, and I'm planning on cooking him his favourite meal. Nothing traditional, just his favourite food, because I guess we'll both be exhausted anyway. But still, I'm sure it will be nice to have a night just for the both of us. We haven't had that since Paris. Even just for a movie. The two of us have been pretty busy ever since we came back.

I actually hoped that Jace would come back home early at least one night, so I could tell him about my baby being sick, and me deciding to still keep Paolo, but be less expectant of him; but since he came late all week long, I didn't get the chance to let him know anything. And though I send him texts every day, I don't feel like telling him that through text messages. It doesn't feel right. It's something I would share with Jace through speech, not text messages. It feels weird, otherwise.

As I enter the shop, I see Maia with her boyfriend again. I don't mind him being here, he's not causing any problem, and Maia doesn't stop working because he is here; but I mind the way they immediately stopped talking when they saw me. Now, I feel like I am an intruder in my own shop. How ridiculous is that?!

Maia brightly smiles to me and walks so she is at my level, by the kitchen door's frame before she informs me: "Actually, Clary, Jordan and I were talking about you,"

Well, that sucks. I don't like people talking about me. Wether it's in front of me, or behind my back. It makes me feel uncomfortable.

"Jordan was second in our hometown," She continues, unphased by my cold and stern face; and as her words echo in my mind, I turn my head to her boyfriend, Jordan.

You know, I'm perfectly aware that we're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but Jordan is scary. If I had seen him on the street, I would have changed my path. He has tattoos all over his arms, long rebellious hair, blue eyes marked by heavy bags, he's probably taller than Jace, and I can honestly say that his weight is twice as mine, all muscles. He's not aspiring safety. Not at the first look, at least.

But the rare times Maia talked about her boyfriend, she made it look like the guy went to the moon to pluck enchanted flowers for her. So I guess he is sweet at some point.

"Was?" I emphasise, raising my eyebrows at him. I mean, it's not because he was a second that he can't bake. On the contrary, he's supposed to know all fields. No, the worrying part is the tense 'was'. Cooks are too demanded, especially at this season, to be wandering like that in the wild.

"I got fired," Jordan truthfully says, and just by the way he glanced at Maia, I already know why. He got fired for the principal people get fired in the restaurant business. But still, I give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Why so?"

"For drug use," He says, not without glancing to Maia once again. I guess Maia is the one who told him to be clear, because I can see from the corner of my eye that she's giving him the big eyes.

"Which one?" I ask, because I can't have a cocaine or a heroine addict around when I already have Paolo on my hands.

"Marijuana," He says, and I tilt my head a little, hoping to appear a little more serious than a barely eighteen young entrepreneur. "I swear it's the only drug I ever took," He insists, and I decide to believe him.

"And are you clean, now?"

"Not really," He truthfully answers, scratching the back of his head with a guilty look, but what really strikes me is the way I can feel Maia's gaze on me. I think she told Jordan to be completely honest, and now she's waiting for my answer. The problem is that I can't hire him. Even if I could really use the help, I can't pay him. I don't have enough money, yet. Well, I could, but then the taxes would be on my back since I only declared two employees until the end of this year. Maybe I could tell him to come back next year, meaning in three weeks.

"I can't hire you. It's not you. What you do outside of work is not my problem, as long as it doesn't touch your work. It's just that I don't have the founds," I honestly tell him, really annoyed that I have to let go of a useful hand.

Jordan seems as annoyed, because he takes a step toward me and pleads his case: "Look, I know you could use the help. Maia told me about the crazy week you have coming. And I know that the help you have isn't what you need right now. You don't have to make it official. Hell, you don't even have to pay me. I just want to work again."

I loudly heave, passing a hand on my face before walking out of the shop to make a call. I mean, he's right, I could really use the help. But I already did my tax reports for this year, and so I can't hire before January. I think about calling Jace, to ask if it's really illegal of me to hire someone without declaring them, but then I think better of it. I mean, he must be very busy, he probably doesn't need my worries in addition of his.

So, instead, I call my Dad's office, realising that it's been a while since I called him. We did text a little, but it's not the same as to see or talk to him. He's going to think I forgot about him. Maybe I should spend the twenty-fifth with him and Lily. I mean, we had a really good time last year when we were in London. Yeah, I'll ask him about my legal advices, then I'll propose him to come home on the twenty-fifth so the four of us can celebrate Christmas as a family. I'm sure he'd like that, especially since he still didn't see what our new apartment looks like.

After two ringtones, someone picks up, but it's not the voice I was expecting: "DA's office, ADA Velrac speaking, what can I do for you?"

"Hi Seb. It's Clary," I say, not sure of what else I can say. I've been meaning to call him, but I wanted Jace to warm up to him first. And I didn't have time to work on Seb's case since I barely saw Jace with our crazy hours. And now, Seb must hate me so much because he probably thinks I forgot about him.

"Clary? Clary who?" He says, and I pale. He really is mad at me. "Just kidding, Little Red! I know your shop is keeping you all busy. Your Dad can't stop beaming about it to everyone around here."

I can almost hear him roll his eyes, but what he's saying is making me happy. Apparently Dad is being one of those father I've seen on TV. The ones talking about how proud they are of their children, and well, it does make me feel good. Still, I try to not lose track of why I'm calling, and ask: "Is he around?"

"He's in a meeting with the Judge. Do you want me to tell him to call you back?"

I hesitate, glancing at the shop that I can still see from where I am; and I see Jordan pacing through the shop with Maia telling him to keep calm.

"Actually, I need a legal advise, now. Can you do that for me?"

"What kind of legal advise would you need that you can't have from your fiancé?" Seb suspiciously inquires, and so I let him know:

"Jace is busy settling his new secretary into place. I don't want to bother them. And I need an answer, now. I want to know if I'm committing a crime by hiring someone under the table?"

There's a little blank, and then Seb asks: "Is that person your friend?"

"Not really. He's my salesgirl's boyfriend," I say, not sure how this information is relevant.

"Well, technically, nothing prevents him to come help you in your shop. It's your shop, not a franchise or a food chain. You are your own patron, and so nothing prevents you from 'giving money' to your friend. Not as a wage, but just from a friend to another."

I think about it, feeling a sort of relief coming to me as I realise that I might have someone for Christmas week. I mean, someone else than Paolo, someone I won't have to babysit. And just when I'm about to thank you, Seb asks: "Are you free Monday night?"

"Seb … next week is going to be crazy," I start, but he interrupts me:

"I know, Christmas and shit. I'm just proposing Netflix and chill. In the true meaning. Something like catching you up on Supernatural and eat pizza like two big fatties," Seb promises, and it reminds me of our Monday nights in London when we would do exactly that.

"Well, I'll text you our address so you can come by. But you're buying the pizza, you know."

Seb laughs before I tell him know that I have to go. I'll tell Jace about it when I'll see him tonight. I hope he won't mind. I mean, it's just pizza, right? And it's Seb. I've been missing him and his stupid jokes. Well, I hope I'm seeing Jace tonight, because tomorrow is Saturday, and he's going away on his business trip, so I won't see him until Monday, if he doesn't come early tonight.

But anyway, I go back to the shop and indicate Jordan to follow me. Once in the kitchen, I give him a protective apron along with Paolo's spare security shoes and then I show him around, introducing him to Paolo. And Jordan's first reaction is to let out a loud and impressed whistle: "Your kitchen is freaking huge."

I smile, blushing a little because my kitchen is kind of my pride. I love her. I love the way I put her together and how she's very useful. But anyway, it's not because he compliments my kitchen that I should hire him, it's because he works well, and I need to see if he does. Like I said, I don't want a second Paolo.

I give Jordan today's special, clementine cupcakes with chocolate chips and a hint of cinamon. "You have an hour and a half to make me warm cupcakes. No recipe, just the title. If it's good and well done, I'll keep you," I tell him, because I want to make sure he can actually bake. After, I can always make him follow my recipes, but I want to know if he has guts.

He looks around, apparently looking for something, and then asks: "No robots?"

"I like it better when everything is really homemade. If you can't work without robots, you can't work with me," I let him know because I really don't like working with machines.

Jordan looks at me, apparently a little surprised before nodding and tying his hair up. And I internally check this in my okay list to keep him.

Hair tied up. Check

Paper skullcap. Check.

Washing hands. Check.

Having a tidy workplace. Check

Working on the workplace. Check.

Knowing when to put each ingredient to have the best of its flavour. Not check.

Respecting the way to whisk properly to have them really moist. Not check.

Being a little daring. Check.

Tasting your dough. Not check.

Being accurate to have propositional cupcakes. Check.

Dosing properly the colours to have a nice red with shades of orange. Check.

Innovating on the icing. Check

Tasting your cooking. Check. (Well, he tasted his cupcakes before making me taste it)

When the time is up, Maia and Paolo already closed the shop and so they are also here to taste the cupcakes. I mean, they're going to have to work with him as well, I need to know that there won't be any issue. And their opinion is important to me anyway.

Maia and Paolo have the same reaction. They liked the cupcake. Liked. There's something that doesn't make the cupcake thrilling. And so, I let Jordan know:

"You used the clementine's juice instead of zesting it. I give you that it makes the cupcakes more moist, but it kills the cinnamon and the chocolate taste. Without saying that it gives me the impression to eat something like a baba. You would have known if you had tasted your preparation before putting it in the oven. Other than that, I think I can work with you. We'll talk about more details tomorrow at five sharp here. If you're still interested?"

Jordan nods like a maniac, smiling as if I just gave him an early Christmas present, and I see what Maia sees in him. The sparkles in his eyes.

"You can come at seven tomorrow. Rest a little," I tell Paolo, and then I tell the two boys to clean the kitchen while I go changing. Maybe next week won't be so much of a mess after all.

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💚Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed💚

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~ So, here is a little bit of sunshine in Clary's life. Hope you liked it.

~ Anyway, question times:

` 1. What did you think of this insight in Clary's work?

` 2. What about Jordan? What did you think about him?

` 3. What about Christmas? What did Clary get off Jace? And how do you think it will go?

` 4. What was your favourite part?

Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.

Kiss💋 Kiss💋 Bang🔫 Bang🔫.