"So, let me get this straight. James shows up as the guest judge for week two and doesn't tell you at all?"

Marlene swings her crossed legs under the table as she sits on the metal countertop while Lily is trying to frost the last batch of cupcakes for tomorrow's menu. She missed Lily's initial tirade after returning home yesterday because she was out with Sirius again.

"Yup," Lily answers, gaze focused on the steady swirling of the chocolate-chili frosting over Dulce de Leche cupcakes.

"Even though you were texting him beforehand?"

"Correct again."

"And then he told you the baklava had too many layers during your judging, and you didn't lose your cool at all?"

Lily pauses her work and shoots Marlene a tired, exasperated look. "I am capable of controlling my temper, you know."

"I know that! But after hearing Petunia and Mona both describe the scene you made at Belfast, I had to be sure."

Lily sets the piping bag down and brushes tiny beads of sweat from her forehead before resting her arms down on the cool work surface, leaning over.

"Marls, if that bit airs on the episode, I'll look like a fool. Why would I give in to the temptation of telling him off and embarrass myself further? Plus, I wasn't about to say anything to make them more inclined to air it."

"So you just stood there and took it?"

Lily bites her lip, her words floating in the back of her head. "Well…"

"Lily!"

"I only said I wasn't aware that there was such a thing as too many layers!"

Marlene bursts into laughter at her defense. "Well, at least that was the only criticism he had."

Except it wasn't.

With a heavy eye roll, Lily mutters under her breath, "sure."

"It was, wasn't it?"

"Um…"

"Oh my god, Lils, spill!"

Lily steels herself with a deep breath. "He said the balance was off because of the layers so he was left wanting more of the sweet and tangy mixture of the filling," she admits as she ducks her head down the surface of the counter, unable to meet Marlene's gaze.

"Shut up. Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" Marlene squeals, with each repetition of the phrase mounting in disbelief or excitement. Lily's not sure what.

"What?" she groans, not sure if she wants to know.

"You can't be serious! Isn't it obvious? He wasn't talking about the dessert at all!"

Oh, no.

Sure, Lily suspected that maybe James was messing with her, but she'd talked herself out of it. It was one thing to share inside jokes, but on the set of a filmed competition? He wouldn't dare.

"He wouldn't—"

"Oh, please, Lily, don't be delusional!"

"Hoping and delusion aren't the same thing." Her words are muddled as her hands cover her face in embarrassment.

"I think it's romantic, to be honest. The man practically told you he wants to know you better! How are you not falling head over heels in love with him?"

"Because not all of us fall hard and fast for the first man we lay our eyes on, Marls."

She sounds harsh, but Marlene has always been this way, believing in love at first sight and all that rubbish. While Marlene is hopeful for a fairy tale ending, Lily chooses to stick with reality. And reality doesn't give everyone their Prince Charming.

"This is different, Lily! I think Sirius could be the one," Marlene insists, hurting Lily's heart in the process.

"And what about the last five guys? I seem to recall you saying the same thing about them. Should I call Mary for confirmation?"

"No! I know I give the same line over and over, but there's something different about Sirius. He may seem wild and carefree on the outside, but he's really sweet when it's just the two of us."

Lily sighs. "Well, as long as you're happy. But I hope you aren't jeopardizing your job with this extended stay. No man is worth giving up a career over."

It still surprises her that Marlene's been here for two weeks, and she hopes her best friend isn't feeding her and Mona lines about work just so she can spend most nights getting to know Sirius. Lily loves Marlene to death, but worries when her best friend thinks with her heart and not her brain.

"You have nothing to worry about! I just had a meeting with Amelia yesterday! She's asked me to stay and start scoping out locations to expand the business. Dublin's doing so well, and it's not like London needs another bridal boutique, but she wants me to start searching just the same."

"Oh, I didn't realize—"

"You've been busy. It's understandable! I'm just grateful Mona is letting me stay with you guys, and I get to spend my free time with you and Sirius. It's a win-win!"

Lily laughs at Marlene's optimism. "It is, isn't it?"

"Yup. Now, how about you finish frosting those babies and we can get out of here. You promised me a girls day and I'm holding you to it!"

"Alright, alright!"

Lily glances at the door to the shop. She knows she can't delay the inevitable for too long, but the truth is that she's taken her time today in the hopes that she'll still be here if James shows up. It's only Monday, but his promise of stopping by lingers in the back of her mind. Though it looks like she'll have to wait another day to be graced by his presence.

Two more days pass with no sign of James at Puff's Pastries. Lily's Wednesday shift is coming to a close, and she's running out of patience. She knows she could text him, but Lily doesn't want to give him the satisfaction of making contact first. He's probably waiting for that, the cocky bloke that he is.

Having finished the prep work for Thursday's menu, Lily finds herself with a little extra time before she can clock out, so she decides to practice for bread week. She's kneading by hand, which is rather therapeutic as she slaps the dough down on the counter and uses her upper body strength to push the mixture around.

The more she stews about James's continued absence, the more frustrated she gets. It makes zero sense, but fixating on her anticipation of him stopping by leads her to question her anticipation, and that frazzles her even more than she was before.

What is going on with me lately?

Lily Evans has never been one to rely on a man. She is independent. She works hard for everything she achieves, and she does it all by herself. She has to. It is blatantly clear what happens if she so much as lets another person in on her aspirations. It will lead to setbacks, compromised timelines, and a loss of precious savings.

But does that mean you'll never take a chance on someone again?

That stupid little voice in the back of her mind taunts her. Sure, she has trust issues because of a string of good-for-nothing ex-boyfriends in her past, but that's not the reason Lily's been avoiding anything close to resembling a relationship. She's just too busy with her career. Making a name for yourself takes time, effort, and focus!

Plus, the men in Belfast don't exactly meet Lily's expectations for a life partner. She wants someone who treats her as an equal, which shouldn't be hard considering she lives in the twenty-first century. But it's not surprising when others still think they can manipulate people and get their way just because they have an exorbitant amount of money in their pockets.

Not only that, but Lily wants a man who is passionate, unafraid to let their heart lay on their sleeve. Someone who appreciates her hobbies, and—if it's not too much to ask—shares the same interests as her. And of course, there has to be that romantic spark. Something more than a grand gesture here or there because that's not what love's about, is it?

Does such a person exist?

Hmm, it sounds an awful lot like you're describing a certain person who's already in your life.

But her final stipulation is that he can't be a rich, arrogant prat, which swipes a thick red line right over James Potter's name as a potential suitor. He's all about portraying his image. Never once has he gone out of his way to show her she means more to him than just a baking partner. Someone to share ideas with, and perhaps an occasional snog if the mood is right—not that she's complaining, given her dismal lack of a dating life lately.

But what about the date? That seemed awfully romantic, and I think you're—

No, Lily wasn't going to let the voice in the back of her head win. He probably spent an exorbitant amount of money on that outing and that's the reason he was so sweet. James needed to coax her out so he wouldn't suffer the blow to his pockets. Or worse, his ego.

She punches the dough again and lets out an angry grunt. It doesn't matter how delectable James tastes or how much she craves his touch. He can't be trusted. They would be the complete opposite of a match made in heaven, and she can't allow herself to become more attached than she already is.

Someone exhales audibly behind her, making her jump. "What did that dough do to you?"

Lily whirls around to see James—the current bane of her existence— standing just inside the door, eyebrows raised in curiosity, with his hands tucked in his pockets as he watches her work.

"How long have you been standing there?" She spits out with more venom in her voice than is necessary.

"Long enough to wonder if you've over-kneaded that dough."

Rolling her eyes, Lily shapes the sticky batter into a ball, places it in a glass bowl, and tightens a layer of plastic wrap over the top before carrying it to the proofing drawer. "What are you doing here, James?"

She's growing tired of whatever game he's playing with his inconsistent behavior and sporadic conversations.

"Didn't we agree that I'd stop by the shop this week?"

"Yes, but—"

"And it is still Wednesday of this week, is it not?"

"James," warns Lily.

James takes a few steps closer, arm extending to reach out and brush the strands of hair that have fallen out of her now loose ponytail. She's fully prepared to back away and close herself off to him, to tell him that this isn't a good idea and that they should stop whatever it is. But one swipe of his feather-light touch has her leaning closer, and her previous thoughts of how he is all wrong for her blow up into obliteration.

His eyes soften with concern as she peers into his face. "Fancy a walk while the dough proofs?" he asks gently, and Lily feels the nod before she can tell herself no.

He waits while she hangs her apron up and replaces the floury fabric with her coat. She also pulls her black knit hat over her head and slides on the matching gloves. It was cold this morning when she walked to the bakery, and while she hopes it has warmed up, she'd rather be prepared for a chilly onslaught. They walk out the front so Lily can give Chelsea a heads up that she's taking a break, and slip out the door before the manager can flash any knowing looks or make any teasing remarks.

James leads her in the opposite direction of Mona's home, down a path near the river that she's taken a few times by herself since she's come to stay in London. The lapping of the water reminds her of the pier she often visits back home in Belfast, though the surroundings are quieter. Though, perhaps that's because it's March and still a bit too cold for people to be out and enjoying the weather yet.

The path winds them into a tree-covered trail that's further away from nearby traffic. Lily knows there's a park at the other end of the trail that they'll likely loop around and make their way back.

"Have I done something wrong?" James asks, breaking the silence between them for the first time since they've left the shop.

Hmm, let's see. Simply existing? Presenting yourself as the perfect adonis of a man that's completely irresistible even though you're bad news?

There are so many tempting ways Lily can respond as her imagination ramps up into overdrive. But instead of letting any of her more colorful answers escape, she settles on an undescriptive "no."

James frowns and though Lily hopes he'll drop the subject, he doesn't. "Forgive me for pushing, but I don't believe you. You left rather abruptly on Sunday and didn't seem altogether pleased about seeing me today."

Oh, here we go with the formality again.

"Well, maybe if you hadn't been so suggestive in your judging on Sunday, the day may have ended differently."

She figures she might as well come out with it and be honest with him. It's not that she can't take criticism about her baking. Lily thrives on constructive criticism to help her improve, but what she can't look past is his need to muddle the lines on something so important. She wasn't going to bring it up, but since he's asking, the words spilled out traitorously, and she hates that her body and her mouth now succumb to his ridiculous charm.

"You can't be serious," he protests. "Lily, I never meant to offend you by it. I was judging a competition, after all—"

"But were you judging the baklava or…" despite cutting him off, Lily's conviction falls short in finishing the question.

James stops, leaving Lily moving ahead until she realizes he's no longer by her side. His hands are shoved into his pockets as he stares ahead, and Lily is dying to know what he's thinking.

"Did you forget how to walk or—"

"Yes and no."

"Excuse me?"

"For the most part, yes, I was judging the baklava." He takes a few steps closer to her before gesturing to a bench along the path nearby.

This ought to be good if he wants us to sit down. Does he think I'll be less likely to ditch him if his answer pisses me off?

As she sits down, she presses for more clarification. "Okay, what constitutes 'the most part?'"

"Anything to do with the flavors, and I have to admit the flavoring disguise was flawless."

"And the layers?"

A sheepish smirk forms on his lips and Lily forces herself to stay annoyed with him, no matter how much she wants to kiss that smirk off his face.

"The layers may have been an underhanded comment about the baker."

"So, me."

"Yes, you."

"Why?"

He doesn't respond right away, which fuels Lily's impatience more. She tries to let the water soothe and distract her, though it's a meek attempt.

"I suppose I thought that was our thing," he says eventually.

"Our thing?"

Lily searches James's face for any other explanation, but his expression is blank. He's too good at not giving anything away, which waves another red flag in Lily's mind. She looks away and attempts to decode the meaning on her own. She wasn't even aware they had a thing until he follows up with,

"You know, misunderstandings at competitions."

Of course, the glitter.

And then there was her assumption of his relationship to Dora afterward, but why would he even think she'd want there to be a misunderstanding?

"Then why did you choose too many layers?'" She knows the answer, but she still wants to hear him admit it.

"Well, unfortunately, you chose not to flash me this time—" he pauses to flash her a wicked grin and she buries her face in her hands, "—so, I figured after two weeks without your company, I'd express my desire to get to know you better."

"So, you chose a moment that was not only in front of dozens of other people but one that might also be aired for all of the United Kingdom to see, that you missed me?"

"In plain terms, yes."

"Great, so in a few weeks or months or whenever it is that that episode will air, the entire world will know that I was the mystery woman in the tabloid."

"I didn't peg you to be so dramatic," James muses, though he reaches his hand out to take hers. Lily scowls at his slight but doesn't pull her hand away from his grasp. "You can't let the press get to you. Can you imagine if I let everything I see in that bloody newspaper dictate my life? I'd never leave the house. Besides, that was two weeks ago now, Rita's moved on to capture someone else's life. We're old news."

"Sure, until—" Lily tries to remind him about the show again, but is stopped when he places his finger against her lips.

"If it bothers you that much, I'll ask them to leave that footage out." His finger glides across her cheek as the rest of his hand splays out to cup her face.

Lily sighs as she leans into the warmth of his palm. She tries not to think about how the lightest of touches manages to calm her and make her forget all the reasons why this isn't a good idea.

"I don't want to be perceived as high maintenance, either," she argues.

He dips his head lower and Lily sucks in a breath, anticipating the moment where their lips meet. The moment she's been waiting for since she pried herself away from his arms on Sunday.

"How about we decide once there's a rough cut to view?"

"I suppose that's fair."

"Does that mean you forgive me then?" he asks. She meets his eyes and momentarily gets lost in the flecks of gold that sparkle in the overcast afternoon.

"For now."

"Fair enough." James's voice is low and Lily feels the vibrations rumble in her chest.

A small smile etches on her lips as she closes her eyes and tilts her head up to welcome the kiss he offers. She doesn't realize how much she craves his touch until she's in the heat of the moment, and this time is no different. Her hand drifts up to James's chest, resting over the dark grey peacoat. The kiss is light and innocent, unlike their other two embraces, and, though she likes this side of their intimacy, Lily resists the urge to grab the lapel of his coat and pull herself onto his lap.

A light wind sends shivers up the back of her neck—or maybe it's James's hand trailing down her neck to pull her hair free from the confines of the hair tie. Once her auburn locks are loose, James pulls his lips away from hers and trails kisses to her ear.

"I've made a reservation at the Orangery next Wednesday. It was the earliest availability they had. Please say you're free to join me," he whispers, hints of his deep baritone sending a sweeping wave of desire straight to her core.

A light chuckle escapes her. "You didn't use your status to push someone else out?"

"No, I was under the impression you wouldn't like that."

"You're right."

"So, next Wednesday?"

"I don't know, James, my schedule's rather tight."

"Ah, well—"

"—But I think I can move some things around since you went to the trouble of making a reservation," she teases.

"Brilliant. Now, I believe you have some over-kneaded dough that will be ready to go into the oven soon."

"Yes, I suppose we should get back. Can't go out on bread week, can I?"

"I suspect you won't go out at all."

"I hope you're right. Let's go before I over-proof the blasted thing."

The next morning, Lily wakes with a renewed sense of optimism for both the upcoming bread week and her relationship with James—whatever that can be classified as. Her day goes well as she tests out a new recipe for strawberry mango tartlets. Spring is coming soon and there's no time like the present to start experimenting with flavors.

After a relaxing evening of watching old episodes of the Great British Bake Off's bread weeks, Lily uses the afternoon to experiment with both focaccia and ciabatta doughs. The more she has a chance to work with, the better her chances will be to survive another week in the competition. She's so absorbed in her work throughout the day that she doesn't feel or hear her phone go off, and only sees that there's a message from James after her final loaf goes in the oven.

James: Good luck on your bread baking endeavors today.

James: I'd also avoid the papers if I were you.

James: Lily, I promise it's not a big deal. It'll blow over in a few days, and they still can't tell.

James: Honestly, I think it's rather flattering.

James: If you don't respond to me in the next thirty minutes, I'm coming down to Puff's Pastries.

What the hell?

The onslaught of James's messages began around eight that morning and persisted sporadically throughout the day. The last message was sent at 2:11 and Lily frantically checks the time. She has no idea what James is talking about, and as much as she'd love to see him again, she doesn't need any distractions. It's only 2:23, so she's still within the thirty-minute window.

Lily: Sorry, phone's been away all day. I've been busy. You know...working for a living. What are you droning on about?

She presses send and waits. Since the last loaf is in the oven, it's not like she's got anything else to do. It doesn't take him long to respond.

James: So, you haven't seen today's edition of the Daily Mail?

Lily's heart sinks to her stomach and her phone slips out of her hand, clattering on the metal table.

No, no, no, not again!

"Is everything alright in here?" Chelsea rushes in after the sound of the loud noise.

"Y-yeah."

"Are you sure, Lil? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"You don't happen to have a copy of the Daily Mail out there, do you?"

Chelsea's eyes widen, and Lily instantly knows she's seen it, along with the rest of London and who knows how many others.

"How bad is it?"

The manager does her best to hide the grimace but is unsuccessful. "Well, you can't tell that it's you unless they know you. James is on full display, though."

"Well, let's see it then."

Chelsea disappears and comes back a few moments later, the paper open to the celebrity gossip page already. This time, Lily isn't as lucky. The picture isn't unsuspecting in a corner but plastered in the middle of the page and in color for everyone to see her vibrant red locks. The image was taken after James had pulled the hairband out and her hair frames the majority of her face, covering any features that might give her identity away to anyone who wished to look her up.

Their foreheads are touching and smiles grace both of their faces like they're sharing a secret. Lily's sure the photograph was snapped when she was teasing him about having to wait for their reservation next week. As she gazes at the paper, Lily can't help but notice how happy they look together, which causes conflict within her.

She wants to be angry that she's landed in the tabloids again, yet the photo reveals just how happy she looks with James, which makes her wonder...no.

This isn't what she wants. Sure, she wants to be known for her baking, but Lily also wants to live a quiet life. Plus, what's going to happen when people find out her identity? This will not be good for the court case. It will just give Sev more ammunition to use against her, no matter how false his claims are. And since Mona's helped her out by securing a strong lawyer who can help her fight this, the last thing Lily wants is to repay her by adding more work to make her case.

She can't let this continue. Being with James Potter, whether as a friend or more, is a bad idea. She'll honor her commitment of accompanying him to the Orangery next week, but after that, she needs to cut him loose. Her heart clenches at the thought of eliminating James from her life, but she does her best to look past it as she crumples up the newspaper and tosses it in the bin. At least she's got enough to distract herself until it's time to return to Belfast.