Patrick was in front of Sweet Indulgence an hour before it opened, scoping the place out from across the street at Elmer's Barber Shop. He threw one leg over the other as he struggled to get comfortable on the wooden bench. It had been a long time since he had gone to these kind of lengths in pursuit of a woman, but he figured he should feel justified. It wasn't everyday he got a visit from an angry woman demanding he apologize. Emily was just stalking him; she wasn't asking for an apology. He stretched his arms above his head and kicked out his legs. His watch announced that he still had a while to wait. If it was anyone but Robin, he might have left and come back, not expecting her to show up early. However, he knew how obsessive she was and that, most likely, she would show up at least half an hour before she was supposed to. He grabbed a newspaper and read through the local news, the worldly news, and smiled once he reached The Funnies.
At half past eight, Robin strolled into his line of vision, her hair pulled back in a single braid. No doubt she had a lot to do that day and didn't want to have to deal with her hair. This also showed in her choice of outfits, a pair of nice-looking blue jeans, a short-sleeved pink top, and white tennis shoes. The heat had yet to abate; when he'd woken up, the temperature gage had screamed ninety-six degrees. No doubt Robin would have the bakery's air conditioner blasting the moment she unlocked the door. He didn't want to spook her, so he stayed where he was, his eyes peeking over the rim of the newspaper in his hands.
The little bell sounded and Patrick's head shot up. Lucas had arrived for work. Now was when he should make his move. Robin would leave Lucas out to watch for customers while she went into the back to fill in orders she might have received via voicemail on her office phone. He really had no idea, but he figured that's what they did in the mornings. How else could she and Bobbie have such a successful side business if she wasn't caught up with her own work? Patrick was proud of himself for remembering that his cousin worked for Robin, because it made the next step so much simpler. Robin would be distracted by her morning crowd of customers as was every morning cafe at this time of day. She wouldn't want to lose face in front of them. She would have to be on his best behavior. This was his chance to catch her at her most vulnerable.
Patrick felt as though he was walking to his death and, considering his single audience, he might very well be. She wouldn't want to hear his excuses. She had been hurt, by his brother no less, and she must have recognized a lot of their similar traits. He had to anticipate what she was going to say and how to buffer it if he expected to get his point across. Mac was still her uncle. If she wanted to, she could get him in a lot of trouble, but Patrick even had a glass-half-full approach to that: at least he would get to ask the Commissioner about his case against Emily since there had been no word.
Lila and Edward Quartermaine were the first customers of the morning and Robin greeted them with her warmest of smiles. The bakery's location made it both popular and inconvenient. Dropping by this early meant that her customers had to deal with slow traffic and endless lights, so she always made sure to add a pastry or two in addition to their order.
"Good morning, Edward. Lila." She welcomed them into the store, flipping the OPEN sign around once she saw that she had missed it this morning. It wasn't like her to forget things as simple as that, but too much had happened yesterday. In addition to her fight with Patrick, Morgan had thrown a fit, and she and Courtney had gotten into their first fight. Her dreams had been action-packed and exhausting, but when she awoke, she couldn't remember their content. Courtney had been gone before she woke up and she must have dropped Morgan off at the new camp Robin had signed him up for last night. It was a day camp three days a week, and she had been lucky to get him on the list for sign-up considering her procrastination.
"Good morning, Robin." Lila answered, fingering a few of Robin's newest items near the register.
"How are you my dear?" Edward wanted to know.
"I'm alright." Robin replied. "What can we get you?"
"I've been craving toffee." Edward admitted.
"It would be a little difficult to get those out of your dentures." Lila reminded him.
"Sometimes, it's worth it." Edward chuckled.
"No donuts?" Robin looked surprised.
"Of course donuts." Edward assured her.
"How many? A dozen?" Robin guessed.
"We might need a bit more since Cook is on strike this week." Lila mused.
"It just goes to show that we should have better quality staff." Edward grumbled.
"Edward, darling," Lila looped her arm in Edward's. "Let's try to stay positive."
"You're right, my dear. There's no reason to fret about it." Edward agreed, smiling over at his wife.
"Lucas, do you know if we got those chocolate covered raisins in?" Robin asked, sneaking a glance at her employee.
"As a matter of fact--" Lucas began.
"Chocolate covered raisins?" Edward's eyes grew to the size of two brown marbles.
"We had them ordered special. It turns out that one of our best customers goes goo-goo over them." Robin replied, hiding her grin.
"I'll take them all." Edward said on impulse.
"Doesn't that seem a bit extreme?" Lila asked.
"Who knows when she'll get more in?" Edward replied, reaching for his credit card.
"How about I start you off with a box and I'll deliver them to your house if you run out." Robin suggested.
"There, now, that sounds better." Lila replied.
They were true joys in the morning. Her face froze when she saw someone come in behind them. She noticed the dark head dip as he sat down at the table nearest the door. What was he doing here? She took the rest of their usual order and let Lucas check them out, handing him the credit card she had forgotten she was holding. To add insult to injury, Patrick looked in no hurry to leave.
"I'm sure these will last us a while." Lila told Robin quietly once Edward was out of earshot. He had stopped to snoop through Robin's spinner rack of cook books.
Robin turned to Lucas. "Do you need me right this second?" She didn't care if it was cowardice, she was going to hide in the back until Patrick left. Maybe he'd get the clue sooner rather than later.
"I'm fine." Lucas promised, noticing that his cousin had stopped by for some reason. From what he understood, he and Robin were mortal enemies. He had been a teenager when Robin had married Logan, so he hadn't actually experienced the tension between these two. He felt it now and it was unpleasant. Best to let Robin avoid Patrick.
"Okay." Robin regretted her answer when she realized that Patrick had heard her voice and decided that now would be the time to approach her. The door was so faraway, she thought somberly. All she would have to do was lock herself in her office. He couldn't pick locks; their childhoods had been very different. This was nuts, but she really didn't think it'd be a good idea to merely share a space with this man.
"Stop right there." Patrick ordered, though she hadn't actually disappeared from sight yet. "You and I have a lot to discuss." He continued, nodding for Lucas to stay out of it. His cousin simply rolled his eyes and straightened the pastry plates in the bake case.
"We have nothing to talk about." Robin corrected him, her arms automatically crossing at the challenge in his voice. She would not be pushed around, not when he was the one in the wrong.
"I see you're still mad about yesterday." Patrick smirked before he could stop himself. Robin's eyes flared. Oh, she was going to kill him. He should have stuck with his original approach. She might have reacted differently if he had come in on his hands and knees. She might have kicked him in the face, a little voice argued. Well, if he wanted her to forgive him, he was going to have to do whatever it took.
"I don't know what you mean. In order to be mad, I'd have to care." Robin pointed out, her left shoe tapping impatiently against the floor. If this was his way of apologizing, she was glad she wasn't holding her breath.
"That vein in your forehead is bound to crack if you don't relax." Patrick informed her.
"I am relaxed!" Robin shot back.
"Let me show you the real meaning of the word." Patrick mumbled under his breath, but Robin must have heard him because she turned an even deeper shade of red.
"We're out of sugar cookies!" Lucas announced in a high-pitched yelp. "I'll go in the back and get some."
Robin held up her hand. "That's not necessary." She told Lucas before returning her angry eyes to settle on Patrick's smug face. "You see? You're scaring my staff."
"You're scaring your staff." Patrick countered.
"I'm not scared. I'm deeply worried about the missing cookies." Lucas lied.
"Can we talk about what happened?" Patrick wondered, training his eyes on the fuming brunette.
"I already told you--" Robin snapped.
"I can see you're busy. Why don't you use the kitchen and I'll take care of the customers...or lack thereof. I'll wait for the customers." Lucas said.
"Lucas, that's really not necessary." Robin's voice was pleading.
"Thanks." Patrick reached behind the employee entrance and unlatched the lock.
"I didn't say you could come back here." Robin reminded him as he marched her into the back.
"You didn't say I couldn't."
"Whatever it is you stopped by to say, I've heard it all before."
"I'm not my brother."
"Did I say you were?"
"No, but I think you're being a little unfair."
"I'm being unfair? I'm not the one who--" Robin let the sentence hang as Patrick blocked her exit. He had his arms spread out in front of him, his right arm level with the freezer door. Robin had her back to the sink and, had she seen a way around this man twice her size, she would have attempted a getaway.
"Who what? I wasn't expecting you yesterday."
"I didn't think--" And that was her problem. She didn't think. She plowed forward without thinking things through and this was her punishment for doing so.
"That I'd be entertaining company?" Patrick finished for her.
Robin made a face of absolute disgust. Why did he have to constantly shove his conquests in her face? It wasn't as though they were dating, or even sleeping together, so why did it feel as though the bottom had dropped out of her stomach?
"Look, I get why you're mad, but you really don't have any reason to be." Back up, a nagging voice insisted. Say something complimentary.
"I guess I don't." Robin gave in, not caring that her answer shocked Patrick into silence.
"You're the one who showed up at my apartment unannounced, and you're the one who tried to kiss me."
"Excuse me?" Robin shrieked.
"You heard me. Honestly, I don't know what took you so long. You've wanted me since the day we met."
"Wanted you like a heat rash." Robin clarified, rolling her eyes.
"You should give into temptation. It's well worth it."
"If I wanted a male hooker, I'd search the yellow pages." Robin pointed a finger at him.
"That's what you think of me?"
"Am I supposed to believe that that offends you?"
"I'm honored that you would devote so much of your time to finding out how I like to spend my time."
"Don't be. I just happen to deal with many of your 'entertained' guests after you've up and left them. You're surprisingly good for business." Robin grinned.
"So you need me?" Patrick guessed.
"You're impossible. Get out of my kitchen."
"What would you do if I kissed you?" Patrick wanted to know. Robin blanched at him. If she hadn't been leaning against the sink, he bet she would have melted in her spot. Damn, he was good.
Robin pushed away from the sink and uncrossed her arms. Let's see how far he was willing to take this. "Go ahead."
"I wouldn't want to be accused of taking advantage later." Patrick countered.
"All talk and no action?"
"Oh, babe, I'm all about action." Patrick argued.
"Then kiss me. I dare you."
Robin reached up and undid the top button on Patrick's blue striped shirt. She slid her hand around his neck, pressing her palm against his skin. Patrick's eyes practically rolled in the back of his head and she heard him sigh. His left hand shot out and he latched her to him. "Well, Drake, I'm waiting for that kiss." She told him, craning her neck to see him.