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"Morning." Punk said, watching Daryl arrive the next morning for work.
"Morning." Daryl nodded to him briefly, walking through to the back to hang his jacket up, noticing Finn was already there, shaping dough into bagel shapes and placing them on a baking tray ready for the oven, "When did you get here?" Daryl asked curiously.
"Twenty minutes ago, maybe." Finn shrugged.
"What kind of mood is he in?" Daryl asked Finn, perhaps in the friendliest manner he'd spoken to him thus far.
"He's just his usual self from what I can notice." Finn shrugged as Daryl just nodded, grabbing his apron from the hanging rack and putting it over his head, tying it at the back whilst walking through to the front of the shop where Punk was fixing tables ready for opening.
"You fancy doing open-mic night again?" Punk asked him as Daryl looked over.
"Again?" Daryl asked.
"Yeah, why not? It went down well the first time." Punk said.
"I had to sing to get people up." Daryl rolled his eyes, "I'm not doing that again."
"Ok… you got any other ideas?" Punk asked him. Truth be told, Daryl had come up with some of their best ideas for the coffee shop. The chocolate fountain which they still put out every Friday, their open-mic night which brought them in a lot of revenue, as well as just his natural ability to chat and welcome customers.
After speaking with AJ last night about Daryl, Punk couldn't help going easy on him again.
"Not really thought about any other ideas." Daryl admitted, "Too busy concentrating on the breakfast sandwiches right now."
"Ok, well… have a think for me." Punk nodded.
"Ok." Daryl agreed, "What's your plans for The Summer Fair?" He asked curiously.
"Not decided on anything final yet but I think we should do the breakfast sandwiches and maybe get Linda to bake for us again." Punk nodded.
"And the chocolate fountain?" Daryl asked.
"Yeah, of course. Our Fair trademark." Punk smiled as Daryl nodded with a proud smile, "Don't get all hot about it but… I was thinking about maybe asking The Brewberry girls if they wanted to team up this time. As an apology for being such a dick at the Spring Fair and declining their help." He said.
"And because your dating AJ?" Daryl raised a brow.
"I think it could be a good idea." Punk shrugged.
"I was never opposed to it the last time. That was all you. I thought it was a great idea." Daryl said.
"Well, I've matured and grown." Punk nodded.
"In a couple of months?" Daryl asked.
"Yes." Punk nodded, "I'm just wondering if you, Finn and Shiv working together will go down smoothly?" He asked Daryl with concern.
"I can be professional." Daryl shrugged.
"Really?" Punk raised a brow.
"Yes, I can." Daryl said with attitude.
"Ok." Punk nodded, watching as he began cleaning out the coffee machine, "Hey, I'm sorry for being a little off with you yesterday." He said as Daryl turned back around to him, "I'm just… me and AJ, we're taking things slow. I don't want our business spread all around this place. Not for me, I couldn't care less. But for AJ. We're just taking it a day at a time." He said as Daryl nodded, "And I really do like her." He thought he would add.
"I can tell." Daryl nodded, "You don't have to apologise. I wasn't very chill. I guess I liked the fact the attention wasn't on me and Finn for once." He admitted, "And honestly… I do forget you're my boss sometimes."
"I don't think that's a bad thing entirely. I want to be your friend and someone you can talk to. I don't just want to be your big evil boss." Punk nodded, "But there's line we shouldn't cross."
"Then you'll stop asking me about Shiv?" Daryl asked.
"If you want me to stop." Punk nodded, "I just think things would be a whole lot better if you and her had a conversation."
"She won't wanna talk to me." Daryl shook his head with doubt.
"You don't know that until you try." Punk assured him, "But if you don't want me to talk to you about it then I won't. I just figured you might need to vent to someone." He shrugged.
"I'm ok." Daryl shook his head as Punk nodded.
"Ok." Punk said, "Now get to thinking about what we could do here to spice things up a little." He nodded.
"What is the deal with that screaming kid over there?" Becca shook her head, standing behind the counter in The Brewberry, looking over at two women sitting enjoying their coffee whilst one of the women held a screaming baby.
"It's not her fault." AJ defended.
"It's loud." Becca said.
"You definitely complain when there's kids on a flight, don't you?" Lyla turned to Becca.
"I'm just saying, maybe someone should invent child free flights." Becca shrugged.
"You really are a hater." AJ chuckled.
"Afternoon girls." Lou approached the counter, one of their favourite elderly customers who visited the shop most days.
"Hey Lou." AJ smiled, "What can I get you?"
"Just a cappuccino." Lou insisted.
"I can't tempt you with a cherry quesito?" AJ pointed to their display area where all their cakes sat behind a glass.
"What's that?" Lou asked, looking more closely.
"It's a filled pastry with cherry cream." AJ said. She was trying out some of her new recipes in the shop and they'd been going down a treat. It felt incredibly good to put out certain treats which held such special memories for her.
"They're real good, Lou." Lyla nodded.
"It sounds good but I'm trying to watch my weight." Lou shook his head, continuing to stare at all the cakes, "But I'll take one for my wife to try. Or maybe we'll split it." He shrugged.
"That's a great idea." AJ smiled, getting a little cake box from behind to put the quesito in whilst Becca made the coffee for him, "Are you taking away?"
"Yes, please." Lou smiled, "Do you girls not have anything planned for the Summer? No vacations?"
"I'm going to Italy." Becca nodded, sliding over his coffee to him, "My mom has family there."
"Where?" Lou asked.
"Sorrento. That's the south of Italy, I think." Becca shrugged, "I can't wait to stuff myself with pizza and wine."
"Sounds wonderful." Lou nodded, "What about you two?" He turned to Lyla and AJ.
"You know us, Lou. Dedicated to the grind. Plus, we got tourist season coming up. Got to make sure this place is prepared." AJ smiled.
"Oh, but we all need a vacation." Lou insisted, "And you girls work so hard."
"It never feels like work when we're here." Lyla assured him.
"I take it you'll be setting up a stall for the Summer Fair?" Lou asked, "It's my favourite one." He admitted.
"We'll be there. Of course." AJ smiled, "Actually, maybe this time we'll pair up with the coffee shop across the road."
"We will?" Becca turned to her.
"Yeah. I think it could work." AJ shrugged as Becca just gave her a suggestive smirk.
"I think that sounds like a good idea. Extra helping hands for serving." Lou nodded, "I hope you get to enjoy some of the Fair too. I feel like those who have stalls never get to enjoy it as much."
"Oh, don't worry about that." AJ shook her head, "We'll enjoy it. Once we take care of business."
"Well, aren't you dedicated." Lou smiled, taking his coffee and box.
"Let me know what you think of the quesito." AJ nodded.
"I will." Lou nodded, "I've never had one before." He said excitedly, walking away whilst opening up the box, already taking a bite of the pastry as he left the shop.
"So much for sharing with his wife." Lyla scoffed.
"We're teaming up with Phil for the Summer Fair?" Becca asked AJ.
"I've thought about it." AJ nodded, "Lou is right. It's more hands for serving and I think it'd be a nice gesture." She shrugged, "And no, this isn't because of me and Phil."
"I'm not thinking about that. I'm thinking about Shiv, Daryl and Finn having to work together." Becca said.
"Please, you love the idea of chaos. Don't pretend you're genuinely worried." Lyla shook her head.
"Yeah, but I don't want Shiv to be uncomfortable or upset. This whole situation is really bothering her, you know." Becca said.
"Well, maybe all the more reason to do it." AJ said, "It might force them to all have a conversation. Specifically, Shiv and Daryl."
"You and Phil have talked about this?" Lyla wondered.
"No, not officially but… I think he'd be down to do it." AJ nodded, "He wants to do breakfast sandwiches so he can focus on that, and we can focus on the cakes. Both of us can do drinks. I think it could be good." AJ said as Lyla nodded along.
"I'd run it by Shiv first." Becca suggested.
"Speaking of Shiv, I want to throw her a going away party here at The Brewberry." AJ said, "We can decorate the place and set up all fancy for her. She'll love it."
"Oh, that's a great idea." Lyla agreed.
"Yeah, that sounds fun." Becca nodded, "During the day?"
"No, we can keep the place opened late. Maybe a Saturday night. Invite lots of people she'll want to see there." AJ nodded.
"I love your creative, thoughtful little brain." Lyla smiled.
"Can I interest in you in some instant, quick-cook noodles?" Punk asked, standing over at his kitchen in his boxers whilst holding up two cups of noodles.
"Yes, you can." AJ chuckled, sitting on the sofa wearing nothing but one of Punk's t-shirts, the one she'd ripped off of him about an hour ago.
"Ok, coming up." Punk nodded, turning back around to boil some water to add into the cups of noodles.
"So, this is what your muscles are made of? Noodles?" AJ teased, watching him chuckle as she tilted her head slightly, shamefully staring at his ass and his back. She'd never found a back sexy until now.
"Noodles and coffee." Punk nodded as she chuckled.
She'd gone to his apartment after they had both finished work, merely getting a chance to greet one another before they'd toppled onto his sofa, yanking each other's clothes off until he was inside of her. The desperation of it all was so thrilling to her. Knowing he wanted her just as much as she wanted him… she'd never experienced that before.
"When I first moved here, I literally lived on microwave meals." AJ nodded, watching him come over to the sofa with the cups of noodles, handing one over to her with a fork whilst he sat on the opposite end of the couch to her, their legs sprawled out in front of them, touching one another.
"Convenience wins every time." Punk nodded.
"Yeah, and I was broke and trying to build up a business from scratch so… I did the bare minimum." She nodded.
"How long did it take you to finally see some pay off?" Punk asked her.
"You mean to not be in debt?" She chuckled, "About three years, close to four. It's only been these past couple years where I've started to feel the financial success of the place. I spent so much time and effort using the money to decorate, to make sure we had good ingredients, to electricity bills, to the rent… there's a lot of stuff going on." She nodded, "Obviously you know."
"Yeah, I know." Punk nodded, watching her as she twirled her noodles on her fork and put them in her mouth, "I had an idea today."
"Oh?" AJ waited.
"I was thinking, to make it up to you for being such a jerk when you asked me to pair up at the Spring Fair… we could maybe work together at the Summer one coming up." He shrugged, "I mean… if you don't want to it's cool but I think it could be good."
"I was literally talking about this with Becca and Lyla today." AJ said with excitement as he smiled, "I suggested it to them."
"And what did they think?" Punk asked.
"Lyla is on board. Becca was a little apprehensive. Not because of you but more because of Shiv and her situation with Daryl. Whatever that is." AJ said.
"Yeah I had the same talk with Daryl about it. He's willing to be professional. So he says, anyway." Punk nodded.
"I think it would be a great idea. You could do your breakfast sandwiches and I'm really looking forward to making my Puerto Rican breads and pastries." She nodded, "Plus the extra hands serving would make the lines go down quicker."
"That's what I thought." Punk agreed, "I know it's not for a little while but, I'm glad we're on the same page this time." He smiled.
"Yeah, me too." She nodded, sitting down her noodles on the coffee table, climbing her way over to him and taking his from his hand, sitting it on the coffee table whilst straddling him, placing her hands on his shoulders.
"You had like three mouthfuls." Punk chuckled.
"Not exactly what I want my mouth full of anymore." She smirked as he chuckled, already feeling his length start to twitch beneath his legs.
"You had something else in mind?" He smirked as she nodded, leaning down and kissing him on the lips passionately, grinding herself against him as she did so. She had no panties un underneath his t-shirt she was wearing, and so the friction felt so good whilst she kissed him.
She began kissing down his neck and down his chest as he groaned a little, watching her move all the way down to his boxers which she began to start pulling down when there was a knock at the door.
She looked up at him with a little confusion, "Are you expecting someone?" She laughed a little.
"No." Punk said with equal confusion whilst she got off of him.
"I'll go wait in the bedroom." AJ said, making her way towards the bedroom whilst Punk adjusted himself inside his boxers, putting on his cargo shorts and making his way over to the door which he opened up with curiosity.
"Hey." Sophie smirked.