Sweet Cravings

Later that night, after dinner, Olivia craved for something sweet so she dragged Matthew out of the house with a destination in mind.

Although Matthew was reluctant because he prefers to stay at home and continue what they had started earlier that afternoon, he cannot say no to his woman. So, he drove her toward the cafe that Olivia said he should be visiting frequently, making him roll his eyes. It was just two weeks ago when he visited that cafe with his mother but Olivia made it sound like it was years.

Matthew knew that Olivia was a regular customer of the cafe not just because of its owner but because it was really the best cafe in the city. Olivia visits the cafe either with him or with his mother but most of the time, she was alone which she prefers.

Olivia had once written a blog about the cafe and it was first the food blog she had ever written. It was after she graduated from college. Unfortunately, it was also the last because she has been busy after that since she already found a job.

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the cafe but it took them another fifteen minutes to find a space to park their car because it was located on a busy street and the cafe was packed at that hour even though it was already nighttime.

Matthew grumpily stepped out of his car and then he walked around to help Olivia step out of the car. She has a smile on her face as if she was enjoying Matthew's predicament.

"We could have just stayed in bed," Matthew grumbled while they were queuing inside the cafe. Olivia was standing behind him with her hands wrapped around his arm.

Olivia rolled her eyes and said, "Babe, I want to eat something sweet," She doesn't know what got into her that she was craving so much for something sweet. Unfortunately, Matthew doesn't have anything sweet in his cupboard or fridge.

Matthew walked forward when the man on the counter got his order and walked away. "We could have ordered online and had it delivered or I could have cooked you something…" His voice trailed off when he saw Olivia looking at her flatly. Then he rephrased his sentence, "I mean we cook something," He cannot even cook a simple meal. How dare he offer to cook something sweet?

"Stop whining," Olivia shook her head, and then she looked ahead of them. There were two more people before them so she busied herself looking around. Though it was nighttime, the cafe that only served coffee, cakes, and pastries is still packed with customers.

Most of the customers were people who worked in the corporate buildings surrounding the cafe and were having coffee to relax before going home. It was so obvious because of the business attire they wore. Some were obviously having meetings over coffee. There were also a few students who came just to kill time or do their homework over coffee and cakes before going home.

The cafe is not just a coffee shop. It was also a bookshop. And surprisingly, even though most of the things now can be found on the internet…even books, the bookshop looks thriving. In fact, it was one of the few bookshops that were still operating in the city. The bookshelves on the other side of the cafe as well as the smell of the books give the place a mellow vibe in it.

The cafe was established years before Matthew and Olivia were born so it was no surprise that it was still standing successfully despite the competition in the market. It was because of the good management and not to mention, it serves the best coffee and cakes in the city.

Olivia was too busy looking around when she heard Matthew greet someone. "Hi, Elizabeth!"

They were already standing in front of the counter and behind the counter was a girl who wore a white shirt, black pants, and a brown apron on top with the logo of the cafe. She wore little makeup and her hair was in a ponytail. She is a college girl who works at the cafe at night as a part-timer.

But she is not the one that Matthew called Elizabeth.

Elizabeth was the one who was behind the glass cabinet that displays cakes and pastries and putting cupcakes inside. She straightened her back and looked at the man who called her using her complete name which only a few do.

A small frown formed on her face before it was replaced by a smile. Her eyes twinkled behind her huge glasses upon seeing a familiar person.

"Matthew!" Elizabeth called.

Elizabeth is a beautiful small woman. She was always mistaken as a college girl because of her pixie stature but she was in fact, older than Matthew. She was wearing a white long sleeve button-down shirt tucked into black pants. Just like the girl behind the counter, she wore an apron with the logo of the cafe, but hers has specks of flour on it because she works most of the time in the kitchen…baking. Her obviously long brown hair was bunched on the top of her head with a few strands falling off the sides of her face making her look even more beautiful despite her simplicity.

"Hi, Lizzy!" Olivia appeared from behind Matthew making Elizabeth beam even more. While her family called her Elizabeth, most people call her by her nickname, Lizzy.

"Liv!" Elizabeth smiled widely and even walked around the counter to hug Olivia.

Now Matthew was forgotten as she watched the two women hug each other as if they have not seen each other for years when he clearly remembered that Olivia was at the cafe just a week ago.

Matthew stepped away from the counter to give space for the woman behind him to order. Because it looks like they are not ordering any time soon. He folded his arms in his chest and said, "Should I be offended that you looked more pleased to see her than me? I am your cousin,"

Elizabeth is Matthew's cousin from his mother's side. She is the eldest daughter of Belle's brother.

"But I get to see her more often than you," Elizabeth pursed her lips and glared at Matthew. But her glare came off rather cute. That is because she has a sweet and charming personality. But unlike Belle, Elizabeth is sweet through and through. She doesn't have any bad cells in her system. She is not a surly woman so glaring doesn't usually work for her.

Matthew cannot even remember a time when Elizabeth got angry or even pissed. Maybe she did but it would be rare and she would rather not show it to other people.

Matthew raised his brow and looked at Olivia. "You do?" He asked as if he wanted to confirm if what Elizabeth said was true.

But instead of answering Matthew, Olivia gives her full attention to Elizabeth. "Oh, my God! It is so good to see you,"

Matthew frowned. "I thought you see each other often?"

Olivia glared at Matthew for interrupting her moment with Elizabeth. "Will you please shut up?" Since Olivia naturally has a pleasing personality, it was easy for her to get along with anyone despite their different personalities. But she only chose to befriend those she feels like being friends with.

When Matthew introduced Elizabeth to Olivia for the first time, it was also the cafe. Olivia instantly knew that she liked Elizabeth and they were going to be friends. She comes back to the cafe often and Elizabeth, who seemed to like Olivia as well, never failed to please her with her attention.

Since then, they have become friends.

"What can I get you?" Elizabeth asked after a while. She is not a server at the cafe though, she was the owner of the cafe which a lot of people find hard to believe because she looked too young to own an established cafe.

Olivia took the initiative to give her their order. "The usual coffee and…" She trailed off as she looked at the menu board above the counter. When she cannot seem to decide what she wants, she looked back at Elizabeth and said, "...surprise me,"

"Us," Matthew grumpily corrected her because it seems like Olivia had forgotten about his presence.

Elizabeth chuckled and shook her head. "I might have got something new in the oven. Go and find a table and I'll be back in fifteen," She said, and then she walked back to the kitchen.

Matthew immediately grabbed Olivia by her waist and pulled her closer to him as he searched for a vacant table. Fortunately, they found one so he quickly dragged Olivia there.

"She is so sweet," Olivia said once they were seated. She still had a smile on her face as she looked in the direction of the kitchen where the woman that she was fawning over was.

Matthew looked in the direction of the kitchen and then back at Olivia who was sitting across from him. He chuckled and said, "Good thing she goes after his mother and my mom. Or else…"

Elizabeth's mother and Belle were both sweet but the former was very reserved. But Elizabeth's father was the opposite of his wife. He was…notorious back then and has a bad reputation.

Olivia looked back at Matthew and pursed her lips. "Hey, your uncle is not bad," She said. Matthew had told her about his uncle but she still thought that Matthew was over exaggerating things because she cannot see his uncle as a bad person. He may be a little…stony but he doesn't look like a bad person.