Invite

If there was anything that successfully distracted Lina's mind from her dreary return to Newfaux aside from her daughter, Serena, it was baking.

Baking took her mind away from all the worries, fears, and uncertainties plaguing her, and it has been doing so in the last five years.

The concentration baking and cooking required makes her relax as it creates an escape from her overpowering thoughts. The act of whisking and the feel of soft fluffy dough being kneaded relieves her stress and reduce her negative thoughts.

She had found baking at the darkest time of her life, giving her a purpose and a sense of worth.

"Lina, your 10 o'clock is here." Came Hannah's voice from the entrance of the kitchen.

Lina looked up at her. "Is it ten already?" She asked, her eyes darting toward the clock. It was indeed ten.

She looked at the dough she had been kneading and then at Patrick, who was greasing a pan, about to toss the next batch of croissants into the oven.

Aware of her concern, Patrick sighed. "You can go. I'll handle it."

"Are you sure?" There was still so much to be done, and she couldn't leave it all to him.

Walking over to her, Patrick removed her hands from the dough. "You can go. Hannah will help around till you come back, right Hannah?" Patrick tilted a brow at Hannah, and Lina looked at the girl.

"Yes, I will." She answered.

"Are you sure?" Lina inquired, and she readily bobbed her head. Her brows were still narrowed with doubt while Patrick hustled her towards the door.

"Hannah and I can manage, so please go attend that meeting and give us a brand-new shop," Patrick smiled at her.

Still hesitant, Lina pulled on the strips of her apron and untied it.

"I'll be back as soon as I'm done." She said and turned towards Hannah.

"Where are they?"

"It's a she, and she's in the office," Hannah replied, and Lina made her way to the tiny room which served as the office in the shop.

The moment she stepped into the office, a beautiful lady shot up to her feet, "Good morning." The lady greeted her with a smile.

"Good morning. Sorry I kept you waiting." Lina apologized. "I'm Evelina Wilson, and current owner of the shop." Lina stretched out a hand to her.

"Alice Wright," Alice replied, receiving Lina's hand.

****

A few days quickly went by, and Lina felt more pressure than she had ever felt in the past few years of her life. The renovation was in motion, and ensuring business continued alongside the renovations was proving difficult.

But aside from that difficulty was another far more worrying situation — one in the form of a six-four male with overwhelming sensuality, Pete Hudson.

Lina was quickly coming to the realization that being 'normal people' didn't just mean repeated rounds of pleasantries as she had desired it to be between them.

Daily, she discovered it involved smiles, waves, and small talk, and right this moment, a cup of coffee which she wasn't inclined to receive.

"What's this?" Lina arched a brow at the cup stretched out to her.

"This?" He asked, his eyes gleaming with amusement at the impassive look she was flagging.

"Let's just say it's a little cup of elixir that tastes uniquely like coffee. Delicious coffee that starts your day with a bang and which you'd regret if you turn it down." He said, still holding out the cup to her.

Lina raised her gaze to him. A ghost of a smile almost touched her lips. "And it's that suppose to be a sales pitch?"

"Uhm, Kind of." Pete smiled. "You know it doesn't cost much. Only 50 bucks per cup, but we can talk about a payment plan later."

"Payment plan, I see," Lina muttered, eyeing the cup. "But wouldn't 50 bucks a cup be considered daylight robbery?"

"It could," Pete shrugged. "But only if it isn't worth it, but I can assure you this is divine. You might rob the shop after one cup, and I would have to inform them to up security."

"A snitch too. How lovely." And how stupid of her to be indulging again. A voice said in her head.

Pete's face softened with a smile that Lina thought was too beautiful to be worn by a guy. "Lovely would be you giving a review after this. An honest review, I mean. You seem like someone who'd give nothing less than that." Pete held the cup closer.

He watched as she gazed at it, intently contemplating receiving the cup from him. He knew she was tempted. His lips broke into a bigger smile when she reluctantly reached for it.

"Thank you," She said, and he simply nodded, his smile not leaving his face.

Could he at least try to smile less? Lina mused.

She had nothing against his smile, but it was...distractive.

"You're welcome."

Raising the cup to her lips, Lina heard those familiar warning bells ringing in her ears, but the taste of finely brewed coffee that slammed her tongue overpowered it as she paid more attention to the coffee.

"So?" Pete angled a brow at her, curious to hear what she had to say. He had brought the coffee for another opportunity to talk with her, but she didn't have to know that, and he was sure she'd have figured it out already.

Lina shrugged casually. "Not bad."

"Not bad?" Pete held back a chuckle. She was joking, wasn't she?

Lina let off another casual shrug. "Not bad," She repeated.

Pete looked at her with incredulity. "Come on. You've got to give something more. This is the best coffee there is in this city." And she couldn't just say it was 'not bad.'

Tilting the cup, Lina looked at the name inscribed on it. "If this is the best you've had, I'm beginning to wonder what you've been drinking."

"I agree the acidity is great; it gives the balance of liveliness and sharpness, the aftertaste is quite good, and the medium dark roast is another great choice. And though the chocolaty flavor with the vanilla-swiss note was supposed to taste a bit bitter, it is managed perfectly. In a nutshell, it's a good cup of coffee, but nothing close to what I've had. So your fifty bucks, not spent so wisely." She said.

Pete blinked when the lips he had been watching with much interest suddenly stopped moving and lifted at the corners. "Are you lost, Mr. Hudson?" She asked, and Pete caught the teasing smile on her face.

Now, she was the one teasing him.

Staring so intently at her, Pete realized she indeed winks when she smiles. A flirtatious wink she must seem clueless about.

He snapped himself to reality as a knowing look overran his face. From the smile she was trying to hide, he knew she was trying to mess with him.

"Not bad, huh." He muttered, and Lina chuckled, unable to hold herself. And there it was, that cute wink. Pete whispered to himself.

Lina couldn't hold back the smile. He had looked eager to hear her opinion, and seeing how he desperately wanted to hear something, she couldn't help it.

Seeing her smile so freely this morning, Pete realized bringing coffee wasn't a bad idea, and he could do more. His mind was already working on what else he could do to have another session of this moment he was already looking forward to.

"And you figured all this from one sip?" He asked, and she shrugged, albeit smugly.

"I have a trained palate." She said simply, and Pete had no doubt that was true. She seemed like a woman who'd know more than she'd ever let on — the very thing her eyes had been whispering to him since the first day they met. And even now, those brown eyes were sparkling like jades lit by fire.

"So, how was it really?" Pete asked; this time, his attention was not solely focused on how cute her lips moved when she talked, but instead, he was interested in what she had to say because it might help him know a bit about her. He was curious to know.

Lina looked at the cup one more time before taking another sip from it. "Honestly, it's fine coffee, but my review stands. That's exactly how it feels because I've tasted better." She said.

"After hearing your review on this, I suddenly feel like I shouldn't pride myself as a coffee expert, and I should probably know what better tastes like."

Taking another sip of her coffee, which she was feeling grateful for, she effected another shrug. "Well, better taste like my grandmother's coffee. Mortar crushed coffee bean, finely brewed to perfection, leaving you with a nostalgic effect you can't shake off." Lina told him, a wan smile playing across her eyes as she spoke with pride.

Pete keenly listened to her. He was beginning to understand she spoke more comfortably when food was involved. Did she own a restaurant or a cafeteria?

"Your grandmother seems like someone I should meet. I should have that coffee." He said, but he quickly replaced the look on his face with a frown when he observed the rapid change in her countenance. He hasn't said something wrong, has he?

And soon, he realized he had when she said, "She passed away a year ago."

"I'm sorry," He apologized, but Lina sighed with a shake of her head, not solely because of his apology, but rather to collect herself. Why the hell was she speaking so freely with him again?! How was he even doing this?

Every time they met, she seemed to be doing something irregularly different.

What was she pondering about now? Pete mused as he observed those eyes of hers. And there she was doing it again, shuttering her emotions away like she had just realized something. Why? He wondered.

He intently watched as she parted her lips and spoke up again. "It's okay. You don't have to apologize for her death." She said, her voice sounding less casual than it had been seconds ago. The boundaries, she was erecting them higher again.

Pete observed with interest. "I'm apologizing because I want to, and I feel sad we had to lose such a great icon. I'd have loved to see her and have a great taste of her coffee." He said, and Lina blankly stared at him, not sure of what to say.

Pete waited, and sure she wouldn't say anything else, he continued. "But in grandma's absence, do you think we can have Serena instead." He said, and Lina furrowed her brows confusedly.

Pete chuckled at how solemn she had turned in an instant. Her daughter seemed like a sensitive topic to her, wasn't she? He couldn't say he was figuring her out, but he could tell from how still her eyes turned at the mention of her daughter's name.

Pulling out a small card from his pocket, he handed it over to her. "It's Madeline's birthday next weekend, and there's going to be a party for the kids. I hope she can attend. Max wants her around, and he asked me to extend an invitation."

Lina gazed at the card and hesitantly received it. She opened and skimmed through it.

"I don't know if we could make it."

"Do you think you can try? It's just for the kids." He said, emphasizing the kids because, with Lina and how cautious he was realizing she was trying to be around him, there might be a reason to.

Lina gazed at the card once again. She was certain she wouldn't want her child to attend, as a matter of fact, she didn't want her to. But he didn't seem like the type who'd take no for an answer.

Slowly she nodded. "I'll try." She lied, and Pete narrowed his gaze at her to ascertain she was telling the truth, but despite how he tried, he got nothing.

He flashed a smile at her. "It would be a pleasure to have you, ladies, around. I hope to see you there." He said, and Lina nodded.

Pete wasn't sure what to think, but he had no choice but to believe her. Although Max had asked him to invite Serena to Madeline's party, he had earlier decided he was going to, even before the boy asked.

Reason? He was interested.