Loving Alyssa Bennett

Sage's Point Of View

Alyssa stood in the doorway, her blonde curls windblown and her green eyes wide as they met mine. For a moment, we just stared at each other, the bustle of the bakery fading into background noise.

Then Alyssa squared her shoulders and marched up to the counter, her expression a mix of determination and wariness. 

"We need to talk," she said, her voice low enough that only I could hear.

I nodded, trying to keep my face neutral even as hope bloomed in my chest. "Of course. Let me just..." I gestured towards Mrs. Holloway.

Alyssa's eyes softened as she spotted the older woman. "Go ahead. I'll wait."

I quickly served Mrs. Holloway her pie, then led Alyssa to the small office in the back. As we walked, I couldn't help but notice the way she held herself slightly apart from me, as if afraid to get too close.

Once in the office, I closed the door and turned to face her. "Alyssa, I-"

She held up a hand, cutting me off. "Let me talk first, okay?"

I nodded, forcing myself to stay quiet.

Alyssa took a deep breath, her fingers twisting nervously in the hem of her shirt. "I've been thinking about your proposal. The collaboration."

My heart raced, but I kept my voice steady. "And?"

"And... I think we should do it."

For a moment, I was sure I'd misheard. "You... you do?"

Alyssa nodded, her eyes meeting mine with a steely determination. "Yes. But I have conditions."

"Anything," I said immediately, then winced at how eager I sounded. "I mean, what kind of conditions?"

A ghost of a smile flickered across her face. "First, this is strictly business. We work together, we put on a great event, but that's it. No... no trying to rekindle old flames or rehash the past. Understood?"

I nodded, trying to ignore the pang in my chest. "Understood. What else?"

"Second, we split everything fifty-fifty. Costs, profits, workload. Everything."

"Of course," I agreed. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Alyssa seemed to relax slightly at my easy agreement. "And finally... I want a contract. Something in writing that lays out all the terms, including what happens after the event is over."

I raised an eyebrow, impressed by her businesslike approach. "That's smart. We can have Zoe draw something up, if that works for you?"

Alyssa nodded. "That's fine. I'll have my lawyer look it over before I sign anything."

An awkward silence fell between us. There was so much I wanted to say, so many apologies and explanations on the tip of my tongue. But I held back, respecting Alyssa's wish to keep things professional.

"So," I said finally. "When do we start?"

Alyssa's lips curved into a small, hesitant smile. "How about now? I brought some ideas for the event, if you'd like to go over them."

I couldn't help but grin, feeling a spark of the old excitement we used to share when planning new recipes. "I'd love to. Let me just grab my notebook."

As we settled in to work, the tension between us slowly began to ease. We fell into a familiar rhythm, bouncing ideas off each other and scribbling notes. 

For a moment, it was almost like old times – just me and Alyssa, lost in a world of sugar and flour and endless possibilities.

But then Alyssa would stiffen if our hands accidentally brushed, or her eyes would cloud over with a remembered hurt, and reality would come crashing back. This wasn't like old times. 

We weren't the same people we had been four years ago.

And yet, as I watched Alyssa's face light up while describing a new flavor combination she wanted to try, I felt a flicker of hope. 

Maybe, just maybe, we could build something new. Something stronger, born from the ashes of what we'd lost.

It wouldn't be easy. Alyssa's anger and hurt were still there, simmering beneath the surface. I could see it in the way she held herself slightly apart from me, in the guarded look that would sometimes cross her face.

But as we worked, I made a silent promise to myself and to her. I would earn back her trust, one day at a time. I would show her that the boy who had left her behind was gone, replaced by a man who understood the value of what he'd almost lost.

And maybe, if I was very lucky, I might just get a second chance at the greatest thing I'd ever known – loving Alyssa Bennett.

As the afternoon wore on, our planning session was interrupted by a knock on the office door. "Come in," I called out, curious.

The door opened to reveal a face I didn't recognize – a young woman with bright blue hair styled in an undercut, multiple piercings glinting in her ears, and vibrant sleeve tattoos peeking out from under her rolled-up shirt sleeves.

"Oh, sorry," she said, her eyes widening as she took in the scene. "I didn't realize you were in a meeting. I can come back later."

Alyssa stood up, a warm smile spreading across her face. "No, it's okay. We were just finishing up. Sage, this is my new front-of-house manager, Luna. Luna, this is Sage Holloway from Sugar Rush."

Luna's eyebrows shot up, recognition flashing in her eyes. "Oh, so you're the famous Sage. I've heard... things."

I winced internally, wondering just what kind of things she'd heard. But I plastered on a smile and held out my hand. "It's nice to meet you, Luna. I hope some of those things were good?"

Luna shook my hand, her grip firm. "Some were," she said cryptically, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Alyssa cleared her throat, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "Luna, did you need something?"

Luna nodded, turning her attention back to Alyssa. "Yeah, we've got a bit of a situation with the Johnson wedding order. Think you could come take a look?"

Alyssa nodded, gathering up her notes. "Of course. Sage, we can continue this tomorrow? Same time?"

I nodded, trying not to show my disappointment at the abrupt end to our meeting. "Sounds good. I'll have Zoe start working on that contract."

As Alyssa and Luna left, I couldn't help but overhear a snippet of their conversation.

"So, that's the ex, huh?" Luna's voice drifted back. "He's cuter than you said."

"Luna!" Alyssa hissed, embarrassment clear in her tone.

I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips. Maybe there was hope after all.

As I turned back to my desk, my eyes fell on the framed photo again. This time, instead of feeling nostalgic, I felt determined. The past was the past. 

It was time to focus on the future – a future that, if I had anything to say about it, would include Alyssa Bennett.