I nodded. “Well, are you at least enjoying yourself?”
“Yeah I am. I fuck with it, but don’t expect me to retain any of this. It’s too many steps.”
I giggled, then set the pan down and moved toward him. Once I was next to him, I locked the mixing bowl in place onthe machine and lowered the mixer into the bowl. Then I pulled the lever on the side of the mixer and watched as it began to mix all of the ingredients. “I started to let you mix all of this up with a spoon but figured it would take forever and your body was probably tired enough from two training sessions.”
“Good look on that.” He gazed down at me and I squirmed under his sight. There was always something about the way he looked at me that had me wondering if he could see through me.
A knock at the doorway broke our eye contact. “Ay, Ms. Baker Lady, did you forget my Super Donut?” It was then I remembered we weren’t alone.
I looked up and half of Bigs leaned into the doorway, the other half hidden by the wall. “Yeah, my bad. Let me get it.”
“Don’t be rushing her, big nigga. You should be eating the protein bites with me,” Indiri countered and Bigs laughed and walked back toward the front.
I checked on the bowl’s contents before going back into the fridge room to get the donuts I’d made this morning. They were a hit because, from what I understood, a lot of Chicagoans fancied Briar South from time to time.
“Damn you be baking, huh?” Indiri’s voice behind me made me turn around. He was taking in my space with amazement in his eyes. Even in this chilled space, it made me warm.
“Yeah. Baking is my life. I bake when I’m happy, sad, nervous, anxious, everything. Somehow baking is my everything. Kind of how boxing is for you, huh?” I led the way from the freezer back to the kitchen.
“Nah, I don’t know about that.”
I set the donuts down on a small tray and looked at him. “What do you mean?”
“Boxing is the only thing I don’t have to think about when I’m doing it. Every motion, movement, or act is out of reaction or instinct.”
“But you love it, right?”
“Hell yeah.”
“Then yes, boxing is my baking.”
About an hour later, the protein brownies were all done and I was just about to plate them for him. This wasn’t something I intended to sell at the bakery, so I would box them up for him to take if he liked them.
“So what do you think?” I had just finished closing the pastry box and turned to look at him. He was behind me silent, which made me nervous. When I looked at him, he looked shocked. Before I could say anything, he pulled me into him and kissed me. It wasn’t a quick peck, but instead, a heavy lustful connection. One that had me confused.
“Um, are you okay?”
“Yeah. I just ain’t never had nobody do nothing like that for me.”
Confusion swept me. “Do what?”
“Find a recipe for my diet type and make it. Shit, invite me over to your space and show me how to make it.”
“Oh well, I’m glad you enjoyed them and it, even though you said you’re not gonna retain anything.”
He chuckled. “At least I was honest with you, shorty.”
I shook my head.
“But I really appreciate this, and you. Thank you.”
“Anytime.” I smiled nervously.
“Don’t tell me that, then you’ll have me requesting them and rolling your eyes when I ask weekly.”
“Indiri.”
“Yeah, Ms. Baker Lady, you got a bomb with the donuts but I ain’t feeling the protein brownies. I can taste the healthy shit in them. I bet you used coconut oil and all that food shit too, huh?” Bigs’s voice carried from the front of the bakery back to the kitchen where Indiri and I were.
