What Was Mistaken for Love

The bakery section smelled different at night. Not like warm bread and fresh frosting like it did in the morning – but like soap and metal racks and sugar stuck to the air long after the customers and morning shifts had gone. Becca wiped down the stainless-steel counter for what seemed like the tenth time. Her hands hurt. Her feet were asleep. But she still had a few minutes on the clock before closing, and she couldn’t leave until everything looked flawless. “Don’t take down the cake display,” her coworker yelled from the next aisle over. “I won’t,” Becca called back without looking up. She already had. She always did. The automatic sliding doors at the front of the store were opened. Becca looked up without thinking. A guy walked through like he had all day; hands stuffed casually in his pockets. He browsed slowly down the aisles, eyes drifting as if he had somewhere better to be. “We close in ten minutes,” Becca said pointedly. “I know.” He replied just as loudly. She blinked. “You know?” she asked again. Lee smiled faintly. “Yeah. I looked at your hours online.” Becca crossed her arms. “So, you decided to come in anyway?” “I needed something.” He shrugged. She waited for him to clarify. He didn’t. Becca returned to wiping down the counter but kept watch on him. He wasn’t grabbing something and darting out as most people did late at night. He was… just browsing. Lounging. Too easy. Too relaxed. He finally halted in front of the bakery display. “You work back there?” He asked. Becca nodded at her store apron. “Yep.” “What do you recommend?” He asked. She scoffed lightly. “Everything if you’re going to buy it before we chuck it out.” He smiled then. “I’m Lee.” He supplied. Becca didn’t look up from cleaning. “Becca.” “Becca.” He repeated softly, like tasting the name. “You usually do this straightforwardly with people?” “I work late.” She shrugged. Lee nodded as he understood. “Fair enough.” Silence fell between them for a moment, but it wasn’t awkward. Not at all. In fact, that irked her more than it should have. Customers were usually rushed. Customers barely spoke to her. Customers never looked at her like she was something more than an employee. Lee leaned back against the bakery counter. “You ever think about doing something else?” He asked. “No?” She replied automatically. “What else would you do?” He pressed. “I don’t know.” Lee shrugged. “Anything that doesn’t smell like sugar at ten PM.” She snorted again. “It’s great.” “No, it’s not.” He disagreed. Becca waved the rag in his direction. “You’re still here. Eating it.” “I don’t hate it,” he shot back quickly. He followed it with, “You’re just… surprised to see someone your age working late nights baking bread?” Becca narrowed her eyes. “My age?” Lee threw up his hands in surrender. “No. That’s not what I meant. Listen, I know you got to give something a reason, but, for the life of me, I can’t figure out why you’re working retail.” He motioned at everything around her. She looked at him, hard. Then walked away to finish closing. Lee was still there when she started turning off the display lights. “The store is closing soon,” Becca said, like he hadn’t heard her a minute ago. “I know, dumbass.” He muttered under his breath. Becca rolled her eyes. “You heard me the first time.” He shuffled his weight from one foot to another. “Can I ask you a question?” She hesitated. “Depends.” “Are you always alone when you close?” Lee asked. Becca scoffed. “Why do you care?” “No reason.” He shrugged. “I’m just… curious, I guess?” She regarded him now, interested. “That’s a stupid question.” He smiled. “I know.” They lapsed back into comfortable silence. He cleared his throat. “Hey.” She looked at him. “Can I walk you to your car?” Becca blinked at him. “Huh?” “I said, I could walk you to your car,” Lee explained. “It’s late, and there probably won’t be many people in the parking lot.” “I don’t need that,” Becca replied too quickly. “You’re telling me,” Lee said with a grin. Fuck. That line. Why did it always stop her? --- Becca dug her keys out from under the counter. “You don’t even know me.” She accused me quietly. Lee sighed and nodded. “True.” “So?” Becca challenged. “Why?” He asked in return. Becca glared at him. “Why do you care if I’m alone?” He looked away, seemingly frustrated. “Why does it matter to you?” It clicked then. He knew. “You smelled… wine-y.” Becca scoffed. “That’s it. You smelled like booze.” “I did?” Lee sounded offended. “Mhmm.” Becca nodded knowingly. “You don’t usually smell like that. I could tell.” His expression soured, but he didn’t reply. Becca sighed internally. Not this s**t again. --- The bakery cases clicked off one by one. “Watch yourself out there.” Her coworker called. “I will,” Becca assured her, and hurried back towards the front of the store. Lee waited by the entrance, leaning casually against the wall. She approached him, keys ready in hand. “I don’t need you following me.” She crossed her arms stubbornly. “I know,” Lee replied calmly. “What do you keep saying that for?” Becca groaned. Lee laughed then. Light and easy. “You do that a lot,” he said. “Mutter things under your breath and then complain about them out loud.” She raised an eyebrow at him. “That’s called multitasking.” He replied immediately. She wanted to argue, but it was pointless. Lee was smirking now. So, she gave up. --- They walked out into the parking lot in comfortable silence. It was cooler outside than Becca thought it would be. “Am I that easy?” she asked, glancing up at him. Lee smiled softly. “Only when I know it’s worth it.” Becca huffed out a laugh. “So, tonight was worth it?” He nodded. “Seems like it.” She scoffed. “Yeah, right. Helping a girl to her car is very romantic.” He shook his head. “It’s not you.” Becca rolled her eyes, but he was grinning too hard. “Tell me about it without making me sound like an i***t,” She replied, jokingly punching him in the arm. --- Becca slid into her car and turned the keys. “You’re parked by the back gates.” Lee pointed out. She rolled her window down. “Figured that was the safest bet.” “Why’d you pick tonight to flaunt all that dumbass athleticism you got anyway?” Becca asked curiously. Lee laughed again, pulling his keys from his pocket. “Got you wondering, didn’t I?” “What?” Becca blinked. “Never mind.” He waved his keys loosely. “I like surprises.” “You are hiding a six-pack?” she asked. He shook his head. “Nah, I work at the gym down the street.” “Oh.” Becca scoffed. “How anti-climactic.” “It could be worse.” Lee hummed. “How?” “Parking up front.” Lee chuckled. She huffed out a laugh, then too. “You,” she said, leaning her forehead against the driver’s side window. “Are terrible.” “You’re not mad, though.” He observed. “No, I’m not.” Becca glanced up at him through her eyelashes. “I like that,” Lee whispered. He leaned in closer then, moving too fast for her to process. Words turned to sloppy kisses. Heat rushed to her cheeks, and she struggled not to moan too loudly. Her brain was screaming for her to stop this. But her body...? It kind of liked the rogue bookstore manager. --- Pulling away for air, Lee chuckled against her lips. “See? Told you we weren’t strangers.” “You stopped spending money at my store.” Becca gritted out through a smile. “You were here.” He winked. “So?” She prompted. “You looked lonely.” Lee shrugged. “Said I’d help anyone who did.” She huffed a laugh again. “Should I send you the bill?” “For what?” Lee asked, eyebrows raised. “For making me forget how crappy of a night I was having,” Becca replied. He hummed next to her ear. “You should.” A few days have passed since then. Becca and Lee have talked every day since they met. Texted and flirted and went on stupid dates. But it was who they both were, and they couldn’t stop now. One night, after smiling herself to sleep after another conversation with Lee, she found him waiting for her at her doorstep. Faces lit up by their phone screens. He held a pizza box out to her when she got there. “I heard sleep came with homework?” He asked, smiling as he pulled her close for a quick hug. She laughed against his chest. “You swore you were done with cute.”