Sweet Temptations

Chapter 1

It was Friday, the twelfth of May, but it sure felt like Friday the thirteenth, Mackenzie Young couldn't help but think as she handed over a bag of cookies to a young man. "Thanks, Mr. Williams," she said with a strained smile. "You have a great day."

Kenzie turned her head to look at the clock on the wall, the movement caused her long dark hair- which was pulled back in a ponytail- to brush against her face. She always wore her hair pulled back when she was at work, she hated it, but it was a necessity. She sighed heavily as she noticed the time. It was going to be a long day, she silently reflected as she went to help another customer. Some days were tougher than others.

Today was one of the rougher ones, she had noted this earlier that morning. Usually, Kenzie wasn't one to let stressful situations get to her. Normally, she would go head first into a situation and handle it with ease and professionalism that she acquired over the years. Today, she didn't think she had it in her, it was a day where anything that could go wrong did go wrong.

Right off the bat she had known this was going to be a difficult day. The minute she overslept she had known. Kenzie never slept through her alarm, but today she had and it didn't make sense because she had a peaceful night. Even once she was up and dressed things didn't get any better, even though she had hoped it would. She had hoped in vain. The bad little omens kept coming.

A flat tire on her practically new 4runner had greeted her as she stepped out of the house, forcing her to call a garage to have it towed and then a taxi for a ride to work. Then waiting for a taxi to become available had all but put her behind schedule. Once she did reach work she had hope to hide in her office until the black forces of nature abated, but that wasn't to be either, for she soon discovered that two- not one, but two- employees had called off leaving her short handed. Luckily, she and her two business partners, Celeste Markham and Ruby Larue were more then capable of handling any problems that cropped up.

Thirty minutes later she let out another sigh as she watched the last of the morning rush exit the bakery. She felt a little relief as she could breath again. As Kenzie glanced around the dining area a sense of pride filled her. She was proud of her little business and felt very elated that the bakery 'Sweet Temptations' had done so well in its first year. So many other small businesses had folded within months of opening, so she and her friends were lucky. She just hoped it continued to do well.

Kenzie stood up straight to stretch her overly tired muscles and glanced into the dining area. It was a small square room with only a handful of tables, but most people took their purchases to go anyway. Only a few regulars stayed to socialize when there were time. Kenzie out her hands over her head and continued to stretch as she watched the few people who had chosen to eat in.

There was a young couple who were regulars, and a man who was new to the place she hadn't gotten his name yet, but she would. A family of three sat at a table; they weren't regulars but had been in for a few times. In the far corner sat an elderly man about seventy or so, Kenzie only knew him as Nolan.

Wiping her hands on her jeans she grabbed a bottle of water that sat by the cash register and took a sip before setting the bottle back in place. Usually her muscles didn't get so knotted up as she ran in the mornings before work, but having overslept she had to forgo that ritual and now she paid the price.

Kenzie was tall, for a woman, standing 5'8" in her stockings, her long legs were as usual encased in jeans with a gold belt at her slim waist. A white T-shirt pulled tightly over her medium sized breast. Her flawless skin had only a dab of makeup, she didn't need any more then that. A light dusting of eye shadow and blush was all her face got. Her hair long and black hung down her back when she wasn't working. She was an attractive woman, but she didn't consider herself beautiful.

"Kenzie," Celeste called to her from the doorway of the kitchen minutes later. "I see your little lap dog is back again this morning."

Kenzie frowned. "Be nice, Celeste," she softly scolded. Kenzie knew with whom she was referring to and she resented anyone referring to her newfound friend as a lapdog. Nolan was a nice man. A lonely man, Kenzie assumed, which was why he stopped in every morning.

Celeste chuckled, coming to stand beside her at the counter. Folding her arms she was asked, "Well what would you call him?"

Kenzie glanced over at the elderly gentlemen quietly sitting in the corner table reading the newspaper. Her brown eyes soften as she watched him. She was fond of him, granted she hadn't known him long, but in the two weeks she had known him they had become friends. she smiled as she recalled that day.

She'd been jogging one morning in the park when she happened upon this elderly gentlemen looking as if he was in need of medical help so she had gone over to see if she could help in any way. Kenzie soon discovered he was having a anxiety attack so she sat there with him and they talked for what seemed like hours, Kenzie asked him back to the bakery for a sweet treat and coffee. It had become a ritual with him, for which Kenzie didn't mind at all.

"I think he's lonely, Celeste," she told her friend. Nolan had seemed so eager for company that day, as if he rarely seen anyone. "I don't think he has any family."

Celeste stared at her, amused. "Why do you say that?" she wanted to know

Kenzie shrugged. She didn't have an answer for her friend. She had just assumed he had no family because he hadn't mentioned any other losing his son at an early age and his beloved wife had passed away several years ago. Nolan hadn't divulged any other family members to her and his eagerness for company only made that thought more prominent in her mind.

"Just look at him, Celeste, he's so out of touch with simple gestures. It's obvious that he hadn't had human contact in a while. Even his suit is outdated." Kenzie listing a few things that proved her theory.

"You are thinking he's homeless?" Celeste asked in disbelief. There was a twinkle of amusement in her eyes.

Kenzie shook her head. "Of course, not. Well, not necessarily. He's just without resources."

"Resources?"Celeste chuckled. "How long have you been here? Two, three years?"

Kenzie frowned. She wasn't sure what that had to do with anything. "Almost two years," she answered puzzled. "But what does that have to do with Nolan?"

Celeste took a deep breath. "Kenzie, Nolan is a pickup artist."

Kenzie laughed at that, leaning back against the counter for support. "No, he isn't, Celeste." How could anyone think that sweet elderly man was a pickup artist? He was basically shy, after all, it was Kenzie who approached him in the park.

"You just can't admit that he picked you up, can you?"

"It wasn't a pickup," Kenzie denied again. "It was a gesture of generosity. I thought he was ill."

"Which he faked," Celeste pointed out.

"That hadn't been proven."

It was too funny really, Kenzie thought, that people thought Nolan sat around all day waiting for women to pickup.