“Don’t touch that. I know what you’re doing.” I swat at Tom’s hand, which is perilously close to a bowl full of dark chocolate ganache.
“I’m helping.” He sits back, crossing his arms over his chest, pouting slightly. I turn my back to him, holding my breath. He’s actually not helping at all. He’s distracting me, annoying me and also setting me slightly on edge. He’s been at the bakery since 10:30, just hanging out. He showed up looking way too casual and handsome in shorts and a light blue t shirt, his hair sort of standing up and swooshed back in this lovely, old fashioned way.
“Whisk this.” I turn and shove a bowl into his chest. It’s full raw eggs and sugar, and I doubt he will try to eat that, though I’ll put nothing past him. He lights up with a big grin now that I’ve given him a job, and he stands and starts whisking briskly.
“It’s all in the wrist, darling.” He winks at me and I roll my eyes. So cheeky.
“Charlie, have you talked to Alice or Peter?” Mandy calls out from the front bakery. I walk around the big metal table and stick my head through the door.
“I talked to Alice two days ago. She said they’ve been fine. It’s been slow, but Peter apparently has been there a lot.” I say. I never doubted that Alice and Peter would be able to cover for me at Tiny Baker in LA. There is far less foot traffic there anyway. The business is based mostly on catering and events.
“They don’t miss you yet?” Mandy smiles at me. Today, she is wearing a bright pink crop top, with some kind of crazy striped pencil skirt. The combination sort of boggles my mind, but she pulls it off.
“I’m…not sure.” I laugh. “Why? Are you trying to get rid of me?” I ask, tilting my head. I wipe my floury hands on my apron, and then put them on my hips.
“Just the opposite, actually. Trying to get you to stay.” She smiles warmly at me, and my ice cold heart jumps a bit. I break into a smile.
“Oh.” I manage.
“It’s better when you’re here. I mean aside from the fact that no one is having intercourse in various parts of the bakery.” She grimaces and I frown, scrunching up my shoulders in disgust. Krissy and Greg are still on the run, somewhere in the outback. “But, it’s just a better place. You’re the heart of Tiny Baker, obviously. It feels better with you here.” Mandy shrugs simply and then turns back to a graphic novel that she’s reading. It’s been a slow morning, though we still somehow managed to sell out most of the bake case. And it wasn’t all Tom, either.
“Biscuit? Is this finished?” Tom pokes his head out, as if he knows I was thinking of him. Mandy stares at him, as if he’s grown a second head. I peek into the bowl he’s been whisking and nod, and then he disappears back into the kitchen.
“Biscuit? He calls you ‘biscuit’?!” Mandy loudly whispers. I groan and shake my head at her.
“He calls me a lot of things. I think he might not actually know my name.” I smile.
“CHARLIE.” He bellows from the back and Mandy and I exchange a laugh as I push through the door, into the back kitchen. Tom’s standing with one lean hip pressed against the table, smiling.
“Don’t you have things to do?” I ask, walking forward to grab the bowl.
“I wanted to help you for the Father’s Day Festival.” He stays where he is, his eyes following me as I walk around the room. Things have been back to normal since my date with Paul the Conqueror. Or, perhaps, they’ve been normal for Tom. For me…it’s quite a different story.
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Crumbs (a Tom Hiddleston fanfic)
FanfictionTom and Charlotte have only ever been friends. Really good friends. They lead totally different lives-he's a jet setting actor and she's a no nonsense, flour covered baker. When Tom finds out his fiancé is cheating, he faces an uncertain future. And...
