Flour.

Knowing it was going to be a late night, Sutton packed up all the left over pastries and breads that couldn’t be used for tomorrow, and loaded up the bakery’s truck to drop off at the local homeless shelter, where it was not be wasted. Sutton was firm believer in trying to implement sustainable and eliminate wasteful practices in her bakery. So many local bakeries On her way back to the bakery, she stopped at a local Italian restaurant to grab dinner to bring back to the bakery so she could work late tonight.

“Hello Sutton!” Donatella, one of the owners greeted when she walked through the doors. Sutton grinned and fished her phone out of her pocket.

“Hi Donatella,” She said, before being embraced by the older Italian woman. “I’m looking for Leo. And I brought you some treats.” Sutton shook the small box filled with various deserts and pastries. e

“Oh, you sweet girl. Are working late again?” She asked, familiar with Sutton’s routine, who sent her a nod. “You know, for someone who spends all her time in a bakery, you are so skinny.” She said, grasping onto Sutton’s arm as she laughed.

“Nah, that’s Candace who’s the skinny one.” She corrected as Donatella smiled. Candace ate more desserts than anyone Sutton had ever met, yet she stayed rail thin, something Sutton would never understand. Sutton on the other hand, had thicker legs, built with muscle from standing all day. Her arms have become defined through holding piping bags for hours on end. She walked to and from the bakery every day, expect when on delivery runs. “The only thing that keeps the weight off is not eating everything. Have frosting up to your elbows everyday really kills the appeal and desire of cake.”

“Ah, that’s the trick.” She teased, moving back behind the podium to greet other guests. “Leo’s in the kitchen,” She said and Sutton thanked her and maneuvered her way to the back of the restaurant. She spotted Leo easily, seeing as he was one of the youngest one in the kitchen. Leo was the son of Donatella, and the head chef of the restaurant, only twenty-seven years old. He was also Candace’s on and off again boyfriend, and almost fiancé.

“Sutton Mitchel, please tell you’re here to say that Candace has admitted she’s crazy and will get over herself and agree to marry me.” He said, skipping formalities as he pushed the pot he was pushing to the warming burner. “Or else get out of my kitchen.” Sutton rolled her eyes as Leo sent her a frown.

“Sorry bud, I’m just here hoping you could hook a girl up with some of your famous pesto ravioli.” She said, leaning back against the counter. “And I brought you some dessert.”

“That hasn’t been on my menu in like three years,” He said with a sigh as Sutton grinned. “I have a million better dishes than just a simple ravioli. You are a classically trained pastry chef, who studied in France and spent so much time in Europe? Why can’t you ask for something a little more advanced?”

“C’mon Leo. I have to decorate five hundred cupcakes tonight. You know your ravioli is my favorite. Can’t you please make me dinner?” She begged as Leo wiped sweat from his forehead.

“Only if you tell me what’s up with your roommate,” He said, pointing a knife at her before turning around to chop up tomatoes. “And today’s special is black truffle and porcini mushroom ravioli so that’s what you’re getting.”

“God, how will I survive?” She asked dramatically, as he sent her a sharp glare. “Well, as you know, Candace Pak is crazy. And hates that idea of being domesticated.” Sutton was cut off by Leo shouting orders across the kitchen at another chef. “She wants to be with you, but I think the idea of settling down and getting married right now makes her scared. Flour is just starting off, and we’re doing really well but she’s afraid that we’re only doing well because it’s trendy. Unlike your place here, you’ve got serious history in Manhattan. She just doesn’t have enough faith in my baking capabilities to get married just yet.”

“Talk her into saying yes,” He said, tossing mushrooms into a pan of cream sauce.

Sutton looked at him with wide eyes. “Are you insane? I’m not talking my best friend into agreeing to marry you if she isn’t totally ready yet.”

“C’mon, at least get her to agree to get engaged. Just remind her how perfect I am. Send her a picture of me, feeding her starving best friend. I bet that makes me a million times more attractive. I have a great job, so does she, so that’s a dumb reason. I’m a great cook, I know how to clean, I’m great with kids. The list is endless. If she’d just suck it up she’d be so much happier.” Sutton laughed at his reasoning. “Also, Flour isn’t just a trend. I hope you know that. You guys are going to be recruited to have your own food network show or something soon. Bobby Flay will be calling you any day now. You’re going to be the next Milk Bar.”

“Leo, let her have her space.” She said as he sighed. “Start small and think long term. We have to be at a big event tomorrow night, but take her out for dinner Sunday and be super romantic. She loves that kind of thing, you know.” She said, shifting her weight from foot to foot. “Can I have my pasta to go, please? Also, thanks for saying that, it means a lot coming from you, believe it or not. Also, if you happen to know Bobby Flay, give him my number. Let’s speed that process up. I’d marry that DILF any day.” She grinned at her friend, who was preoccupied with making sure he didn’t burn her dinner. “Make sure you say that kind of stuff to Candie too, she’ll go crazy over the supportive boyfriend thing and forgot how annoying you actually are.”

“Ha, so funny, maybe ditching baking to become a comedian.” He said, packing her ravioli into a to-go container. “Let me get you a salad too, eat something healthy for once.”

“Only if you put a lot of cheese and croutons in the salad.” She called as he went to the salad prepping station of the kitchen and stole one already made for a customer, calling out to make another one to replace it. He came back handing the containers to her with a tired smile. “Thanks Leo, you’re not all that bad.” She teased as he groaned.

“I know, which is why you should be convincing your best friend.” Sutton simply rolled her eyes in response. “What about you? How’s your love life going? Find anyone who will put up with your craziness and the way in which you will most likely put pastries before a boyfriend?

“Still single, still the crazy lady from the bakery.” She shot him a glare as he chuckled. “Not all of us are suckers to love, Leo. I’m just waiting for the day Bobby Flay realizes that I’m clearly the one for him. Then, I’d never have to cook again. I could even give up baking he’s so loaded. Honestly the dream. I could have Brunch with Bobby every day. Can you imagine?”

“What’s with you and Bobby Flay? He’s old enough to be your dad. His kid is like, your age. You’re a freak.” He said as she shrugged. “What happened to that guy you would bring over all the time a couple months ago? Did he realize you’re insane?”

“Evidentially. Or you and your crazy girlfriend scared him away is probably more likely. Never have a met a couple who can’t keep their hands off each other, even if they are supposed to be cleaning. It’s truly sickening.” Sutton said with a sigh, taking her packed up dinner from his hand and pushing herself off of his counter.

“Now get out of my kitchen Sutton.” He said as she rolled her eyes. “Hey, I hope your event goes well tomorrow! Don’t scare the press too much. Tell Candace I love her.”

“Call her and tell her yourself!” She called over her shoulder as she moved out of his busy kitchen and out to her car, stopping to say goodbye to Donatella first. She made it back to the bakery in good time, and went to her office, a small little box in the corner that had a desk big enough for her computer, a cookbook and a cup of coffee. There was a chair in the corner, that she had fallen asleep in more than once. There was also a tall bookshelf filled with cookbooks that she had collected and taken notes in since pastry school. She sat at her desk, eating her salad first and scrolling through emails. She was interrupted by a FaceTime request from Candace, which she answered, already knowing she’d be scorned for staying so late.

“Look Candace, these cupcakes aren’t going to frost themselves! And this way I can get ahead of stuff for tomorrow. It’s a win-win.” She explained, shoving pasta into her mouth.

“Where did you get that pasta?” Candace asked, narrowing her eyes. Sutton shifted it out of the view from the camera and shrugged.

“I made it, real quick.” She lied as Candace groaned.

“Sutton, I told you, we are trying to create a little distance. Going and getting dinner from him is not distance.”

“Why am I included in your relationship problems? You act like we are one person, not two separate beings. You guys really need to grow up and talk to each other. I just wanted some dinner! And it’s so good, Candie. I could never quit eating Leo’s food. That boy knows his way around the kitchen.” She said, reaching to take another bite. Sutton had met Leo when she first moved to New York, and introduced him to Candace. They were head over heels from day one, unsurprising to Sutton since they both look like supermodels. “He wants to take you to dinner Sunday. I think you should good. Get back to your normal, gross love-y dove-y thing you always have going on. When you aren’t mad at him for some minuscule reason.”

“Doesn’t he work Sundays?” Candace asked, already knowing the answer. Sutton just shrugged, taking another bite.

“Just give the poor boy a shot.” She said and Candace rolled her eyes. “He’s crazy about you, doesn’t even care what a psycho you are.” Sutton joked with a smirk. “I miss having him around the apartment and making us dinner. He’s the only person who makes sure we eat vegetables! We’d be blind without him forcing us to consume carrots. Don’t let him slip away.” Candace sighed, knowing her best friend was right. Yet, her stubbornness was relentless. “Gosh, this ravioli is out of this world. I feel like I’m in Italy again. God, if you don’t want to marry him, I will.” Sutton added, taking another bite of the pasta.

“Okay, okay. Shut up.” Candace said. “I’ll wait till he texts me. Next time, get dinner somewhere else, like the Mexican place down the street. The guy there is in love with you and your cream puffs.”

“No promises, my heart is usually always set on carbs. I have to go Candie, I gotta get to work! I’ll see you when I get home.” They exchanged their goodbyes and hung up. Sutton finished what was left of her dinner and cleaned up before moving into the kitchen to finish the cupcakes up soon.

She hoped whoever Harry Styles was that he’d like these cupcakes. She put so much effort into making them. She had spent days working on a cupcake that was more than just a vanilla cupcake. She wanted to leave an impression, make all the fancy reporters and celebrities know how good her deserts are. Sutton was incapable of making a simple vanilla cupcake, especially for big events. While a lot of French baking stresses the principal of keeping flavors simple, that was not the way Sutton baked. Sutton liked to prove how well she knew how to mix and balance flavors and textures. With a quiet sigh, Sutton tied up her hair into a tight ponytail and turned on the Bluetooth speakers and put on her favorite Sonic Youth album and got to work frosting and decorating.

Four hours later, with sore hands and tired arms, Sutton had finished frosting and decorating every single cupcake, including the extra small batch she decided to make as a backup in fear of dropping a cupcake or one getting smashed on the car ride to the event. She even found time to prepare bread doughs for the next morning.