Page 2 of Power Plays & Proposals

"It's got good bones," she said and handed me a tray.

Taking the tray, I went up to the front to fill up the glass display with the freshest batch of muffins. I then flipped on the open sign, and unlocked the door. I was just about to pick up the tray to take to the back, when he walked in.

I greeted him with a playful smile. "Well, well, if it isn’t Super Dad."

"The one and only." He matched my smile as he confidently strolled up to the counter, taking his place across from me. The first time I’d seen him he’d been wearing a navy shirt with red lettering that called him Super Dad and the nickname had stuck.

For the past three months, Super Dad had become a weekly fixture in the bakery, selecting treats he thought his kid would enjoy, or a breakfast croissant before a busy day at work. Always incognito with a hat or the hood on his jacket up and those mysterious sunglasses on. Today he wore the Super Dad shirt. I loved when he wore this shirt. It hugged him a little too snugly, bearing the marks of many years and countless adventures, and showed off his great physique. His arms were particularly noteworthy and looked perfect for holding and protecting.

"You know you can take your sunglasses off." I teased as I leaned in conspiratorially, like I always did during our banter. "Or do you still want to keep your identity a secret?"

The truth was I wanted to see his eyes. Did they twinkle with mischief? I fully believed that the window to the soul was through the eyes, and it bugged me that I couldn’t see his.

"Superheroes always need to stay secret." He replied, running a hand along the blond scruff on his jaw, a playful smile on his lips.

My stomach did that weird flippy thing it always did when he smiled.

"Picking up something for your mini superhero today, or just treating yourself?" I inquired, a playful smirk on my face. I’d asked once if he wanted something for his wife, and he swiftly clarified his single status.

"No sidekick today. But I thought I’d take some extras to work with me."

"That’s very generous of you. How big of a box should I get?" He ordered extras on occasion, and it was always a big order. Some days I wondered if he was feeding a football team or something.

As I assembled his order, our playful banter continued, a delicate dance of words that held a spark of something more. Yet, that was the extent of it. By unspoken agreement between us, neither of us ever pushed for anything more. I sensed it in the way he’d mentioned his divorce that one time. His tone matched the way I felt when I thought of my failed relationship. We shared an understanding that went beyond the surface and we wouldn’t be venturing into the realm of dating. No, I’d savor the thrill of these moments, without risking the pieces of my heart breaking further.

I brought his order of breakfast croissants to the register, and he paid with cash, telling me to keep the change. With one last smile, and one last flip of my insides, he left. I took the empty tray to the back while I had the chance.

Maria looked up when I walked in. "Super Dad?"

"The one and only."

The bell on the door at the front interrupted our conversation before Maria could tell me to ask him out, like she usually did. She didn’t understand that if he ever asked me out, the little moments of what I shared with him would be ruined. I popped out of the kitchen to see a woman with frazzled blond hair wrangled into a bun staring blankly at the menu on the wall. She had a navy blue business suit on that fit her curvy figure beautifully. She topped her outfit off with cherry red heels that had my feet protesting just looking at them.

"What can I get you?" I asked.

"What do you feed the man of your dreams to get him to notice you?"

"Uh..."

"I said that out loud didn't I?" She sighed and turned to me, and with a shrug of her shoulders and a smile said, "That was supposed to be an inside thought. Please ignore."

"Happens to everyone, right?" I asked.

She positively beamed, "I knew I'd like this place the moment I saw it. It stood out like a ray of hope in the cold city as I trudged through the cold slush and snow in the depths of despair. I’m Hannah."

She held out her hand to shake.

"Lia," I shook it quickly. "Sounds like you're having a double chocolate muffin morning too."

"I don't know what that means, but I am definitely up for anything with chocolate."

"It's only the best thing to hit the breakfast and dessert menu, it's so good it makes me forget I'm broke and single."

She let out a musical laugh. "That sounds amazing. Do you ever have those days when you feel completely inadequate at your job? Like, I love my job, but I think they only hired me because my brother is on the team."

"The team?" I asked.

She gasped, "The Glacier Bay Hockey Team? They've only been on the biggest winning streak for a new AHL team ever."

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