New Cupcakes And New Love

Today is a big day. Today, I am going to try out to become the head chef for a new restaurant that opened up downtown. I took the longer route to work the other day and my eyes immediately caught on the elegant decorations of newly opened Aroma. I am so ready to blow the interview out of the water and walk out with a new job I love, and that’s exactly what I am gonna do. Pulling on a knee-length black dress with red accents, I grab my portfolio and handbag and rush out. 

I walk into the restaurant and someone I assume to be another applicant is walking out, close to tears, about how the expectations were so high and the stress and how he dropped his cake. I shake my head and looked around. The interior design is sleek and modern. I walk into the kitchen and promptly burst into laughter. 

A very disgruntled man in a suit is clutching a clipboard and glaring at a pile of cake on the floor whilst covered in glittery pink frosting. A woman wearing glasses and a pantsuit is leaning on a counter with her eyes closed. She didn’t have food on her but the look of exasperation all over her body was extremely amusing. Then I started to laugh harder when they both looked at me and gaped. The woman recovered first. 

“Do you really think laughing at your interviewers is the best way to get a job?”

“I’m sorry but how could I not laugh? The two of you look incredibly hilarious. You look like you’re done with life and he is a man in a suit covered in sparkly pink frosting trying to get that cake to apologize to him by glaring at it.”

“Well… Yeah, actually that sounds pretty funny…”

“I know right!”

Just then the previous applicant stumbles in again. “I-I am so sorry but I forgot my jacket and I really like it and I am so sorry to walk in on your… thing but like... yeah…” He tries to appear worried, apologetic, and not awkward at the same time. And fails. Badly. He looks constipated. 

I burst into laughter again. This time the interviewers laugh with me. I finally calm myself and reach my hand out. “I’m Alexis.” 

He glances between my hand and my face multiple times then blurts, “Hi Zach, I’m Alexis!”

And all of us lose it again. His face is red as a tomato. It’s quite adorable really. He ducks his head and rushes to the back of the store. 

I turn back to the interviewers. “Okay, what would you like me to make?”

The man makes a face. “We don’t really have a specific dish. Make something unique.”

I nod and turn away. As I am pulling ingredients off the shelves, Zach walks back in. I nod to him and then turn to grab a hand mixer. He pauses next to the interviewers and has a quiet conversation with them before grabbing a nearby stool and perching himself on its edge. I raise a brow before shrugging and continuing. I decide to make a dessert: cranberry orange cupcakes with a molten chocolate filling. As weird as it sounds, the flavors mix perfectly. 

I glance up at Zach and blush lightly as he gives me an encouraging look. I fly around the kitchen. My hands reaching for ingredients and mixing them perfectly. I have made the recipe enough times to have memorized every motion to make it. I can feel Zach’s eyes on me as I carefully measure out and mix everything. I divide the batter and mix in the extracts and food coloring. Just as I’m about to pour the batter in, he pipes up, “Add cranberry pieces. It’ll amp up the texture.” 

I spin and assess him. How dare he comment on my recipe! But then I take in his sincere expression and soften my posture. “Okay fine but if it turns out badly, it’s on you.” 

The interviewers simply watch and I add the pieces and put the batter in. I pull it back out to add the chocolate. “Any preferences?”

“Dark chocolate is superior over all others.” Zach looks at me with a serious expression and I chuckle lightly before setting cubes of dark chocolate into the tray. I slide the tray back in and set the timer. Then I lean against the counter and use a knife to cut orange peels in curls. 

“So Zach, you go to college?”

“Yeah actually. I’m studying biological engineering. I just thought this would be a fun job. I cook every once in a while. But you actually seem to have a talent. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone this confident about such a complicated recipe.” He seems genuinely pleased for me and I blush again. 

“I have loved cooking and baking since I was old enough to understand what my mom was doing in the kitchen. I came up with this recipe on my own. It took forever. I kept messing up the number of extracts. It was a struggle.” I smile fondly. It was difficult to get the amount right but once I did, I immediately packed up the cupcakes and drove thirty minutes to my parents’ house to get them to taste them. It was an amazing evening. 

Zach and I exchange more light conversation while the interviewers talk among themselves and write down notes. When the timer beeps, I pull out a rack and wait for the cupcakes to cool. To finish them off, I put three onto black plates, scoop some ice cream on top, and drizzle the dark chocolate syrup all over them. I grab one in my hand and casually take a bite as everyone begins to eat. 

I closely watch everyone’s expressions. One of the best parts of giving new food to people is their reactions. The interviewers freeze and look at each other. As flavor after flavor emerges and mixes, their expressions change and I smile. Then I hear a soft moan and pivot to look at Zach. His face has a look of pleasure upon it.

“How did you manage to fit heaven into a cupcake? If I die now, I will die a very happy death!”

The female interviewer jumps in, “I second that! The chocolate and cranberries provide this sweet base but the orange flavor pokes through every so often and gives the cupcakes a tangy little finish.

“And I third it! The molten chocolate in the center perfectly complements the amount of batter and flavoring.” 

All of us turn to the male interviewer. I laugh slightly before going “I don’t think that’s a thing but thank you, both of you, for the feedback.” I finish off my cupcake and remark, “You’re right y’know Zach? The cranberry pieces do make it better.”

He beams happily and I grin back. The interviewers stand and the woman steps forward. “You were the last applicant of the day and while we will be sending emails out later, I can tell you that you got the job and we are very eager to see what other recipes you can come up with.”

I start jumping and cheering. “Thank you! Thank you so much!” 

Zach claps and I impulsively turn and hug him. He freezes then hugs me back. “Congratulations! You totally deserve it.”

I walk out with a few of the left-over cupcakes in a box with Zach. “Sorry for hugging you like that. I was really excited.”

He blushes again and mumbles, “It’s all right. I don’t mind.”

“Hey, would you wanna hang out sometime?”

He stumbles over his own feet before staring at me. “Are you asking me out on a date?”

I smile and nod. “I am. Is that a no?”

He blushes a couple of shades darker. “Yes! I mean no! Wait yes!” 

I laugh loudly. “Breathe Zach, breathe.”

He laughs too. “Yes! Yes, I would like to hang out with you.”