Chapter 5 Crush

Dean POV

While watching Ann in the bookshop go through another cookbook, I picture her busy at work with the ingredients arranged on the table in front of her. She wore a plain apron around her little waist. There was some flour on her nose. She would glance up at me as I gave in to the impulse to wipe it away, her eyes glistening like the sun after a downpour.

Come on, guy. God, those eyes... that physique... what I wouldn't do for. Before you have a fucking hard-on in this goddamn place, get your act together.

I sigh and turn away from her. but only for a moment. I soon return to ogling her whole body and examining every contour, as I have many times before. It's a task I'll never grow bored with.

She turns to face me and grinned. Do you believe I need to get the newest Hannah Plower cookbook?

"It wouldn't hurt," I respond.

With each new cake, Ash creates, it's as if she's broken a secret code.

A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

Jess and I, who are total amateurs in the kitchen, are fortunate to have a chef as a friend and get to sample everything she cooks. I have no doubt that one day she will operate her own bakery. And I can't wait to open the door and see her grinning from behind the counter.

Naturally, I hope that by then we will be more than simply friends. Ann is aware of my affection for her, but she isn't prepared to date again. She gets the same politeness from me since neither of us likes to be treated rudely. But I'm not concerned. Once she realizes how great we would be together, I am certain that she will finally arrive.

For that day, I can't wait. My soulmate is Ann. the mother of my children. In my mind, our future is so apparent. She would have heard me say that a lot if she knew even the most basic geek lingo. She would have been aware that I had changed much since she first encountered me.

On the grounds of our high school, it happened seven years ago. My eyes were riveted to the phone screen and I was wearing headphones when my clumsy ass stumbled straight into her path.

Her head ended where mine did since she was a little creature. Her nose's indentations caught my attention, and then I looked down at the books nestled under a box-telltale marks of a passionate reader. She took a step back, allowing her ponytail to bounce in thick, brown waves devoid of any pink, purple, or silver strands.

a peculiarity.

I took off my headphones to apologize when I became preoccupied with the deep green eyes that nature must have created and the faint brush of freckles on her naturally peach cheeks. I had very little information about her. I wasn't used to seeing ladies like the other 29 horn dogs in my class, but she was flawless. At least, that's what my chest's whispers at the time informed me.

I was right about the "perfect" aspect, it turns out. To a charity bake sale the club was hosting, Ann was bringing a large box of just-baked cookies. She didn't belong to the club. I wasn't asked to provide a hand. I eventually discovered that she preferred reading and coffee over going out to clubs. Usually, Wikipedia, Thesaurus, or Quora were in her recent browsing history; keeping up with females like Jess was not even on her radar.

The whispers developed into full-fledged flutters and have since accelerated without stopping.

She does something that makes the butterflies' hearts beat more quickly every time I attempt to calm them down. For me. for the squatter two doors away. Even for that useless Jess, who I'm sure is secretly envious of her since she is good for nobody.

She gives Ash jealous looks behind Ash's back, as I have seen. I am aware that Jess envies Ash's natural attractiveness and her well-defined curves. While Jess can't leave the home without a full face of makeup, she is at ease doing so. Ann attracts more male attention than Jessica despite dressing as though she's going on a date with her sofa. Not that Ann actually pays attention, which I like. But Jess thinks it's ridiculous. This always leaves me wondering: Why is she Ash's friend? She clearly dislikes her. I find myself being drawn to ask Ash this question rather often, but I don't want to incite conflict between them. Even though I don't like how Jess occasionally treats Ash with contempt, I'm not getting involved in their relationship.

In the modern world, selflessness is a quality that is more precious than Bitcoin. Rare as well. There is no other female like Ash that I could locate. Not even if I look for it all of the time. For not cherishing her and allowing her to be treated like trash, Dominic must be the largest cretin in history. I could have spared her so much suffering if we had attended the same college by using my own cunning-no, effective-means of turning her off of him.

Anyway, at least she's no longer hanging out with people like him, and I'm here to protect her from any more bastards.

She does become upset when I criticize Jess and her friends, it's true. I'm compelled to. Those airheads maybe 10 on the beauty scale, but their combined IQs are also ten, and I don't have time for idiocy on purpose. I also secretly support Ann's business endeavors for this reason.

AMERICANO." Before saving a few cents and fretting her bottom lip, ANN counts the change in her pocket.

Americano? There's a big problem. Like me, the girl enjoys the taste of foamed milk in her coffee, but it costs an additional $1. Ann is broke, I know this now. I was about to pay for her cup, but I decide against it since I don't want to be subdued by her glares at the counter. Instead, I get my macchiato and go over to our seats.

But I begin to consider her behavior.

When Ann turned over the Hannah Plower cookbook a week earlier at the bookshop, her eyes widened slightly at a place in the lower right corner before she put it back. The price tag, perhaps? I seized the book and flipped it over as she started to leave. It wasn't too expensive at 19.99. Did she believe the cost wasn't justified? No, Hannah Plower, her baking hero, did it. Did she reject it for any further reasons?