Lyra

I had a batch of cupcakes in the oven, a cake to be frosted, and a line out the door. Holidays are always the busiest time for me, but Valentine's Day is the worst. Everyone wants chocolate dipped strawberries and heart shaped cakes. And since Valentines Day is tomorrow, I literally have a line out the door. Last I checked, it went half a block.

"Here you go Mr. Wonelski," I said as I handed the elderly man the same cupcakes he got his wife every year since I opened the shop.

"Thank you Lyra, you're the best."

I waved goodbye to my favorite customer and welcomed up the next while also juggling ovens and frosting and phone orders.

It went on like this until five o'clock when the shop closed and my line was gone. I went up to the front to lock the door when a small voice met my ears. "Hello?"

I jumped in shock and turned around. There, at my counter, was a little girl. She couldn't reach the top so I hadn't seen her. I wonder how long she'd been there.

"Hello sweetheart, how can I help you?"

I slowly approached the girl, who couldn't have been older than five, and knelt down in front of her. She had tears on her cheeks and her lip was wobbling. "I'm lost."

I wiped the girl's tears away and picked her up. "What's your name?" I asked as I placed her on the counter.

"Macie."

"Well Macie, would you like a cupcake?"

Macie nodded vigorously and her tears were instantly gone. Cupcakes fixed everything.

I handed the little girl one of the cupcakes I had just frosted. "What are your parents' names?" Maybe I could find a phone number online or something.

"My daddy is Brandon Cole," she said and I gasped. Brandon Cole is the richest man in New York. He probably has entire search parties out for this kid.

I pulled out my phone and looked up Cole Enterprises. I didn't know any other way to reach this man.

"Hello?" Came the voice of the receptionist.

"Um, hi," I started. "This is going to sound weird, but I have Mr. Cole's daughter."

"What?!"

"Sorry, sorry, not like that. She wandered into my bakery, lost."

"I'll transfer you to Mr. Cole."

The receptionist sounded worried and that made me worried.

The phone seemed to ring forever and with each second that passed, I grew more and more nervous. This is the most powerful man in New York, and I have his daughter. Not in a kidnappy way, but he could look at it like that.

"Hello?" Came a deep voice.

"Hi. I'm Lyra Mitchell, I own The Sweet Spot bakery and your daughter walked in here by herself a few minutes ago. I just wanted to find her parents and then she said it was you so I called your receptionist and now here we are." I laughed nervously after my rambling word vomit was done.

"Is she ok?" Mr. Cole asked, clearly worried about his daughter.

"Oh, yes. She was crying a little before, but I gave her a cupcake and now she's fine. I hope that was ok."

"Yes, of course. I'll be right there. You said The Sweet Spot?"

"Yes."

"I'll be there as fast as I can."

Mr. Cole hung up the phone and I turned my attention back to Macie, who had finished her cupcake by this point.

"Your daddy is on the way Macie," I told her.

"Yay! Daddy!"

I couldn't help but laugh as the little girl cheered with her hands and face covered in frosting. "Why don't we wash up before he gets here?"

Macie agreed so I took her into the back and helped her clean up. Just as I finished drying her hands off, the bell to the front door rang. Macie jumped off the counter and ran out front. I threw my towel down and quickly rushed after her.

"Daddy!" she shouted.

I went through the curtain and found Macie in the arms of Brandon Cole. I'd seen pictures before of course, but he looks so much better in person. You could really see the silky smoothness of his dark brown hair and he really filled up the space. I'd never known how tall he was, but now that I'm in front of him, I feel so small. He must be at least 6'2".

"You must be Ms. Mitchell," he said and I snapped to attention.

"Yes, that would be me."

"Thank you so much for taking care of her. I don't know what happened. She was supposed to be with her babysitter."

"Oh, it was no problem," I assured him.

"Well, thank you."

I nodded and shook Mr. Cole's outstretched hand. Sparks flew up my arm at his touch and I felt like I was soaring. And when he pulled back his hand, I felt suddenly empty.

"Where is Ms. Martin?" Mr. Cole suddenly asked and my attention turned back to him and Macie who shrugged her shoulders. "I was with her and then I wasn't."

"Well she will no longer be your babysitter. We will find someone new, better," Mr. Cole told her and then mumbled, "by tomorrow."

"I take holidays off, even Valentines Day, so I could watch her if you need," I offered. Mr. Cole probably wouldn't want a complete stranger watching his child, but it felt like the right thing to do. And I liked Macie.

Mr. Cole pondered it for a second and then turned back to me. "You don't have plans?"

"Just me, my couch, and a pint of ice cream."

"I like ice cream!" Macie piped in and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Ok," Mr. Cole said after thinking for another minute. "If you're sure it's ok with you."

"I'm sure."

Mr. Cole and I exchanged numbers and we each went our separate ways. Him with Macie and me by myself; as per usual.