into the trees

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A tinny sound rings out from the earphones of the girl sat next to Lucas on the subway, the man on his other side periodically jabbing him with his elbow as he's struck by inspiration filling out his crossword puzzle. Ah, New York. It's cramped and he can feel the pollution as he breathes it in deep into his lungs, a nonspecific machine roar overtaking all sound as they rattle through a tunnel. One month into his postgraduate degree and with it his move to the big city, and the young man could not be happier in his new environment.  Today he has big plans, which are also contributing to his high spirits. A red wine fuelled stalking session the night before had unearthed some interesting information, intel that he was acting on now as he got off at the stop Google Maps told him would be the best one. He takes his time as he heads down an unfamiliar street, shop windows decked out in orange and black, warning signs and grinning pumpkins. Shortly, he finds himself outside a bakery, checking the maps once more for good measure though the familiar face behind the counter confirms his suspicions. As he enters he feigns indifference. "Hey, do you guys have any pistachio macaroons left? I have it on good authority they're the best in town."

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Today started out as a mess. Millie should’ve known the morning would turn out to be crazy when her phone began to ring at three o’clock in the morning. It took everything in her not to ignore the call and curl back into the comfortable duvet on her bed. Waking her from sleep was a frantic call from her assistant manager, Rebecca. She was having a family emergency and that’s how Millie ended up opening up Sweet Ambrosia at four thirty in the morning. Though she loved the bakery and there was no doubt of the dedication she had to it, she was already dreading waking up early, two mornings in a row. I’m exhausted, the young girl thought to herself as she finishes tidying up the counter top. Beside the glass display case full of Millie’s pride and joy, we’re a pair of bar stools. It gave her customers the opportunity to sit down and indulge in their treats. The bell rings above the door and she’s learned not to let it phase her, to give them time and patience to decide if they will want anything. She hears the customer speak about the pistachio macaroon and her heart sinks. “Oh I’m so sorry, we actually just sold o-,” the words don’t finish coming out as she realizes the man in front of her. “Lucas?”She all but squeaks as she takes his entire appearance in. Millie abandons her position to greet him. She begins to reach out to hug him, only to remember she’s still in her apron and covered in flour. “Oh, sorry I’m filthy,” she nervously laughs.

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It’s not until he’s stood in the store that the reality of what he’s done starts to sink in. One day Millie had disappeared from his life as easily as she had appeared a few weeks before, and for all he knew, that was by her design. If she hadn’t wanted to see him then, why would she want to see him now, and worse, in her place of work? Then again, their last meeting point had been her place of work too, though he’d struggled to take it seriously at the time. Suddenly, this all feels like a really reckless idea, and his hands start to sweat, buried deep in the pockets of his leather jacket. Though it needn’t have. Just as he’s about to turn on his heels to leave, the minute redhead looks up, recognising him mid sentence and allowing a smile to grace her gorgeous face. Relief floods through Lucas as he returns the grin. “As if I care, c’mere!” He pulls her in for a hug, not caring about the flour transfer onto himself. He pulls away, brushing some of it off himself as he beams at her. “Is this where you work? That’s so great Millie.” He takes the moment to really look around himself. “I was just passing when I saw you through the window.”

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Upon seeing Lucas she's filled with joy and excitement but then guilt starts to pull the better emotions away. The last time that they had seen each other and her sudden departure heavy on her heart. Millie knows that she should've reached out, given some sort of explanation. It was easy not to think about when Lucas wasn't present in her life. But here he was, standing in front of her again she hates that he slipped away from her so fast life and of her own doing. A lot had happened in the Hamptons, and Millie let the fear of her dream being taken away get in the way. The guilt she feels slowly melts away when Lucas pulls her into the hug. His arms wrapped around her felt so good and so natural. When they pull apart, Millie lets out a normal and not nervous laugh. "Here, you missed a few spots," she chuckles as she helps him brush away the remaining flour from his leather jacket. She can't help but blush at his compliments of Sweet Ambrosia. Millie looks around, in adoration of her own store. "Yeah, it's all mine, can you believe it? Sometimes it doesn't feel real!" Millie's smile is bigger now, and she feels less awkward standing in his presence with the unknown still obvious between them. "What are you doing here in the city? Tell me everything." She ushers him to the bar stools beside the glass display. "And do you want anything to eat?"

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New York wore fall well and the smell of cinnamon that's floating through the air between them only adds to the feeling. Millie looks just as he remembered, down to the floury apron and the slightly disarrayed energy. Lucas knows from his stalking that this is her place, and however impressed he had been to find that out at the time, he's even more impressed now that he's here. Happy patrons tuck into an insane array of pastries and sweets, offerings that he knows from first hand experience are some of the best they'll ever taste. He can't help but grin as she brushes away the extra flour. At her admission, he widens his eyes in faux surprise, looking around the place as if with a new appreciation. "Millie, are you serious? That's insane! All by yourself?!" He sounds impressed because he genuinely is. To think, while he had been playing barista in his sleepy little hometown, she'd been setting up a whole business. "I'm in grad school, doing English and Comparative Literature. It's boring, or much less exciting than starting my own business, at least. How about you though, how long have you been up and running?" He sits as he's directed, his eyes spanning all there is to offer and finding himself spoilt for choice. "Hell yes I do, but you pick. What's your favorite?"

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She's so distracted and surprised she hadn't thought about her appearance until now. The possibility that she appears to be a disheveled which is Millie hates to admit, is pretty average for her on a busy baking day. Her hand comes up to flatten down any hairs that have been sticking up while she was running around during a rush hour. A few more customers trickle in behind Lucas, the sound of the bell ringing pulling her attention away from him for a brief moment. She gives the patrons a smile as they proceed to look around Sweet Ambrosia. Another blush creeps up her neck as she watches Lucas go from surprise to excitement upon learning the bakery belonged to her. "Well, I had some help," she replies honestly thinking about the part that her brother played, as well as Rebecca and her business coach. So he's here, in the city, Millie thinks as he begins to speak about the grad school he ended up pursuing. "Congrats on the grad school though, that is exciting even if you do say it's boring," Millie finds herself teasing him as they make their way to the little seating area. "We've been up and running now for about four months, now I think?" She ponders her own question, doubting if that's even true. The time was all running together for her, especially for the amount of construction the store needed to begin with. "But I've been working on it for much longer than that. It's been a pain at times, but I love it." When he sits, she comes around the counter to face him. "Definitely the cinnamon rolls! I'll warm it up for you too." Millie loved when people asked for her input on her beloved work. She plates the roll and puts it in their warmer for a few seconds. "I can't believe you're here, in my store." She looks at him, as the treat continues to warm.

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What would she think if she knew he'd looked her up? Was this a massive invasion of privacy? Did she believe that of all the bakeries in New York City, he'd happened to wander past hers? All questions Lucas does not want to know the true answer to. He grins as she congratulates him, despite all her success, she doesn't seem to have changed. "Trust me, going to grad school on my parents' dime is not an achievement worth congratulating me on. But thank you, you're very kind." Sat on a surprisingly comfortable bar stool, he glances over his shoulder as a trickle of customers enter the place. They clearly take in the incredible smell, the impeccable cleanliness, the incredible assortment on display. None of these things surprise Lucas. "Looks like you're doing well. Not that I ever had any doubt, you were wasted on Rebecca. But seriously, if you need to serve customers go ahead, I'm self sufficient." She mentions cinnamon rolls and his mouth starts to water already. Her final comment makes him feel a little bit guilty and he opens his mouth to confess that it's no coincidence, though the warmer beeps and cuts him off. "You look great. How's life?"

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Millie recognizes he must have figured out where she worked. Out of all of the bakeries and various shops in New York City, she knows that that's a really slim chance that Lucas ended up walking past her bakery, only to see her through the glass window. But she's still so shocked and in disbelief, and feeling slightly a little awkward of how she left things, she realizes it's best not to say anything. To just enjoy being reunited and the spontaneous moment. A smile forms on her lips when he's honest about graduate school and it being on his parents dime. It felt very much like the Lucas she knew not too long ago. "Still, you should be proud for doing it. Have your classes been going okay?" She feels her blush deepen as he proceeded to give out compliments to her. She busies herself behind the counter in hopes that Lucas won't catch the affect his words have on her. Millie was beyond proud of herself but getting so much praise especially from him made her stir just a little more than usual. "Thank you. Hard to believe I was cooking for just a handful of people before and now I'm making huge batches for the day." She reminisces on the time that Lucas first startled her in the kitchen and stole a few bites of her breakfast spread. A customer approaches the register beside Lucas. "Just give me one second," she excuses herself to help the patron. She packs up their purchases, her pecan cinnamon rolls and turns back to Lucas. "Even with flour in my hair?" Millie chuckles as she wipes her hands. "But so do you! And you're clean shaven this meeting of ours," she can't help but tease him. "I'm doing well though, besides the occasional stress. What's new with you? Tell me everything." The last of the patrons have exited her building, her eyes trailing them to be sure that they've left before she has the courage to speak up.  "I'm also sorry, by the way."