After weeks of planning and preparation, I stood in my bakery on opening night as my friends and guests entered for the first time. Just getting to greet the first customer through the door meant I’d realized my dream, and plenty more of them followed.

I’d pushed all the tables and seats to the one side of the room. On the other side were tables piled high with pastries and appetizers. I’d had some help with advertising, so every person that walked inside had bought a ticket to attend at a low price, and they could eat as much as they wanted.

Watching so many people eat my pastries, and stand around just to talk about how good they were, had me giddy enough I could have broken down into the urge to skip around the room.

“Jasmine!”

I laughed. That squeal could only come from one person, and sure enough, a moment later I was enveloped in a warm hug.

“Hey, Emma.” I pulled back to give her a wide smile. “It’s so good to see you here.”

She let out a peal of laughter. “Like I could miss your opening night! You’ve been using me as a tester for your desserts for some time; it’s only fair.”

True. “Well, you didn’t get to try my pastries yet, but you can today. Tell me your opinion after, all right?”

“Of course,” she said brightly. “Though, I don’t know why I would have to. I know it’s going to taste amazing.” Then her eyes widened as her mouth formed into an o of surprise. “Just look at me chatting over here. I have someone I want to introduce you to.”

I arched an eyebrow but didn’t say a thing as she turned us both to the man that stood behind her. He stood a couple of inches taller than me and seemed to compliment Emma when she moved to stand beside him.

“Jasmine, this is my boyfriend, Mark. Mark, this is my best friend that I’ve been telling you about.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Jasmine,” he said with a genuine smile, holding his hand out for a shake.

“Likewise,” I said, smiling back as I shook his hand.

Then Emma hummed, eyes looking around the room. “Olivia should be here too… Oh! She’s over there by the food. Let’s go over there!”

I watched as Emma’s boyfriend did as she wanted, with an indulgent look on his face, taking her excessive energy in stride. I smiled, feeling happy for Emma.

“Hey, Olivia,” I called when we were a few feet away.

I didn’t realize I’d interrupted something until I noticed there was a man standing there with her, and the two had been talking, laughing, and eating together. They both turned to me as I said her name.

“Jasmine! I’ve been looking all over for you.”

She came towards me, one hand holding a plate already piled with pastries and appetizers. I let her hug me, even as I snorted.

“You can tell the truth; you were more interested in the food.”

Her face flushed a little, but she was unashamed as she scowled at me. “Of course I was interested in the food, Jasmine. It’s the whole reason we’re here, isn’t it?”

I chuckled because, simplistically, it was. After all, you’d only go to a bakery to get something to eat.

“Oh, by the way,” she said with excitement, glancing at the man beside her. “This is Bryan. He, um.” She had a sheepish look. “He works with me.”

Ah. I remembered the time she’d told me off for being with Gabe because he was my boss. I wondered if he worked in a higher position than she did, but then decided it didn’t matter.

“It’s nice meeting you, Jasmine,” Bryan said, offering me his hand, the other holding a plate of food like Olivia’s, though almost empty. “I’ve heard a lot about you from Olivia, and I am totally glad I came today.”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying the food,” I said, accepting his handshake.

He glanced down at Olivia. “I’ll leave you girls to talk, and get some more food while I’m at it.”

“Sure, honey,” Olivia said and pressed a kiss to his cheek before he went off.

“I think I’ll do that, too,” Mark said, pulling his arm from around Emma’s shoulder. “The food does look delicious.”

He walked away, and then it was just us three.

“You have a great turnout for your first day,” Emma said, glancing around. “It’s a good sign, right?”

I sighed. “You know, it’s not the perfect basis for the future because anything could happen. But I am so fucking content right now that I couldn’t even care.”

“Oh, I’m so happy for you!” Emma jumped me with another hug.

Olivia picked something from her plate and popped it in her mouth. She moaned, the sound something indecent, meant more for the bedroom.

“Jasmine, I thought you only made pastries! Who the fuck made these? They’re amazing.” Her eyes practically shined as she chewed and picked up another piece.

I giggled at Olivia’s high praise. “Guess.”

Her eyebrows shot up, her quick mind putting together the puzzle pieces quickly. “No way.”

I nodded. “Gabe made them. He is a great cook, probably good enough to be a chef at some upscale restaurant, if only he’d take a few classes.”

He’d refused, though. He had been insistent, that me getting to follow my dream was good enough. Even with the FBI investigation over, the company still needed someone.

Olivia groaned, pouting, even as she took another bite. “Now, that’s just not fair. He can cook and you can bake; why don’t the two of you share some of that talent over here, huh?”

I laughed. “I’d love to share, but I’m afraid I love it way too much.”

“Jasmine? I’m going to need some help here.”

I turned around immediately at the sound of Gabe’s voice. He was coming in from the back with a couple of trays filled with both appetizers and more pastries balanced on his arms. We’d had a field day making everything. We started the cooking yesterday and finished preparations in the early hours of the morning.

We both should have been exhausted after all the work we’d had to do, but I rushed ahead, leaving my friends for the moment to go and help Gabe.

“You could have called me to help carry them all the way from the kitchen,” I chided as we took the trays to the combination of bakery and appetizer bar, at least for the opening day.

Once everyone left to go home, we’d have more work to do to clear the place up if we would be opening on the second day.

I set my tray down, then Gabe set his down, and we watched as people swarmed the food. I grinned so hard my cheeks hurt. Gabe chuckled, then wrapped his arms around me from behind, placing a kiss on my temple.

“Someone looks happy,” he teased, nuzzling my hair.

I hummed, leaning back into him. “What’s not to be happy about? My dream is finally happening. It’s right here.” I sighed a little as I glanced through the slowly growing crowd. “I do wish my parents could have come, though…”

I’d told them about the bakery, and the opening. I even offered to pay cab fare so they could make it. But neither of them was particularly interested, and a small part of me resented them for that. They were the only sore spot in an otherwise perfect day. I could even see people from the company hanging around. I hadn't exactly had friends in the company, so how nice they all were once I was cleared of criminal charges was a bit overwhelming, and confusing. But I accepted it.

Even Lily was there, her husband by her side as they sat down with a full plate to share between them.

“They’ll come around,” Gabe said, distracting me from my souring mood. “And if they don’t, then that’s their loss.”

He pulled his arms from around me, only to turn me around and catch me in his arms again. He smiled down at me, eyes shining with his happiness.

“I love you, Jasmine,” he said, the words strong.

I grinned up at him, because it had taken me weeks just to get him to admit it, and I cherished the words every time he said them to me.

“I love you, too, Gabe,” I answered, my voice filled with equal conviction.

He leaned down, and I leaned up, and our lips met in a kiss at the middle, chaste, but one of many in our future together.