[Author's note: Just thought I'd let you know…a character that has not appeared on the show yet, well she sorta has but not really lol, will be in this chapter. She'll probably be totally different on PC, but not knowing this character yet, I'm going to write her the way I want her to be written. Okay, happy reading!!]

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"I have to say, your muffins are the best in town! All of the women in my book club agree."

Alison smiled at the woman and thanked her for the compliment.

"She's right," a young woman said after the lady left. "I have a soft spot for those blueberry muffins myself. You wouldn't be willing to give away your secret recipe, now would you?" The girl took a purple pen out from behind her ear and somehow produced a little notepad from behind her back. She was serious about wanting this recipe.

Alison laughed. She recognized this girl because she had been here several times. And she looked like that girl that had been working at the Recovery Room a few weeks ago, only she wasn't wearing leather and she didn't have various colors of dye in her hair. "Sorry, but it's top secret. But um, I'm really glad you like them!"

"They're fabulous!"

"You look familiar. You've been here before, right?"

The girl smiled and extended her hand. "Marissa Leong. And yes, I've been here before. You must be Alison Barrington."

"That's me. Are you some kind of journalist or something?"

Marissa laughed. "I'm from the PC Herald. This is my first journalism gig, so I'm a little excited. And I was hoping my first article could be about PC's newest and might I add, sweetest bakery. So, what do you say?"

Alison lit up. "Oh! I'd love for my little bakery to be featured in the paper! It's usually quiet around this time of day, so if you want, we can do the interview now."

"Okay, great!"

"Here, come behind the counter and you can sit here." Alison offered her a stool to sit on and pulled up one for herself.

"Thank you."

"So, what did you want to talk about? Ask away!"

"Well, let's start with the name. How did you come up with the name 'Alison's Heavenly Delights'?"

Alison grinned. "Well, it's sort of silly."

"Oh please tell me!" Marissa begged.

"Well my boyfriend sorta gave me the idea."

"So your boyfriend came up with the name?"

"No, I did, but let's just say that he was my um, inspiration for it. See, he's such a sweet guy, sort of like an angel. That's what I call him. My angel. And well, if it hadn't have been for Rafe, I probably wouldn't have started this bakery in the first place. He was the one who really encouraged me to take the risk and to follow my dream of having my own bakery and well…here it is!"

Marissa wrote notes frantically on her notepad. "Your angel, that's cute. I'm quoting you on that."

Alison smiled.

"So, what sparked your interest in creating all of these delicious…heavenly delights?" Marissa laughed.

"Well, ever since I was a kid, I've always been interested in cooking. The cook we had at home, Sally, she taught me everything I know. So I took what she taught me, then learned some things on my own. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I've always loved this kind of stuff. I'm a regular baking fool." Alison laughed. "I even entered a school bake-off in second grade."

"Did you win?"

"First place." Alison beamed.

"What do you think your bakery has to offer that no other bakery here in town does? In other words, what makes it so unique?"

"Well, that's kind of hard to explain. See, I'm so in love with Rafe, and being in love has made me so happy that well…I just want everyone to be as happy as I am. So everything that I make is made with so much love and happiness. I think that's what sets me apart. Does that make any kind of sense?" Alison laughed.

"I get it. So this boyfriend of yours, Rafe, he really sounds like some kind of guy."

"Well like I say, he's my angel."

Marissa smiled. "Well, just one more question."

"Okay."

"What's the secret to those blueberry muffins anyway?"

Alison laughed. "Nice try."

"Oh okay, but how about off the record? Just tell me, I can keep a secret."

Alison laughed again.

"I'm kidding of course!" Marissa stood up and shook Alison's hand. "Thank you very much for your time. I can't wait to get home and write this up!"

"Oh, you're welcome. I feel so honored that someone wants to write about this place. I really put my heart and soul into it."

"Well it's definitely worth writing about."

"Oh, Marissa, wait!"

"Yeah?"

Alison smiled. "Here, take a couple of muffins, no charge. It's the least I can do to thank you for um, ya know, plugging my bakery and all!"

"Oh, you're such a doll! Thank you! Well now I'm really in the mood to write. The article should be in Wednesday's paper so look out for it."

"Alright, it was nice meeting you."

"Likewise. Bye."

Alison treated herself to one of her "fabulous" muffins and smiled. Then she picked up the phone, because suddenly, she really wanted to hear her angel's voice.

Rafe was writing away in his journal when he heard the phone ring. "Hello?"

"Hey, sweetheart."

Rafe smiled at the sound of Alison's voice on the line. "Hey, beautiful."

"Guess what! This girl from the paper just came by and interviewed me, she wants to do an article about my bakery!"

"Alison, that's wonderful! See, now everyone will know just how wonderful of a cook you are."

Alison laughed. "Yeah, I'm excited about it! So, when can you get your cute little angelic self over here? I miss you!"

Rafe laughed. "Yeah, it's been a long two hours since we last saw each other. I'll be over there in ten minutes."

"Sweet." Alison grinned. "I love you, Rafe Kovich."

"I love you, too."

Alison hung up the phone and waited for Rafe.

~*~*~*~

The bell on the door jingled and Alison looked up. "Oh, yay! You're here!" She jumped out of her seat and ran into Rafe's arms.

Rafe laughed. "I missed you too."

"I'm really glad you're here, Rafe. I just wanted you to know how happy I am about my bakery, and without your help, it wouldn't be this great."

"Oh I didn't do much. I mean, you are the cook after all. I just sit and watch. You look so cute in that apron you know."

Alison laughed. "What I mean, Rafe, is that you have always encouraged me to follow my heart, and I've never been more happier."

"Well good, you followed your heart and now your dream of owning a bakery is reality."

"That's not the only decision I've followed my heart on."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." Alison smiled at Rafe and leaned forward for a kiss.

~*~*~*~

[later that evening]

"You ready for bed yet?" Rafe hollered from the bedroom.

"Just a minute!" Alison hollered back, her words a bit slurred because of the toothpaste in her mouth.

Finally, Alison emerged from the bathroom. She was wearing her cute lavender pajamas that Rafe loved so much. Alison gave Rafe a suspicious look when she saw him sitting in bed waiting for her with a grin on his face. "What? Do I have toothpaste on my mouth or something?"

"What? Oh, no. You look beautiful."

"Why are you smiling?"

"Well I'm just so happy to see you. I'm a little impatient. You know how I can't sleep without you."

Alison smiled. "Oh, okay." She walked over to his side of the bed and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You're so sweet."

Alison sat on her side of the bed. She took a sip of her water and set the glass back down on the nightstand. Then, she took her lip balm and rolled it across her lips. Next, Alison made sure there was a box of tissues nearby, just in case she needed them for some reason. Then, Alison took another sip of water.

Rafe couldn't help but smile at her. This nightly ritual of hers had become familiar to him. "Ready?" he asked.

Alison turned to him. "Mmm-hmm." Alison curled into Rafe's arms. She turned her head up so that Rafe could kiss her.

"Goodnight, love you."

"I love you…" Alison murmured as she closed her eyes and drifted off the sleep.

And just as Rafe had become familiar with Alison's bedtime rituals, he had also become very aware of her sleeping patterns. Within 20 minutes, just as Rafe had expected, Alison was fast asleep.

Now was his chance.

Stashed behind Rafe's pillow was a little piece of sting. He knew this was totally crazy, but he had seen it done on a television show once, and he couldn't think of any other way to find out. Rafe had already made a little loop in the string. All he had to do was to carefully slip it around Alison's finger and tighten it just slightly to get her ring size. Rafe held his breath as he did this, terrified that Alison would wake up. She shook her head once and Rafe panicked, but she didn't wake up. Rafe finally took the string off and breathed a sigh of relief. In the dim light, he somehow managed to tighten the knot in the string to the appropriate size. Rafe stashed it back under his pillow. Now, he could relax. All that he had to do now was to go to the jeweler's tomorrow morning and pick out a ring. Rafe fell asleep with a smile on his face.