These are the snacks of the enemy, Roxanne thought to herself as she stood gazing up at the menu. I do not need them. I will not enjoy them.

The young mountain lion behind the counter (named Steve judging from the name tag on his shirt) gazed back awkwardly at the indecisive customer. "Uh, ma'am? If you're not ready there are other people here who'd like to—"

The koala's eyes suddenly focused as if she'd been jolted back into her body from an astral journey a million miles away. "I'll take a dozen! Just... whatever has frosting. And sprinkles. Ooh. Those chocolate ones look nice. Throw some of those in."

The man waiting in line behind her was a beaver, maybe? She didn't look at him for more than an instant. She only knew his big incisors and brown fur gave her the willies.

Steve was good at his job, or at least diligent about avoiding a line of impatient customers. He taped up the box and set it down on the counter in a jiffy. "It's our dollar-a-donut day. $12."

Roxanne handed him a $20. The change came back along with a little blue card. "What's this?"

"That our, uh, loyalty card." Steve grinned, but something behind that smile betrayed that he was starting to have doubts about who he was serving. "Buy 6 boxes, get the 7th free!"

Steve was right to have doubts.

Roxanne leaned in as he was explaining the "7th Heaven" special. "Look," she glanced down at the name tag, "Steve, is it?" She suddenly found herself wishing she was wearing shades, because she would have lowered them dramatically. "I need you to listen carefully. There's a wombat who lives around here. He frequents this very establishment. You may already know who I'm referring to."

The mountain lion's eyes widened nervously. "...yeah? And if I do?"

"And, here's what's going to happen. One day—probably very soon—he's going to walk in. When he does he might ask about me. If that happens, you need to deny you ever saw me. I never came into this shop." She slid three dollar bills across the counter. "Got it? I was never here."

The beaver waiting behind her tapped her on the shoulder. "Miss, I'm running late for—"

"Can't you see we're conducting business?" she snapped before returning her attention to the clerk. "Well?"

Steve swallowed. "He usually leaves a five dollar tip."

Roxanne scoffed. She could hardly believe the wombat left a substantive tip for anyone. At the same time it stood to reason that a man like that took his pastries seriously. So she handed him back the $5 as well. "I take it we have an understanding, Steve?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure," he nodded, pocketing the change. "I have no idea who you are. Actually, just for the, um, sake of clarity, exactly who is it that I'm... not supposed to know?"

"The name's Roxie B." She slid the box under one arm as she snatched the blue card from his paw. "And I'll be taking that loyalty card."

She already had the box open as she brushed past the beaver. Vanilla frosting with sprinkles. Delightful.

And the best part was that nobody needed to know.

It would be her and Steve's little secret.