Page 23 of The Alpha and the Baker

Felicia

When it Rains, it Pours

I had a date.

I had a date!

I couldn’t believe it when I went to bed, and I woke up still not believing it.

What were the chances that I happened to literally run into the same oversized young dog that I’d met at the McCallister reunion?

I’d expected its frazzled owner to run up apologetically, but no, it had been Cas himself.

What couldn’t that guy do?

Family wrangler, maybe a farmer, and a dog trainer on top of it. No lie, the competency was pretty damn attractive to me. Then again, what about Cas wasn’t attractive?

I couldn’t even remember the last time I had a date. Unsurprisingly, I never dated in high school. I’d had a few casual flings in college, but I was too dedicated to my studies to have spare energy for a serious relationship.

I had tried more sincerely once I graduated, but the life of a baker simply wasn’t conducive to having a social life. Waking up at three-thirty in the morning and going to bed by nine most nights eliminated a lot of social time that other adults had.

“Relax, girl. Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

Easier said than done, however. If I was being entirely honest with myself, I wasn’t even sure that I was able to swing it now, because I was busier than ever.

The difference was that before I cared a lot about that, but in the moment?

Didn’t give a shit. Even with the strange things I’ve noticed about Cas and his family, I didn’t want to miss a chance to see if something could work between us.

Even if it was the tiniest chance, it was worth exploring.

I met a lot of people in my life, and none of them made me laugh so easily or feel so welcome as Cas had in just three short meetings.

I didn’t know if it was the way he looked at me, the way he talked to me, or the way he treated others, but I was drawn to him in a way that was inescapable.

Not that I wanted to escape.

I started my Monday looking forward to the weekend, and I hoped the anticipation for Friday wouldn’t become too much. It didn’t help that I had an awful lot to do. I just needed to be patient and steady.

Too bad patience wasn’t really one of my strongest traits.

Thankfully, I had my regulars to get me through most of Monday, and once I closed up shop and finished my prep, I took a long soak in the tub.

I didn’t know what had gotten into me to try jogging the night before, but I was definitely sore from it.

It turned out all my baking muscles and endurance didn’t really lend themselves to cardiovascular health.

Oh well. I’d lasted long enough to get a date with a hunk who seemed to have a heart of gold, so we could chalk that up to #worthit, as some of my contemporaries would say.

Tuesday was harder, since it was a slower day.

I still had most of my regulars, of course, but that was kind of it.

It was hard not to be discouraged at having an empty shop for most of the day, but thankfully, I had the extra cushion from the McCallister family reunion.

That had saved my bacon in a way I didn’t think any of them understood.

I would be eternally grateful for that, even if my date with Cas bombed.

When the solitude and lack of things to do bordered on painful, I finished up the last of my prep, then went to the front to close up. However, miraculous timing seemed to strike again, because as I rounded the corner of my display case, the bell above the door chimed.

A customer? That would be a great way to end my day.

“Welcome!” I said it cheerily as a pair of middle-aged women stepped in, all smiles and red cheeks.

For a moment I was so pleased that someone was in my shop, I didn’t really take in their faces.

But after a beat, my brain recognized them.

“Auntie Penny?” I blurted, not quite comfortable solely using their given names now that I wasn’t inebriated.

That was one overlap of Southern and Asian culture that I really liked: using honorifics for anyone older as a sign of respect. “Auntie Polly.”

“Goodness, look at you. Don’t you look so crisp in that baking uniform.”

Crisp? I looked down at myself dubiously.

Although I used multiple aprons throughout the day, I still had a few splashes of flour and other ingredients on my white uniform.

Signs of a productive day, but they didn’t exactly scream crisp .

Maybe at the beginning of the day, but certainly not hours and many baked goods later.

Nevertheless, I wasn’t about to argue against the compliments of two Midwestern women.

“Aw, thanks. I do my best, you know. Try not to slather myself with the jams and all that.”

“You’re doing a great job,” Polly said, striding up to the counter. I couldn’t help but notice the reusable shopping bag on her arm, and my hopes grew that both were in to try something.

Yes! When I’d taken Cas’s order, I had daydreamed that it would drum up some possible new business. And it seemed that dream was happening in real time. Man, when blessings rained, they really poured. Goodness knew I had been in a drought for far too long.

Either that, or they were coming in to have the “shovel talk”.

I didn’t think that was the reason—Cas and I hadn’t gone on our first date yet—but some folks could be real hostile to outsiders, and the way Claudia mentioned me not being from around here still lingered in my head even if I couldn’t remember any of the context around it.

“What can I do for y’all?” I asked, putting more twang into my voice than I naturally had.

“We actually came in here because we’re planning a baby shower, but we’ll talk about that in a minute.” Polly said, still grinning broadly. “Some of these just look too good to pass up! Is that pumpernickel bread?”

“Yes, ma’am. Just came out of the oven it at noon.

I don’t have the biggest demand for it, so I only bake two loaves a day.

I really shouldn’t make any at all, but it’s my favorite.

” Something about its earthiness—with a hint of sour and sometimes slight coffee flavor—hit so right for me, especially with warm, salted butter spread heartily across the top. Yum!

“I knew you were a woman of taste.”

“And what kind of focaccia is that? It looks heavenly,” Penny asked.

“That’s my special rosemary, goat’s cheese, and olive focaccia,” I answered, knowing my pride was slipping into my tone.

I didn’t care. I was very proud of my work, especially since that was a recipe I had created after spending a summer abroad for my apprenticeship.

“You’re in luck. I don’t make these every day, because they don’t always sell. ”

“Today must be our lucky day, then.”

“I don’t know, seems like my lucky day!”

They both laughed at that, seeming genuinely tickled, and I didn’t mention that the only reason I’d made the focaccia was because I knew it would probably not sell and then I’d get to have it for dinner.

I wasn’t mad about the loss, though. I’d much rather make myself a grilled cheese sandwich and have them share one of my creations with their families. “You mentioned a baby shower?”

I was really, really , trying to keep my hopes in check, but the thought that I might have another event to cater for had me chomping at the bit.

I wasn’t delusional—I didn’t think it would be another six-hundred-dollar blessing—but I was at the point where anything was a good day. No, scratch that, a great day.

“Yes, but one moment. I don’t think it would be wise to try to plan anything on an empty stomach.

I’d like one of those sun-dried tomato twist rolls there.

I’d love it if you’d heat it up for me, if that’s not too much trouble.

And then I’ll take the pumpernickel roll to go, as well as that beautiful sourdough.

The one in the center, please, with the three scores,” Polly said.

“Right away,” I said, practically beaming. Man, if there was a hazard that came with the McCallisters, it was that they sure did make my cheeks hurt from all the grinning I did around them.

Penny tapped her finger against the chin.

“And I’ll do that jalapeno pretzel, take the focaccia to go, and another sourdough.

But I’d like the longer one, please. Makes better sandwiches.

Oh, and I don’t need my pretzel heated up, but if you have some of that dipping cheese, I wouldn’t mind if that was a little warm. ”

“I hear you on that,” I said. “I love making melts with the longer loaf. And I do have dipping cheese that can go with this. Give me just one moment, and I’ll heat that up for you. I do assume you guys want to eat these here before discussing what you need for your baby shower?”

“Not our baby shower, just one that we’re planning,” Polly corrected.

“I think she knows that,” Penny shot right back while I busied myself. “We’re not exactly spring chickens to be having a new one, are we?”

Yeah, I wasn’t going to touch that with a twenty-foot pole, but thankfully, I didn’t have to, because the two began to banter back and forth.

“Penny, get with the times. Women are having babies later and later. For all we know, she thinks we’re having a baby together.”

“What? She knows we ain’t like that!” The woman’s eyes went wide, and Penny whirled to me.

“Not that there would be anything wrong if we were. But my husband of fifteen years would be mighty upset that I left him for my half cousin. Besides,” she shot Polly a teasingly haughty look, “I’m way out of her league. ”

“Like hell you are! I’ve got more hair than stars in the sky and birthin’ hips that don’t quit. You need to come back to Earth, girlie.”

“And you need to get your eyes checked. Redheads are in. ”

“I can dye my hair. You can’t dye that face!”