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“No, Mars,” I said, shaking my head at his juvenile joke. “I’m not. But Quinn and I are officially a couple.”
Mars clapped his hands together, then bounced up and hugged me. “That’s great news, Lanie. I’m so proud of you.”
“Stop,” I said, shaking my head, but secretly pleased at the turn of events. As Mars rudely pointed out, it had been a long time since I was in an actual relationship. Historically, dating hadn’t been my best skill.
Mars pulled away from me, his hands still gripping my shoulders. “You’re okay with the fact that he’s a firefighter then? Not a nice, safe accountant?”
I sighed. “I guess. Firefighters are pretty great to look at. Probably even better than accountants,” I conceded.
Mars chuckled. “Atta, girl. You can do this, Lanie. I have faith in you. What’s he think about Holden’s bakery idea?”
I sucked in, biting down hard on my lip.
“Lane. Tell me you at least mentioned it to him.”
I traced my finger along a grey vein in the marble countertop. “Errr, not exactly.”
“You didn’t say anything about it at all, did you?” Mars narrowed his eyes at meand anxiety swirled in my gut.
I shook my head ‘no.’
“OMG, Lanie! You have to tell him. Sooner rather than later!” Mars cried, his voice twinged with panic. “And also—what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know, Mars,” I said, feeling miserable. “I love the idea of being back in New York, but I don’t like the thought of working for Holden.”
“Truth,” Mars said, shaking his head.
“And now there’s the Quinn situation…”
“Also true.”
“What do you think?” I asked, biting down hard on my lip as I looked to my bestie for advice.
Mars shrugged. “Girl, you know I can’t answer that for you. You have to follow your heart. What I would do, though, is have a chat with Quinn, like, now. He’s going to be pissed if he thinks you’re not being one-hundred percent honest with him.”
“I know,” I said, shoving my hand in my jeans. “I need to find the right time is all.”
“Better look hard and fast,” Mars said, rubbing my arm.
“Thanks, Mars, I will.” I glanced at the clock. “I’m going to run to the corner and grab the paper. I want to see if the write-up is in it today.”
I scurried out of the kitchen, not even stopping to put on my coat, eager to end the conversation. Plus, there was a chance the article about the bakery would be in today’s paper, and I was dying to see what Kacie had written. I flew down to the corner, partly driven by nerves, partly by the cold. I deposited my dollar in quarters into the blue metal news box and lifted out a copy of the Sunday paper, then hurried back to the bakery.
Slinging the door closed behind me, I unfolded the paper on the nearest table, shuffling through the different sections until I got to theLifestylesegment. And there we were, the feature story:
Home for the Holidays: Lanie’s Bakery, a Sweet Addition to the Hidden-Gem Town of Peachtree Grove, Georgia
Peachtree Grove just got a fantastic holiday gift in the form ofLanie’s, a quaint, yet urban-chic bakery on the corner of downtown Main Street. Featuring old-fashioned family favorites like lemon bars and double-fudge brownies, as well as more contemporary offerings like rose macarons and dark chocolate-cinnamon mousse,Lanie’sis a bright and airy bakery and café well-positioned to become a local favorite for residents and visitors alike.
Owner and head pastry chef Delaney Miller graduated from culinary school in Manhattan just one year ago and she’s already experiencing major success, headlining the refreshments for Peachtree Grove’s annual tree lighting.
“It was an honor to be tapped to serve my community at an event so near to my heart. As a lifelong resident of Peachtree Grove, the holiday, and this event in particular mean so much to me. I am truly blessed to have this opportunity and look forward to welcoming all of you to the bakery,” said Ms. Miller at the light-filled, enchanting ceremony.
Ms. Miller dedicated the bakery to her late mother, Elaine Miller, who recently passed away after a battle with cancer. All proceeds from the tree lighting event have been donated to the foundation bearing her name. Additionally, Fire Station 54, together with the town of Peachtree Grove, matched the contributions raised in Mrs. Miller’s name. Ms. Miller’s two brothers currently work as firefighters at Station 54, following in their retired father’s footsteps, having served his community as a firefighter there for over two decades.
Should you venture to the magical town of Peachtree Grove this holiday season, no visit would be complete without stopping byLanie’s. You may even run into Santa while you’re there!
Above the article was a large photo of the bakery, the first rays of sunlight shining down and illuminating theLanie’ssign. The photo was amazing and definitely frame-worthy, perfect for the cafe. Next to the large photo were two smaller photos: one of Mars and me in the kitchen standing behind the marble counter, putting the final touches on a four-tiered white cake decorated with gold pinecones; and the other inside the café, Mars reaching into the display case and grabbing a macaron. I bet macaron sales were going to skyrocket. Mars wouldn’t be pleased.
