Page 5 of Ardently Yours

“Very,” Nic says, looking at me. “But if you say you two are just friends...”

“Thank you,” I say, squeezing both of their hands. “I know you both mean well. It’s just that my love life is not a thing right now, and I think I’m okay with that. If that changes, you both will be the first to know. Well, Jesus first, then you two.” We laugh at that.

Secretly, I send up a prayer in my mind, hoping that God hears me: I want love, Lord. Can the right man you have for me find me at the right moment and can everything fall into place according to Your plans for me?

The door to the cafe opens, and Billie Collins walks in.

I hold my breath, unable to process the person I see walking towards the front counter. Nic and Jane turn toward the front door when they notice the look on my face.

That is not the man I prayed for. Why is my ex-fiancé here?

Chapter Two

Will

Ipop in my wireless earbuds and press play on my hype playlist, the one I listen to while baking. The song “I Can’t Lose” by the Jonas Brothers fills my ears. I slip on oven mitts, opening the oven to take out a pan of blueberry muffins.

Then, I work on refilling the pastry display case for the morning. The first batch of muffins, scones, and rolls goes pretty quickly during the morning rush of townspeople stopping by on their way to work.

I let the muffins cool on the counter and dance around the kitchen to the beat of the song. Pretending to be on stage at my own concert, I hit a two-step as I grab my journal. My journal is where I keep my notes on baking recipes and ingredients.

Lizzie brought it for me to keep track of baked goods for the week, similar to what she does for the drinks. She’s more organized than I am, hence her giving me the journal to actually keep track of what I make instead of baking things from memory like I usually do. She’s teaching me a lot about working as a professional baker, which makes me think that as much as I wanted it, maybe I wasn’t ready to own a bakery yet.

I’ve watched Lizzie keep this place in order despite the daily chaos of running a cafe and making it look easy and, well, not as chaotic as it could be. Thanks to her boss lady-like tendencies, I’m getting the hang of this journal thing. I know I have to, or else Lizzie will fire me, and then I’ll be a jobless baker.

I scribble a few things down in the journal, hoping I can read my notes later and move on to the next thing on my list: creating a late summer baked goods menu. I gave Lizzie the suggestion for the tulip tea, which I thought would be a hit, but I don’t think tulip-themed muffins will do. She seems to like the tea idea, though.

Her reaction replays in my mind. I cringe, thinking about how it seems like I could have been flirting with her. Why did I say that to her?

I sigh, tapping the pen against the counter. I guess I thought about trying to go the thoughtful route and say something without sounding sarcastic for once, but it didn’t go well. It’s like she and I can only communicate by being sarcastic with each other, or else it won’t be a long conversation.

I don’t know why I tried to be different this morning, or why I even remember her favorite flower, but I know that I want to be on her good side. I mean, she is the reason I am able to stay here in Selah Falls. In autumn, the town government was left in shambles, and the business deal I thought was in the works for me to start my own bakery fell through. But Lizzie offered me a job and befriended me.

With that in mind, I’m writing before I even realize that an idea has popped into my mind. I know what to do for a special menu. I could create a menu featuring all her favorite flavors and call it Lizzie’s Faves.

It’s the perfect way to say thank you to her for helping me out and taking a chance on me… without ruining our witty banter routine. She’ll like it, but she probably won’t tell me that. Still, if it makes her smile, which I think it will, then I will have done my job well.

I start by making a list of her favorite flavors from what I can recall. She loves apple cider donuts. Cinnamon swirl is her go-to flavor for lattes and muffins. All the above are town favorites too.

The Jonas Brothers song “Burnin’ Up” comes on at the right moment, and I feel like I’m on fire with ideas. I think about creating a chocolate tulip mousse cup with a cookie base and making them shaped like tulips, adding fresh berries for color and taste. Oh, and I can make a tulip-stuffed pastry with edible petals and berries. On a roll, I finish writing down the ingredients I’ll need for my menu and wash my hands.

I check on the blueberry muffins. Since they’ve cooled down, I place them on the tray I’ll use to carry them to the display case. I sing along to the song as it ends. Then, I pause my playlist and put my phone and earbuds in my pocket before picking up the tray. I ease out of the kitchen door and head over to the display case near the front counter.

Lizzie stands at the counter, running the register. She looks as if she’s seen a ghost. At least, from this angle, I can see part of her face from the side, since the display case is next to the register. I have to open the display case to put the muffins inside.

Lizzie doesn’t seem to notice me. No witty remark, piercing glare, or anything. She just stands there, staring past her two friends.

They stand there too, looking at the man walking towards the counter. Immediately, I don’t like him. It’s something about his smile, his walk, and the way he looks at Lizzie when he approaches.

Even the way he gives an uncomfortable Nic and Jane a one-armed hug ticks me off. I set the baked goods down on the counter and open the display case, stealing glances at Lizzie, who hadn’t said a word yet. She stands still, hands on the counter, looking wide-eyed and confused as the man speaks.

“Long time no see, ladies. It’s good to be back in town.”

He’s back in town, which means he’s been gone for how long, though? I’m not sure. But that explains why I haven’t seen him around in the months that I’ve been living here. He glances over at me and then at Lizzie, nodding.

“Liz, are you going to introduce me to your employee?”

I look at him for a moment, clenching my jaw. It’s the way he speaks that makes me pause. The way he looks down at me, crouched at the display window, just doing my job.