and
looking for him? She set the pages back on the desk. When they’d started dating
they used to sit under the stars, talking about their lives, getting to know
each other. Beau had already told Sam that he’d dated beautiful women, that
he’d in fact been married to a former model for a few years. When she’d
compared herself to them, Beau assured her that the glamour life and the
beautiful, self absorbed women were of no interest to him.
His simple roots on a ranch and
the fact that he’d settled into basically that same life in his adult years
reassured her that despite the fact that glamorous women tended to latch onto
him, he genuinely did not want their lifestyle. Felicia Black had, no doubt,
chosen Beau because they would look so good together, but did she really know
him? Would she ever be content to wake up day after day in his log house and
help him feed the horses on frosty mornings? Sam formed a picture of the
redhead in her high heels and fur coat trudging through spring mud and scooping
up oats for a horse. The image was so comical that she caught herself
chuckling.
Beau loved her . He was the
one who wanted to get married without a long engagement. He’d never done
anything to make Sam believe otherwise.
So there, Felicia Black. You
won’t get him.
Sam dimly became aware that
someone was speaking to her.
“. . . closing up now?” It was
Jen. Sandy and Cathy had apparently already said goodbye, although Sam barely
remembered their leaving.
“Sure. Can you make sure the
tables and beverage bar are ready for the morning?” Sam said.
“I did. Everything’s in good
shape.” Jen pulled the sleeves of her wool coat over her arms. “Sam? About
earlier?”
Sam looked up.
“I would have done the same. If
somebody like that threatened to get my man. I know, Michael and I are still
really new together . . .”
Less than a week, if Sam
recalled.
“But I’d still claw her eyes
out.”
Sam couldn’t help it—laughter
welled up at the image of the polite and diminutive Jennifer clawing anyone’s
eyes out. The mood was contagious and Jen gave in to giggles, herself.
“I know, crazy huh?” She finally
said, wiping her coat sleeve across her eyes. “I’m much more likely to be a
sneaky poisoner.” She straightened her shoulders and buttoned her coat. “Okay,
reality check. You know I’m kidding about all of this, right?”
They both laughed and Jen headed
for the door.
With the bakery quiet at last,
Sam concentrated on rechecking the status of the upcoming orders. Including
her own wedding cake. She stared at the sketches for a few minutes. As much as
she and Beau wanted to share their lives together, the real test was all the
ceremonial hoopla which, no matter how simple you wanted it to be, invariably
became complex. Cake, dress, flowers and invitations had taken over most of the
last month. The crush of new business had kept her sidetracked all week. When
had she lost the focus that she simply wanted to be Beau’s wife?
She set the cake sketches aside
and went online to place her supply order. That accomplished, she shut down the
computer and pushed her chair up to the desk. A quick survey of the sales area
showed everything neatly organized, the night lighting casting a warm glow on
the front window displays. A Bakery of Magical Delights, said the slogan on the
door. She smiled and sighed.
Despite her aching muscles and
the months of work it had taken to get the pastry shop up and running, Sam knew
she wouldn’t change a thing. She still loved creating beautiful things to
brighten people’s lives. Even with its frustrations, she felt so happy that
she’d begun to master the techniques of making her fabulous chocolates. And
once things quieted down this spring she intended to work on new designs, some
signature chocolate pieces that she might be able to sell online as well as
here in the shop.
Now all she had to do was stop by
the supermarket and grab a few items for dinner.
looking for him? She set the pages back on the desk. When they’d started dating
they used to sit under the stars, talking about their lives, getting to know
each other. Beau had already told Sam that he’d dated beautiful women, that
he’d in fact been married to a former model for a few years. When she’d
compared herself to them, Beau assured her that the glamour life and the
beautiful, self absorbed women were of no interest to him.
His simple roots on a ranch and
the fact that he’d settled into basically that same life in his adult years
reassured her that despite the fact that glamorous women tended to latch onto
him, he genuinely did not want their lifestyle. Felicia Black had, no doubt,
chosen Beau because they would look so good together, but did she really know
him? Would she ever be content to wake up day after day in his log house and
help him feed the horses on frosty mornings? Sam formed a picture of the
redhead in her high heels and fur coat trudging through spring mud and scooping
up oats for a horse. The image was so comical that she caught herself
chuckling.
Beau loved her . He was the
one who wanted to get married without a long engagement. He’d never done
anything to make Sam believe otherwise.
So there, Felicia Black. You
won’t get him.
Sam dimly became aware that
someone was speaking to her.
“. . . closing up now?” It was
Jen. Sandy and Cathy had apparently already said goodbye, although Sam barely
remembered their leaving.
“Sure. Can you make sure the
tables and beverage bar are ready for the morning?” Sam said.
“I did. Everything’s in good
shape.” Jen pulled the sleeves of her wool coat over her arms. “Sam? About
earlier?”
Sam looked up.
“I would have done the same. If
somebody like that threatened to get my man. I know, Michael and I are still
really new together . . .”
Less than a week, if Sam
recalled.
“But I’d still claw her eyes
out.”
Sam couldn’t help it—laughter
welled up at the image of the polite and diminutive Jennifer clawing anyone’s
eyes out. The mood was contagious and Jen gave in to giggles, herself.
“I know, crazy huh?” She finally
said, wiping her coat sleeve across her eyes. “I’m much more likely to be a
sneaky poisoner.” She straightened her shoulders and buttoned her coat. “Okay,
reality check. You know I’m kidding about all of this, right?”
They both laughed and Jen headed
for the door.
With the bakery quiet at last,
Sam concentrated on rechecking the status of the upcoming orders. Including
her own wedding cake. She stared at the sketches for a few minutes. As much as
she and Beau wanted to share their lives together, the real test was all the
ceremonial hoopla which, no matter how simple you wanted it to be, invariably
became complex. Cake, dress, flowers and invitations had taken over most of the
last month. The crush of new business had kept her sidetracked all week. When
had she lost the focus that she simply wanted to be Beau’s wife?
She set the cake sketches aside
and went online to place her supply order. That accomplished, she shut down the
computer and pushed her chair up to the desk. A quick survey of the sales area
showed everything neatly organized, the night lighting casting a warm glow on
the front window displays. A Bakery of Magical Delights, said the slogan on the
door. She smiled and sighed.
Despite her aching muscles and
the months of work it had taken to get the pastry shop up and running, Sam knew
she wouldn’t change a thing. She still loved creating beautiful things to
brighten people’s lives. Even with its frustrations, she felt so happy that
she’d begun to master the techniques of making her fabulous chocolates. And
once things quieted down this spring she intended to work on new designs, some
signature chocolate pieces that she might be able to sell online as well as
here in the shop.
Now all she had to do was stop by
the supermarket and grab a few items for dinner.
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