by Lacey Baker
“She’s feeling much better,” Taylor announced when she stepped out of Brooke’s room to see him standing in the hallway.
They were treating his daughter’s bedroom like a hospital room, heading into Brooke’s bathroom once they came out to wash their hands and do a secondary coating of hand sanitizer since they were also working in the kitchen.
“Good. Then the doctor was right.” He walked down the short end of the hallway with her as she entered Brooke’s aqua blue-colored bathroom.
He leaned against the doorway as she stepped inside and turned on the water at the sink.
“I don’t know how you do it,” she told him when she reached for the soap.
“Do what? You’re doing everything for me today.” And that wasn’t totally a bad thing. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed the tag-team of two parents working with a child. Again, Jenny had been doing a great job helping out for the past few years, but this was different. He’d been seeing how throughout the day.
“How do you stay so calm?” Taylor asked. “Each time she calls for me, I’m a nervous wreck wondering if she’s getting worse or not. And I really don’t know what I’m doing. I only remember a little bit of what my mom used to do when I was sick. I knew you were doing all of the baking, so I’ve been texting back and forth with Wendy to see what she does for her kids when they’re sick.”
“I’d say you’re doing a pretty good job.”
She’d pulled her hair back from her face, holding it with a black band at the nape of her neck. It made her seem more relaxed, at home. He wondered what he could do to keep her looking that way.
“Ah, I made us some sandwiches. Come on down when you’re ready.” He quickly got away from her because his thoughts were all over the place.
He was sitting at the table when she entered the dining room and took the seat across from him.
“Why don’t you have a boyfriend, Taylor?” The question tumbled out of his mouth before he could think to stop it.
It clearly startled her too, because she stopped chewing to stare at him.
“Sorry. I was just wondering why a smart, beautiful woman would not have someone. I mean, you don’t have a boyfriend, right? Not that it matters, I was just wondering.” And now he was babbling. He shoved a chip into his mouth.
She cleared her throat when she was finished chewing and then picked up a napkin to wipe her mouth.
“Well, ah, yeah, no there’s no need to apologize. I guess it’s a fair question since I’ve been here all day playing house.” She quickly looked up at him with a mortified expression.
“What I meant to say was, I’ve been here working, but not really, since I’ve been taking care of Brooke. And I really like doing that, even though it’s my first time. But—”
She stopped talking, and Adam could only nod because he’d just been through that same babbling spurt.
Taylor took a deep breath and released it slowly while Adam took a drink of the soda in front of him and then wiped his hands on a napkin.
“I had a boyfriend a long time ago. It didn’t work out. Since then there’s been nothing long term.”
He accepted that, as if there was something to actually accept.
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
Her lips twisted into a smirk. “Girlfriend?”
“Oh, yeah. That. No. Um, my sister tried a blind date thing about a year ago. Crashed and burned within the first five minutes. Apparently, I’m out of practice. My conversation consists mainly of baking muffins and taking my daughter to dance class or ice skating.”
Taylor rested her elbows on the table and leaned forward. “That’s not bad conversation. I’d probably talk about building specs or how valuable it is to sign up for TSA pre-check. That is, if I ever stayed put long enough to go on a blind date.”
“Huh. We’re a pair aren’t we?”
“Yeah, I guess so. You know, I thought I wanted all this at one time. The house, kids, dance classes, Little League games.”
Intrigued, he decided to press on, besides he was already all-in with the questions now.
“You don’t want it now?”
Her smile wavered and she did this really cute thing where her nose crinkled.
“Not really. I mean, it’s nice, but dating’s time consuming and I’ve got work and travel. And actually, the more time passes, the less I think about it.”
She paused after those words and Adam thought she might be questioning them. Only because he’d been doing a lot of that himself lately. Saying something and then wondering if what he’d said was actually true, or if he’d just been so used to saying it that the words had naturally come out.
“Yeah. Me too. Right now for me, Brooke is the priority. I don’t really have time for anything else.”
Way to prove his own point.
“She’s really great, Adam. And you do such a wonderful job with her.”
“She misses her mother.” Now that was totally honest. “I see it sometimes when I pick her up from school and her friends are being picked up by their moms and talking about doing things with their moms. It’s hard for her, but she’s such a trouper. She tries to act like it doesn’t bother her as much. She likes to say she’s older now so she can’t act like a baby.”
“Awww, that’s so sad. But doesn’t your sister fill in?”
He nodded. “Yes. Jenny has been great and Brooke really loves her. But she also knows that Jenny is almost finished with school. Depending where she gets a job, she may not be here with us much longer, and I would never ask her to stay.”
“No. You wouldn’t.”
She was looking at him differently. Adam hoped she wasn’t pitying him, but he couldn’t blame her if she was. He was really giving her enough ammunition for those thoughts.
“So. I managed to get a lot done today,” he said, changing the subject. “Ray said we’re a go to use the bakery kitchen whenever we need to, so we can go there tomorrow. You’re still set on your plans?”
She sat up straight then and he could see her shifting from the relaxed Taylor to the professional Taylor. He liked that there were two sides to her.
“Yes. I think they’re good. We just need to finish getting the frame up and transport the gingerbread to the Marketplace, and we’ll be all set to start assembling.”
“Well then, we’d better get to work on baking more gingerbread.” He stood from the table and picked up his plate.
She stood too. “Look at you trying to stay on schedule. I think I’m rubbing off on you, Adam Dale.”
He walked behind her into the kitchen thinking she had no idea how true her words actually were.
Chapter Eleven
“Okay, can you, um—” Adam said, but Taylor quickly finished the sentence for him.
“Take the last tray out of the oven,” she replied with a nod. “I’m on it.”
Three days after Brooke’s stomach virus, they were in the kitchen at Ray’s. Over his shoulder, Adam could see her slipping the oven mitts on and moving to take the tray out of the oven.
“Hot! Hot! Hot!” she whispered. Immediately, he turned from putting the already cooled trays on a shelf and helped her move this new tray to rest on the racks he’d positioned on the counter.
When the tray was out of her hands he started to ask, “Can you ah, pass me the—”
“Spatula.” She finished his sentence again and reached over to the utensil holder to get one for him. “Here,” she said, handing it to him.
Adam couldn’t help but smile at how at ease she now looked in the kitchen. She was a really fast learner and all the baking tips and kitchen etiquette he’d been dishing out had not only been well-received, but were now being implemented. And by such a talented woman, to boot. The gingerbread smelled delicious and was cooking exactly as they’d planned. The
re was good reason for him to continue smiling.
“We need to wait until these are nice and dry so that…?” She hesitated this time.
He looked over to her and noticed the soft yellow sweater she was wearing today. It was a nice color on her that made her eyes light up. “The frosting adheres.” Adam finished for her this time.
“Hmmm,” she said with a nod.
“Hey, did you notice?” he asked and leaned in slightly as if sharing some great secret.
“What?” The question held just a hint of concern.
“The smell of nothing burning,” he replied with a grin.
She chuckled. “Amazing, right? I’d say our current collaboration is a teeny bit better than our first.”
“Well, that isn’t saying much,” Adam quipped. And yet, he knew it was.
It said they were becoming a great team. Just like the night when he’d watched her and Brooke setting the table for dinner, and then how the two of them not only worked together on Brooke’s project but talked about that movie as if they’d seen it a billion times.
The entire arrangement was turning out to be cozier and more comfortable than Adam would have ever imagined.
They’d gotten off to a rocky start, but this morning Adam had awakened knowing that he was going to see Taylor at the bakery today, and that thought had made him happy.
“Well, well, well. It looks like the elves have taken over my kitchen,” Ray said as he walked in.
“Tired elves,” Adam replied. “Taylor, meet my boss, Ray.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Ray. Thank you so much for letting us use your kitchen,” Taylor said.
“No problem,” Ray told her. “Adam, can I talk to you for a minute?”
Oh, that didn’t sound good. Ray had given Adam permission to use the kitchen at the bakery and to have some time off to work on the competition, but Adam had insisted on still doing some of the baking for the bakery as well. He wouldn’t have felt comfortable leaving Ray totally in the lurch while he did the competition.
When they’d walked over to the other side of the kitchen, Ray leaned in and whispered to Adam. “That’s quite a project you two have going.”
“Hey, don’t worry about it. I can keep up with the muffins and the bagels.” Adam immediately assured him.
Ray nodded. “I know. And look, Adam, I know I’ve got you baking below your potential.”
He immediately interjected. “I like working here, okay. You’re a good boss.”
Ray clasped his hands behind his back and nodded before continuing, “You know I’d let you bake the fancy stuff full-time, but this is an old family bakery. I’ve had customers here for the last twenty years—” he started to explain.
“And our customers only want the basics.” Adam finished Ray’s statement. “I know, Ray. And I won’t forget that.”
“You read my mind,” Ray told him with a chuckle. “Anyway, this week the sky’s the limit. My kitchen is at your command.”
The fact that Ray acknowledged Adam’s passion as a pastry chef and was granting him this opportunity meant the world to Adam. He tapped Ray on the arm and smiled giving him a silent thanks.
“You know I’d offer to help, but it looks like you two have the situation in hand,” Ray said, his voice intentionally louder as he began walking back to the counter where Taylor stood.
She was cleaning up the area they’d been working in, gathering the utensils and wiping down the counters.
“Aww, thanks again for letting us bake here.” She gave Ray one of her amazing smiles.
Ray beamed. “My pleasure, lovely lady. And I’ll be at the competition cheering for you. Good luck!”
He’d already begun to walk away when Adam said, “Our gingerbread needs to cool. So can I suggest a break?” He hesitated when it occurred to him that a break might mean she would go and take care of some other business she had. “You busy?”
Taylor stopped what she was doing and looked up at him skeptically. “Why?”
“I gotta get some stocking stuffers for Brooke, and since you’re a Philly native maybe it’s time you get reacquainted with how your hometown celebrates Christmas.” After noting how much he liked seeing the relaxed Taylor the other day, he’d been thinking of a way to reinforce his “Taylor needs to learn to enjoy herself more” idea. She was always so focused on work, this competition in particular, and she traveled so much, he thought it would be a good idea for her to get to know Philly again. Maybe if she did, she would be more willing to stay here instead of traveling all the time.
“Okay,” she replied with a shrug.
He smiled more on the inside than he let show. “Okay, let’s do it!”
“I can’t believe you’re not cold,” Taylor said half an hour later when they were walking around the outside portion of the Christmas Market.
She had on her coat, a very fashionable beret that matched, and gloves. She looked chic and beautiful and Adam found himself staring at her even more. He, on the other hand, had been so eager to get out of the bakery and to be with her in a scenery other than a kitchen or the work site, that he’d forgotten his coat. Luckily he’d worn a long sleeve flannel shirt today, so that helped fight off the chill a little.
“It feels good after being near the ovens all day.” That seemed like a much more viable excuse than the truth: that he’d been so focused on her that he’d forgotten his coat.
Night had fallen and there was a light crowd of people milling about. The music was still playing and lights from all of the vendor booths added to the festive atmosphere.
“Is this really your first Christmas in Philadelphia since you were little?” He talked while they walked.
“As an adult, yeah.”
“Wow. So you have no Christmas memories here as a kid either, huh?”
She tilted her head and squinted as if trying to recall right at this moment. “Well, it feels familiar but cloudy. Kind of like in a snow globe. I remember going shopping at the Reading Market, the neighborhoods with lights and yummy food, of course.”
“Hmmm, so you remember the most important things. Food.”
“Ahh, yeah,” she chuckled.
Adam smiled along with her. “Ah, here’s what I came for.” He spotted the stand and jogged over to it. Checking the sign to get a price before reaching into his pocket, he pulled out some money.
He handed the bills to the salesperson. “Can I get a pound of your bark, please?”
Taylor joined him at the stand just as the woman was handing him a red and white tin wrapped in a green striped bow. He turned to her and opened the tin.
“I heard you like peppermint bark, and this company is known for theirs,” he said, extending the tin in her direction.
She blinked. “Oh! Thanks.” She reached in to select a piece. “It looks delicious.”
She’d told him that the first day she’d come into the bakery. Maybe she hadn’t expected him to remember. But there wasn’t much he’d forgotten about Taylor since then.
“It is. I buy some every year because when I make it, mine never turns out as good.”
She took a bite and chewed. “Mmmmmm, yes. This is delicious, Adam.”
He chewed a piece as well and they continued walking until something caught her attention. She walked over to one of many toy stalls along this aisle.
“Oh, that tiny train set would look great in Brooke’s Christmas diorama,” she said when she turned to look at him.
And before he could reply, she was telling the salesperson, “I’ll take one of those.”
They waited while the small train was placed into a box and wrapped. Taylor paid for it and took another bite of her peppermint bark.
“She’ll love it,” Adam said when they started walking again. “What about you? You want anything special for Christmas?”
“N
ot really. I don’t wish for specific things anymore.”
“Why? Oh, let me guess, you wished for something before and didn’t get it.” He’d actually been joking but her reply came quick.
“Well, if you can believe it, I wished for an Easy-Bake Oven one year.” She grinned.
“Really?” He couldn’t help looking at her skeptically. “Was it broken or—”
She laughed. “It turns out I didn’t have much use for it. Kind of like you and a cookbook.”
“Oooh, touché,” he replied with another chuckle.
It was very easy to laugh when he was with her. Easy to relax and, for a little while, not be a dad or a baker but to just be Adam. He hadn’t realized he missed that.
“Ahhh,” she said, the sound and the fact that she’d walked in a different direction pulling him from his thought.
“I always wanted a chandelier in my imaginary house,” she continued.
Adam followed her gaze to a chandelier with white frosted sconces and black iron arms. It was decorated with real pine branches tied with red and green ribbons.
“Imaginary house?” he asked.
She stood back from the stall and looked up to him with what he could only describe as a starry look in her eyes.
“When I was a kid, I had a vision of a perfect house. I sketched it out and everything. I even drew Santa on top of the roof because I was worried that when we moved he wouldn’t find us. But my mom always said, wherever we were, if I hung my stocking, Santa would find me. And he always did.”
The story was charming and touching and he wished he weren’t being interrupted now with an incoming text message. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and read the message.
“Is something wrong? What’s that about?” Taylor asked when he’d stuffed the phone back into his pocket.
“Ah, just checking on my Christmas planning,” he said. “Let’s get out of here. It’s getting a bit cold.”
She glanced at his no-coat status and shook her head. “Okay, I’ll bet it is,” she replied.
Adam didn’t take them back to the bakery, and when he pulled up in front of her house, he half expected Taylor to go off about their strict timeline again. She didn’t. But after he parked and they got out of the truck, she did look over at him in question because Jenny and Brooke were standing on the sidewalk.
