Ruth nodded. “I need to set that up next. You’ve got the paperwork for the sign-ups?”
Jonah lifted the file box. “In here. Though we really ought to get a laptop.”
“One thing at a time, okay? For now, we can translate paper into the computer when we get home. I can’t imagine it’s going to take all that long. How many people could possibly want to join?”
Corban stepped back and admired his handiwork. “There you go. That looks pretty nice, and, if I’m not wrong, here comes your first member. Hey, Pam!”
Pam hurried to the table, her pocketbook swinging madly at her side. “Is what Emerson said true? You’re really starting a CSB?”
“That’s the plan.” Ruth sounded skeptical.
Jonah nudged her out of the way with a grin. “Hi, I’m Jonah Baxter, Ruth’s brother. And yes, we are. Can I show you our membership options?”
Pam nodded and reached for the packet of paper Jonah offered. He talked her through the options, answering questions as they arose, and was collecting a check and signed form before too much time had passed.
Corban slid his arm around Ruth’s waist and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “He’s got skills.”
She nodded.
“Still think it’s a bad idea?” Corban searched Ruth’s face. He didn’t want her to do something she wasn’t excited about, or that she thought was dumb. But he also didn’t want her to feel cornered, like she had no options. She’d run back to D.C. Or somewhere else. And he needed her to stay here. To stay with him.
Ruth blew out a breath. “Since Jonah’s well on his way to enrolling a second customer and there’s a little bit of a line forming, I guess not. Which means, I suppose, that you need to get out of my way. I need to put on my saleswoman face and offer these people some samples.”
She turned, collecting the board that held half-slices of various bread types. Pausing, she brushed her lips across Corban’s. “Thank you.”
He winked. “My pleasure.”
“You have time for lunch?” Ruth offered a tired smile from the doorway of the barn.
Corban wiped his hands on a rag and stretched his back. “I could eat. Is it really lunchtime already?”
“Nearly one.”
He frowned at the tractor. He’d wasted half a day fixing it and wasn’t positive it was going to hold. He’d probably have been better off calling the mechanic, but Dad had drummed into him that you took a look at it yourself before spending money. Over the years, he’d become a pretty competent mechanic, at least on his own equipment. He wasn’t looking to go into business for other people. “I should wash up. Want to eat in the kitchen?”
“It’s a pretty day. I thought maybe we could eat outside?”
He shrugged. He wasn’t really set up for picnics, but there was a little patch of grass out front. “All right. I’ll find you in a few.”
He patted his leg for Spock and angled across the back yard to the house. Maybe washing his hands would let him scrape off some of the mood that had been plaguing him since Saturday, too. Four days was long enough for brooding. Especially when he couldn’t put his finger on the problem.
When he was cleaned up, he stepped out on the front porch and stopped. She was a picture. She’d spread out a blanket on the little patch of grass under the oak tree and was sitting with her legs tucked under her. Spock had found her and curled up at her side. A fist grabbed his heart. He wanted this.
“There you are.” Ruth beamed at him and patted the blanket. “You need a picnic table.”
He nodded. “I guess I do. Mom always talked about getting something, but she never could decide on a set. Same thing happened when they moved to Florida. They had an amazing lanai and only a couple of folding chairs—you know the cheap ones you get at any discount store? Dad said he didn’t care. Probably didn’t.”
Ruth waited until he’d lowered himself to the ground before she opened the basket. “I made sandwiches. I hope that’s okay. It’s not fancy.”
“I don’t need fancy.” He grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips.
She beamed before continuing to set out lunch. “I never thought I’d say it, but I’m a little tired of baking bread.”
“Already?” That wasn’t good. Who knew how long she’d have to keep it up if she was going to stay in the area? “Any word from Emerson?”
She shook her head. “It’s only been a couple of days. I can imagine Jaden watching and waiting to see if I’m serious before giving up. At least Emerson said her attorney is aware now, and probably less likely to do anything without all the facts in place first. And then, if he has the facts, there won’t be anything to do anyway. Waiting is horrible.”
“I can imagine. Waiting is kind of the mainstay of farming though, so I guess you get used to it. You put the seeds in and then you have to wait and see what grows. You can only control so much. After that, you have to leave it to God.”
Ruth sighed. “A lot like life. I’m working on it. At least we had a good turnout on Saturday. Twenty signups was about nineteen more than I anticipated. And we’ve had a handful via phone so far this week, plus some one off orders. Folks who liked the samples but came back to buy after we sold out. It just might work. Jonah has all these ideas.”
Corban chuckled. He could imagine. Jonah seemed like a take it and run guy. “Like what?”
“He’s off looking at a space in the Arcadia Shopping Center.”
“A storefront?”
She nodded. “Like I said, he has ideas. And with Micah coming out, and Malachi too, if I know my brothers, well, it could turn into a family business.”
“Not on main? Downtown?”
Ruth shook her head. “Jonah didn’t want to compete, even tangentially, with Demi’s Delights.”
“Sounds reasonable. What about expenses?” Corban reached for a sandwich, then paused and took Ruth’s hand. “Hold that thought, let’s bless the meal.”
He bowed his head and offered a prayer of thanksgiving for the food and blessing for Ruth and her brothers.
“Amen.” Ruth unwrapped her sandwich. “He’s worried that Jaden will see us based out of the house and keep up her contest of the will, even though it’s totally different than the B&B. I can see her using just that sort of twisted logic. I’m not sold, but he’s looked into some small business loans and I guess thinks the risk is worth the benefit.”
“Hmm. This hits the spot, thanks.” Corban patted her knee. He didn’t like taking loans. He’d done it in the past, but then every move he’d made had been focused on paying it back as quickly as he could. It’s one of the reasons he was still nursing the old tractor along. It’d be good to get a newer one, but not until he’d saved up the price. Maybe next year, if things went well this season. On the other hand, it wasn’t his place to object. Not really.
“We’ll wait until Micah gets here before we do anything permanent. He should be here tomorrow. He left Sunday, but I know he wanted to stop and see a few things along the way, if only to break up the thirty-four-hour drive.” Ruth dipped her hand into a container and emerged with a slice of apple. “But as it is, we’ve baked more than thirty loaves of bread each day so far this week and all but a couple have sold. And while it’ll need to pick up if it’s going to become sustainable, it’s a good start.”
His eyebrows winged up. “That’s great.”
She nodded. “Thus the storefront idea. It’s inconvenient for people to come to the house just to get a loaf or two of bread. And even though there’s another bakery in town, it’s not really the same since it’s tied to a cafe and is focused on Greek desserts. There’s the grocery store, of course, but...”
“Not really the same. I’m glad this is working out so well. And that your other brothers are joining you. I know you missed them.”
“I did. But not enough to ask them to leave if they were settled. Micah leaving his job is nothing sort of a miracle. Malachi is a little easier to understand, though he hasn’t confirmed yet. But we�
�ve always been close. I know the distance has been eating at him.”
“Mostly I’m glad you’re staying. For purely selfish reasons.” Corban balled up the wrapper from his sandwich and tossed it back into the basket. “Do you have time for a walk? I wanted to check on the lettuce fields. They should be ready to harvest in two weeks or so, once we’re into June. That’s when I’ll start my own booth at the market.”
“I’ve got time.” Ruth stood and wrapped her arms around his waist, tipping her head back. “Especially if you offered a kiss or two as incentive.”
Corban chuckled and lowered his lips to meet hers. “That I can do.”
15
Ruth closed the oven door and looked around the commercial kitchen. The shopping-center space had been a good idea, especially since they’d been able to find a unit that was already mostly fitted out for what they needed. It had only taken a week to make the changes they’d needed and now, three weeks later, Micah was here and they were up and running. Business was good. People continued to sign up for the CSB—who knew so many people would choose fresh bread given the option? And when they stopped in to pick up their orders, they inevitably grabbed one of the fancy loaves as well.
“I hate to say it, but you were right.” Ruth smiled at Jonah as he came in the back door with a box of ingredients.
He grinned. “Anything from Emerson? I know this isn’t your dream and having the B&B closed for a month isn’t what you wanted.”
“Nothing yet. But he’s hopeful that we’ll have resolution soon.” She frowned as fire trucks screamed past the shopping center headed south toward the outskirts of town. “Gosh, I hope that’s not anyone we know.”
“Could be a false alarm. That happens.” Micah pushed open the swinging door that separated the kitchen from the customer area. “How are the sourdough loaves coming? We’re nearly out.”
“Just put them in the oven.” Ruth checked the clock. “But it’s nearly noon. Things taper off until what, three?”
“About that, yeah, when people start thinking about dinner. You in a rush to go somewhere?”
Ruth laughed. “Mal should be getting here soon. He was only about four hours out last night when he stopped. I wanted to be there to welcome him.”
“Go. We’ve got this.” Micah made a shooing motion. “But bring him by as soon as he’s settled.”
“We’ll see. Tomorrow’s soon enough. I might not be back, depending on how he’s feeling.”
“Or if Corban finished up whatever harvest he’s working on today.”
Heat flooded her cheeks at Jonah’s words. “Just remember, Micah, that only Jonah gets to wait on the girl who comes by every other day at precisely three o’clock.”
Micah snickered.
Jonah spluttered.
Ruth waved. At least she’d managed to get the last word. And the girl really was quite pretty. It’d be nice to see her brothers settled. Especially since she and Corban had been talking more and more about the future. Marriage. Kids. She wanted those things with him. For the first time in her life, she was ready to jump in with both feet.
A plume of black smoke caught her eye as she turned toward the B&B. Her heart started racing. Her foot fell heavier on the accelerator. It couldn’t be. Please, God, don’t let it be.
“No. No, no, no, no!” She threw the car into park at the foot of the driveway, behind a fire truck and jumped out of the car.
“Miss? You need to stop. Miss! You can’t go in there.” A burly fireman in his yellow suit grabbed her arm.
“This is my house. My inn. I have to get inside.” Ruth scanned the building for any sign of flames. Not seeing any, she shook her arm, trying to dislodge his grip.
“Did you have any guests?”
“No. No one’s there. Except—oh no. Malachi. My brother was getting into town. I told him where I hid the key and that he should just go in. Mal!” She shouted, even though it was pointless. He couldn’t hear.
“That sounds like the young man who called it in. He’s over here. Let me take you to him.” The fireman guided Ruth back down the driveway and across the road where Malachi stood with Corban.
Ruth ran to her brother and wrapped her arms around him, breathing out a quiet prayer of thanks that he was okay. She stepped back and signed as she talked. “You made it. And saw the fire? You weren’t inside? You’re okay?”
He smiled and grabbed her hands, squeezed, and let go so he could sign. “I’m okay. I was just pulling in when I saw the smoke. I called 9-1-1.”
“Thank you.” Ruth turned to Corban. “How did you know?”
“I heard the trucks and came to see what was going on before I called you. They got here fast.”
A shout went up across the road as a fireman exited the front door with someone in his arms. Who was that? She glanced at Corban and Malachi again before hurrying back across the road.
She jogged over to where the firefighter had set the woman on the bumper of the truck. She had an oxygen mask strapped to her face and a blanket around her shoulders, but there was no mistaking her.
“Jaden? What are you doing here?”
“Ma’am, I thought we asked you to stay across the road.”
Ruth crossed her arms and glared at the fireman. “This woman had no business being in my house.”
Jaden pulled the mask off. “Not yours. It’s mine.”
“You know very well you have practically no chance of succeeding in a contest of the will. I know your attorney has told you that, because he’s told me that he told you. What is wrong with you?”
Something flickered in Jaden’s eyes. “Maybe neither of us should have it.”
Ruth’s mouth fell open. “You did this.”
“Prove it.” Coughs racked Jaden’s body and the fireman pushed the mask back over her face.
“You need to get an arson investigator out here. I want her arrested.”
The man sighed. “Ma’am, we’ve sent to Twin Falls, but we don’t have someone in town who does that. That said, it was obvious the fire was set deliberately. She needs to be in a hospital. As soon as the ambulance gets here, that’s where she’s headed. Can you please go back across the road, and stay there, until we’re finished?”
Tears filled Ruth’s eyes but she nodded. “Can you at least tell me how bad it is?”
“It’s just the back rooms, looked like a separate suite of some sort. There might be a little smoke damage, but it shouldn’t be too hard to get squared away once you get the all clear.” He pointed across the road.
She gave Jaden one more sour look before trudging back to Corban and her brother. Of course it was her private rooms. She’d stopped locking them when she’d stopped taking guests. That must’ve thrilled Jaden, to be able to strike at the heart of where Ruth lived.
“I called Emerson. He’s going to call that woman’s attorney and the cops. This is ridiculous.” Corban put an arm around Ruth’s shoulders and hugged her close. “I’m so sorry.”
“Why does she hate me so much?” She buried her head into his chest.
Malachi touched her shoulder.
She looked at her brother. Thank God he hadn’t been hurt.
His hands flashed as he answered the question she hadn’t realized she’d asked aloud. “She wanted what you had with her sister and never understood that she already did, until she let jealousy get in the way.”
Ruth dragged another trash bag out to the curb and turned to look at the house. The police and fire inspector had been in and out all morning and finally cleared her to go in after lunch. She just wanted to get things back to normal as fast as she could. But the bread still needed to get baked and the vegetables harvested, which was why she’d shooed Corban back to his fields and her brothers to the shop. She was perfectly capable of throwing things away.
A car beeped as it turned into the driveway. She frowned. Now what?
Emerson climbed out, opened the back door so the boys could get out, and waved. “Go play. Stay where I can s
ee you.”
The boys whooped and ran into the yard.
“How bad is it?”
Ruth shrugged. “I don’t have a lot of experience to compare with, but it’s really just the kitchen and living room in my suite at the back. It doesn’t look like it lasted long enough for there to be smoke damage, and apparently she tripped and hit her head before she could set any more fires. So it could be worse.”
Emerson nodded. “She’s admitted it.”
“Seriously?”
“Yep. Just got a call from her former attorney, who is incredibly unhappy to have taken her on as a client and is cutting ties as fast as he can. My understanding is that she’ll probably plead out.”
“I don’t care. I just want her out of my life.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s a done deal. Once you get everything cleaned up, I’d say you’re fine to go ahead and start taking guests again. After this incident, the slim chance she had at overturning the will is gone.”
Ruth let out a breath. That was something, at least. “Thanks, Emerson.”
“Not a problem. Let me know if you need anything else, okay? Pam’s over the moon about the bread, as are the boys. Oh, hey, do you ever do muffins?”
“Muffins? No.”
Emerson frowned. “Well, maybe it’s something to consider.”
“Sure. I’ll mention it to Jonah.”
Emerson called to the boys who only needed a little cajoling to get back in the car. She lifted a hand as he backed out of the driveway. Muffins. Took all kinds. She trudged inside and detoured upstairs. If she was back in business, she should make sure the guest rooms were ready and worry about her own space later.
16
Corban hid the bouquet of sunflowers he’d picked up at Blossoms by the Akers when he’d been down at the garden center for some plants yesterday. He knocked on the kitchen door of the once again fully-functional B&B. As soon as she’d started taking reservations last week, Ruth had received three bookings. They’d arrived at the start of the weekend. One couple had even joined Ruth at church before heading out to explore.
Loaves & Wishes: An Arcadia Valley Romance (Baxter Family Bakery Book 1) Page 9
