by Erica Penrod
* * *
Mandy slipped her keys into her purse pocket and opened the back door to the bed and breakfast. The Whisper Creek Inn greeting made with the aroma of fresh-baked bread and cinnamon stirred her appetite. She walked into the kitchen, where her mom stood at the counter rolling out dough. Kade sat in his booster chair with his own little slab of dough, mimicking his grandma’s motions.
“Smells wonderful in here.” Mandy walked over and washed her hands in the sink. “What are you making?” She reached for the dishcloth that hung on the oven door. The timer counted down, and she leaned over to peek inside the glass door. Two bread pans with golden loaves baked on the center rack.
“Bread to go with my soup for dinner tonight, and cinnamon rolls to go with …” Her mom pushed the dough with the rolling pin. “Well, to go with anything.” She laughed, and Kade grinned.
Mandy walked over and kissed the top of her son’s head. “Well, I’m glad you’re teaching Kade how to bake, because one of us is going to need to know how.”
Her mom looked up. “So, I take it your interview went well.”
“It wasn’t really much of an interview.” Mandy grinned as she went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water.
“That’s because you were highly recommended.” Her mom brushed melted butter across the doughy plain.
“I know, but I was still worried that if he’d had time to dwell on the fact he was hiring a single mom with a two-year-old to run his new B&B, he might reconsider.”
Her mom waved her hand and flour particles dusted the air. “Nonsense. I told you not to worry about that. I already spoke to him about your situation, and he was more than understanding. Besides, you’re qualified to run the place.”
“Thanks, Mom.” She took a sip of water. “Other than the cooking part.”
“You’re better than you think you are.”
Kade reached for her water bottle. “Drink.”
She helped him hold the bottle, but he tipped it too far and spilled some down his front. Luckily Grandma had put a bib on him as the moisture mixed with the flour and dough already stuck to his front. Kade wiped at his chest and coughed. “Here, let’s get you your own.” Mandy went to the cupboard and pulled out a spill-proof cup. “I won’t be starting for at least another month, so I’ve got time for you to give me a crash course in great-tasting meals for small gatherings.” She went the fridge, filled the cup with water from the dispenser, and handed it to Kade.
“I’m so excited to have you here during the holidays.” A big smile spread across her lips as she glanced over at Mandy. Her dark brown hair, stick straight, hung just below her chin, showing off her delicate face. “This will be the perfect opportunity to teach you everything I know about cooking.”
Mandy walked over and dipped her finger in the cinnamon-and-sugar mixture. “I really should have paid more attention when you tried to teach me when I was a kid.”
Her mom laughed. “I tried to tell you that.” She picked up the bowl and sprinkled the sweet concoction across the dough. “Funny how things work that way.”
“I should’ve listened to you about a lot of things.” Mandy glanced down and noticed the natural streaks running through the marble countertop. Her eyes welled up and her cheeks flushed.
“I think things turned out okay.” Her mom softly smiled. “Maybe not how we planned, but okay.”
Mandy knitted up her brows. “How can you say that? My divorce is about to be final and I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to work and raise this kid on my own.” Her despair echoed in her own ears, and she immediately regretted the tone she used with her mom. “Sorry.” She shook her head.
“I say that because look at what Ted gave you.” Her mom grinned at Kade. “He gave you the best part of him. I didn’t think Ted was the right man for you, but I can’t argue about that scrumptious little guy who’s had his grandma’s heart from day one.” She wiped her hands on her apron, came over, and put her arms around Mandy. “And what you’ve learned going through all this will only make you stronger so that when you fall in love again, you’ll be wiser and better for it.”
Ugh. “I don’t think I’ll ever fall in love again. Either I’m allergic to it or else I’m not very good at it.”
“That’s not true.” Her dad strolled in from outside. His sandy brown hair curled beneath his hat, and his cheeks were a ruddy red. “You’re perfect at love.”
“Thanks, Dad.” She cocked her head and smiled. Her mom let go and went back to baking. “And I guess you’re sort of right. When it comes to the people in this room, I am pretty good at loving you.”
He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “I’m always right.”
Her mom rolled her eyes. “Except for your preference to all things flannel.”
“Do you hear that, Kade? Your grandma doesn’t like my flannel shirts.”
With his grandpa’s attention, Kade wiggled and tried to break free from the strap across his waist. “Out, out.” He stretched up his arms. Her dad unbuckled the strap and freed Kade, who climbed up and into his grandpa’s arms.
“It’s not that I don’t appreciate a flannel shirt, but every day and for every occasion gets to be a little much.” Her mom winked.
“Flannel goes with everything.” Her dad pulled the Velcro tabs free, and the bib fell from Kade’s neck. “You’re all wet.”
Mandy took the bib. “Yeah, sorry. We spilled a little water.” She scrunched it up and dabbed at the corners of her son’s mouth. He ducked into his grandpa’s shoulder, but Mandy managed to wipe most of the food from his face.
Her mind circled back to the love topic and the two men she’d let into her heart. She’d already spent too much time stewing over Ted and their impending divorce, but when she pictured Blake’s face, that had to be wrong too. And why hadn’t her parents mentioned anything about Blake? Surely they would’ve seen him in this small town.
There was one way to find out.
“So, did you guys know that Blake Jessop lives here in Milwaukie?”
A look passed between her parents. “Uh, well, we knew he worked for Tori Santos. They remodeled this house and we’ve seen him, but no.” She feigned innocence. “I didn’t know he lived here. We’ve never seen him in town.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me that.” Mandy leaned against the counter and crossed her arms.
“Why?” Her dad adjusted his hold on Kade. “Last I knew, you said you didn’t ever want to talk about Blake Jessop again.”
Mandy tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I don’t, but I still thought you would’ve mentioned something as big as working with him. I saw him today.”
“Oh?” Her dad put Kade down.
“Yeah, and it was awkward. I knew Tori did this house. I just had no idea that Blake worked with her.”
“I assumed you knew. Tori’s Taking Over is one of the most popular MyHeartChannels out there.” Her mom rolled the dough into a loaf. “And Blake is adorable on the show.” That wasn’t hard to believe, coming from her mother. When Mandy and Blake had been dating, her mom’s warm smile greeted him every time; that wasn’t always the case with Ted.
“But not as adorable as I am.” Her dad grinned.
“That goes without saying, dear.” She picked up a knife and sliced off the end of the roll and placed the cinnamon wheel on the pan.
“I’ve heard of the show, just never seen it. I guess I’ve been a little preoccupied the last few years.” Mandy’s life was so wrapped up in Kade and her failing marriage that the outside world seemed nonexistent. But now she had to be part of the world again. She had to find a way to keep Kade the center of her universe and manage a successful bed and breakfast. “I guess I’ll have to watch an episode.”
“You should, and then you’ll see Jeremy’s wife, Brianne. Remember I told you about her a while back and how she looks just like you? I almost chased her down the street once, thinking it was you.”
“She looks th
at much like me?”
“Yes, it’s kind of strange.” Her mom grinned. “Besides that, you should see the show to see how talented Blake is. He’s the cameraman and the producer, but he also helps with the projects. He’s even done several of his own shows.” Her mom added another roll to the pan. “And he’s still single.”
“Hmm.” Mandy didn’t envision Blake as a carpenter sort of person. When she’d known him, he worked with the school news show. The cameraman and producing part didn’t surprise her, but Blake with a hammer did. She drew in a breath. None of this mattered anyway. What or who Blake Jessop was now, or where he lived, was none of her concern. And the way her looked at her like she was goo stuck on the front of Kade’s bib, he’d be happy to never see her again. She wasn’t so sure how she felt about working alongside him or bumping into him in the hallway at work. Blake had once been her best friend, and she remembered the way they could talk—really talk to one another about anything. And she’d missed that. Mandy wondered what Blake would think of Kade but dismissed the notion. There was no point. Blake was the past and should stay that way. But the problem was that more than likely they would see each other, and even though she should balk at the idea, she couldn’t convince herself that seeing Blake again was such a bad thing.
* * *
Blake unwound the power cord. He was anxious to get this job done, and pausing to film an episode only prolonged the process. Normally, he enjoyed filming, but not when everything about this B&B made him think of Mandy. Tori and Brianne chatted about the best light in the room and the tentative script. Tentative because they rarely stuck to exactly what Tori typed up. She considered a script more of a guideline—a suggestion that could be ignored. The viewers loved her spontaneity, so they kept doing what was working for them.
“Can we hurry this along?” He huffed over to the outlet. This was the last bedroom to be completed before they finished up the great room and kitchen. The room was the smallest of the three on the lower level, and Tori designed the space with a vintage feel. The walls were painted a pale pink, subtle enough he’d sleep in the room, while the ceiling was a crisp white. A king-sized bed with a cast-iron frame was like an island oasis in the middle of the wood floor.
“You’ve been grumpy the last couple days.” Brianne arranged the reupholstering supplies and tools for the chair she was working on. “What happened to that happy guy I used to work with?”
“He’s pouting.” Tori chuckled as she applied another coat of varnish to the reclaimed dresser. “He’s upset with Jeremy for hiring Mandy to run this place.”
Brianne grinned like the Cheshire Cat. “I know, Jeremy told me, but I wanted to get Blake’s version.”
“I don’t know what I was thinking, working with two women.” Blake plugged the adapter into the outlet. “You two think I’ve got to share my feelings all the time.”
Tori glanced over at him and grinned. “Sorry. I know you said this girl broke your heart, but maybe it’s good to get everything off your chest.”
“Because then we can tease you and we’ll all laugh, and you’ll feel better.” Brianne winked at him. “They say laughter is the best medicine.”
Blake shook his head but grinned in spite of himself. “Yeah, I’m sure that will work.”
“You never know.” Brianne shrugged her shoulders.
“You two are nuts. But it’s fine. What happened between me and Mandy was eons ago and probably hasn’t crossed her mind since.” He wondered if that was really true. “It caught me off guard to see her out of the blue like that.”
“But does it cross your mind?” Tori stopped brushing. She was dolled up more than usual, her lips a bright raspberry red, and her blonde hair was styled to frame her face instead of pulled back in a short ponytail. Filming day required a little more effort, so their faces weren’t washed away in the lights.
“No. The past is the past.”
Brianne went over to him and touched his shoulder. “Sounds like she must’ve been a pretty important part of your past. You know we love to joke with you, but in all seriousness, we care about you and you can talk to us.” Her face was so familiar, so much like Mandy’s, but he’d long ago separated Brianne from Mandy and rarely thought of how much they looked alike.
“Like I said, that was a long time ago and we were both young.” He crossed his arms. “And I’m done sharing for the day.” He jutted out his chin, winked with a grin, and left the room.
He headed out to his truck, hoping the girls bought his act. Blake tried to push Mandy from his mind, but seeing her again made the task almost impossible. The Mandy in his mind, the dark angel he’d measured every other woman by, was as familiar to him as the face looking back at him in the mirror. She was beautiful, perfect in almost every way but one: she didn’t love him as much as he loved her. The woman he’d seen here just two days ago didn’t appear coldhearted; instead, he’d found vulnerability in her eyes. Her brown eyes, once like pools of water beneath a moonlight sky, were shadowed by what he assumed was her divorce. Jeremy explained Mandy’s situation when he called Blake earlier. Blake was sorry to know she’d gone through something like that and felt like a jerk for being slightly happy about it. Her smile, which used to light his days, didn’t come from her heart. Or maybe that was just when she looked at him. He didn’t know, but an ache settled in his chest once he saw the sadness she carried, and even though he was an idiot for feeling the way did, he wanted to ease her burden.
Chapter Three
“You’re sure that’s everything?” Mandy rested the phone between her head and shoulder as she tightened the strap around Kade’s waist for the tenth time since she’d put him in the grocery cart. She wasn’t sure what the future held for her son, but one thing was sure: she knew he’d be able to get out of whatever life tried tie him down with. With Kade securely buckled again, she rummaged through the diaper bag she’d managed to squeeze into the seat beside him and handed him a bag of fish-shaped crackers. Her mom asked her to pick up a few items, but she’d called two times since, adding to the list. “All right, a bottle of apple cider vinegar, got it.”
Mandy ended the call, tucked the phone into her pocket, and glanced up at the aisle directory hanging from the store’s ceiling. She still didn’t know her way around the small town market, but so far, she’d been impressed by their selection and fresh produce.
“Can I help you find something?” a woman’s voice called from behind her.
She turned and blinked a couple times, sure her mind was playing tricks on her. Looking at the woman in front of her was like staring at her own reflection: the same dark, unruly hair, brown eyes, and round facial shape.
“You must be Mandy.” The woman smiled and laughed. “My husband said we looked like twins separated at birth, but I thought he was exaggerating.” She studied Mandy’s features for a moment. “Apparently not.” She offered her hand. “I’m Brianne, Jeremy’s wife.”
Mandy smiled, but her thoughts felt jumbled; the woman’s resemblance was a lot to take in. “It’s so nice to meet you.” They shook hands, and Mandy noticed the car seat attached to Brianne’s cart. “And this must be Ava.”
Brianne turned the cart so Mandy could see the baby. The sweet mother’s face gave the fluorescent lights a run for their money as she beamed at her tiny daughter. “Yes, this is our little princess.”
“Jeremy showed me a picture of her, and I didn’t think it could be possible, but she’s even more beautiful in person.”
“Thank you. We sure think so, but we’re partial to her.” Brianne smiled and glanced at Kade, who sat content gobbling up his fishes like a pint-sized shark. “And this must be your little guy.”
Mandy mussed the top of Kade’s soft curls. “This is Kade.”
“He’s so cute.”
“Thanks.” Mandy faced Kade. “Can you say hi to Brianne?”
“Hi.” His mouth was still full of crackers.
Brianne smiled. “How old is he?”
“
Just turned two last month.” Her voice hitched as emotions choked off her airway. She struggled whenever she thought about Kade’s birthday and the fact that he’d never remember his parents being together. In some ways, she knew that was a blessing, but the idea still upset her. When she married Ted, she’d pictured her life going in a certain direction, and now it was like she’d veered into oncoming traffic, overcorrected, and spun out of control until she’d crashed. “O-October first.”
“He’s about the same age as Tori’s little boy. I’m sure Tori would love to get them together.”
“That would be nice.”
“I’ll talk to her about it. I know she’d love to meet you. We’re all so excited you’re here. I just love your parents, and you don’t know how ecstatic Jeremy and I were to find out Jim and Linda had a daughter. After working with them, we just knew we’d never get that lucky twice, but look, here you are.”
Mandy brushed her hair back behind her ear as her face heated. “I hope I don’t let you down.” She drew in a breath. “It’s been a while since I’ve managed a place, and I’ve never done it with such an inexperienced assistant.” She chuckled, glancing at her son.
Brianne grinned. “I’m sure you’ll be great. Jeremy and I are happy to help with anything that we can.”
Questions and uncertainty popped up in her mind, which seemed to be a product of an unhappy marriage and a pending divorce. One moment she was confident in her abilities, and the next she doubted everything. She’d been so focused on finding a job that allowed her to still take care of her son that Mandy hadn’t yet worked out how she would do everything on her own. Her parents would be there to fill in the gaps, she knew that, but she didn’t want to rely on them for everything. Kade was well behaved, but he was a still a kid and there were bound to be days she wanted to pull her hair out, hide in a locked room, and cry. That happened even when she wasn’t trying to manage a B&B on her own. “Thank you. I appreciate you giving me the opportunity.”
