by Katie Carver
“The kitchen is over here.” Andy motioned to the right.
When Jake walked into the kitchen, his eyes widened to get a better view. The kitchen was expansive and open. He couldn’t have dreamed up a more cook-friendly kitchen if he had tried. He noticed that there was a huge pantry to the left of where the stove would be placed and he opened the door.
“Can I see that light?” Jake asked.
Andy handed him the flashlight and Jake smiled broadly. It was a walk-in pantry with floor to ceiling shelving. It was larger than the one he had at the restaurant. He handed the flashlight back to Andy.
“This place is amazing,” Jake said happily. “I could definitely use a kitchen like this.”
“Do you want to see upstairs?” Andy asked.
“I think I’ve seen all I need to see. You should probably get home anyway. I’m sure your family will start to wonder where you are.” Jake laughed.
“Probably,” Andy said. He shined the light to the hallway and the made their way to the foyer. “Do you think you are going to try to win?”
“I’m definitely going to give it a shot,” Jake said. “Why didn’t you enter the contest?”
“I have a home. It’s not this large, but it’s perfect for us and we love it. Besides, I try to stay out of town contests. People always go a little nuts around here.”
Jake had already surmised that would be the case. “Do you think I have a chance?”
“I don’t see why not. You’ll get my vote,” Andy said smiled warmly. “I’ll help you, Jake. I may not want to enter, but I don’t see a problem with helping you win. I can’t let you stay homeless,” Andy said and laughed.
Jake chuckled. “Well, thank you. I think I’ll need all the help I can get.”
They walked out to the street and Andy went the opposite direction towards his home. When Jake walked into the restaurant, he sat at the first table. If he wanted to get that house, he’d have to really put in a lot of work to convince the town he was worthy of it. He didn’t know many people and he doubted the ones he did know would find him full of town spirit. Jake knew he was an outsider to most of the people there and he couldn’t disagree. He hadn’t made any attempts so far to make it seem otherwise. He’d not only have to change that, but he’d also have to make it believable. The house was close to the restaurant and that kitchen was perfect for him. He wanted the house badly enough to put the effort in that would be needed. He was running out of money and staying at the Inn, even with his discounted rate that the Murphys were kind enough to give him, was taking its toll on his finances. Even with the updates it needed, he could swing a free home. He could take his time renovating it and do some of the work himself. He thought it was strange that the house would be awarded to someone free of charge, but it was a strange town and who was he to argue. He still didn’t believe he was wrong in thinking Spruce Valley was an odd place to live. He did know he was wrong about one thing, though. He could make a friend in this town and he was pretty sure he already had in Andy. Andy was anything but an outsider and with his help, he might even stand a chance at winning the house with the remarkable kitchen.
Chapter Thirteen
Ginger rubbed her eyes and took another long swig of coffee. Even though it was mid-morning, she couldn’t seem to wake up. The lack of sleep was beginning to affect her and she doubted she’d manage to function without a steady stream of caffeine. She returned to the storefront from the kitchen and placed the cookie trays on the counter. She knew Andy would be by soon to pick up her donation to the school play bake-sale and she didn’t want to miss him. She had questions about his conversation with Jake. Why he had taken such a liking to that man was beyond her, but Andy must have his reasons. If Jake was considering entering the contest, she’d want to make sure she knew well before the names of the participants were made public. He’d already gotten the best of her once, she wasn’t going to let that happen again, especially when it came to the Baxter House. She busied herself with tidying the counter in hopes to keep herself awake. So far little was working to stave away her exhaustion. She heard the chime of the door and looked up to see Andy walking in at last.
“Good morning, Ginger.” Andy smiled pleasantly as he entered the bakery.
“Morning,” Ginger said groggily. She’d known she was tired, but she could even hear the toll it had taken on her voice.
“Leah asked me to pick up the donation this morning. If it’s not ready I can come back.”
“I have it right here.” She slid over the boxes from behind the register. “She called a bit ago to tell me you were on your way.”
“I should’ve known. She’s the organized one,” he said and smiled. “It’s really nice of you to donate something. She and the girls spent the entire night baking and I know she appreciates it.”
“It’s no problem at all. I was glad she called to remind me. I always forget about the bake sale until the last minute and never get a chance to properly donate anything. I usually just throw together a few dozen in a box, but this time I had the time to do it up right.” Ginger handed him the boxes. “I was wondering why she wasn’t at the town meeting.”
“She was too busy. When I got home, she grilled me about the Baxter House contest. I wasn’t too terribly surprised she’d already heard about it. It probably is the most exciting news around here since Matty’s granddaughter made it to semi-finals in that spelling bee.”
“It is pretty exciting news. I saw you and Jake talking after the meeting. Was it about the contest?” Ginger asked nonchalantly. She didn’t want to come off as being nosy, but she was too curious to hold back.
“He wanted to know more about the house. I think he’s still not used to how things work around here. He was shocked when I told him that the house was unlocked. It may take him a while to realize that things are different here than in a big city. I’m trying to help him with that, though,” Andy said and smiled.
He had entered the contest as she had suspected. “Did he go see it?”
“Yes, I took him over there and we checked it out for a bit. He seemed to really like it. The parlor looks just like I remembered it. I hadn’t been in there since Carol passed.”
“I haven’t either. Is the kitchen still as amazing as I remember it?” Ginger asked.
“Jake seemed to think so. I think he wasn’t too impressed until we got to the kitchen. Must be a baker and cook thing. I don’t really see what the big deal is with it. It’s just a kitchen,” Andy joked.
Jake did have decent taste, she’d give him that. If he could spot the potential with the kitchen, he at least knew something about cooking. “It’s an impressive space, trust me,” Ginger replied. “You two seem to have gotten friendly. I don’t see the big deal with him, so I guess we’re even.”
Andy gave Ginger a thoughtful look. “You haven’t given him a chance, Ginger. I think the two of you would actually get along if you did. He’s not a bad guy. I think once everyone gets used to him, they’ll see that.”
“I’m not convinced. Maybe if I was able to get a full night’s sleep, I might be more charitable with my thoughts. Since he still hasn’t turned the music off, I won’t ever know.”
“I know he hasn’t been the best neighbor, but you didn’t have to go and get him cited like you did. That was pretty low, too,” Andy chastised her. “Nothing good comes from making an enemy.”
“That’s probably good advice, but I’m afraid it’s much too late to matter. I’m pretty sure we’ve reached that territory already.”
Andy shook his head sadly. “It’s really too bad you feel that way. You are probably the most well-liked person in this whole town. It’d probably help him out if you felt differently.
“I’m not interested in helping him out, Andy,” Ginger said dismissively. “But I do appreciate the kind words about me. Can I assume I have your vote?”
Andy looked down at the floor. “The thing is Ginger, I would vote for you, but I think Jake needs to win more than yo
u do. I told him I’d help him out.”
Ginger’s eyes widened in shock. Even though she knew Andy was friendly with Jake, it would have never crossed her mind that he’d actually choose him over her. She’d known him his whole life, she had helped him out over the years and babysat his kids. She was as close to him as she was other people in town and if he could see a reason not to vote for her, others might, too.
“You told him you’d help him out? Why, Andy? Why would you do that?” Ginger pleaded for an answer that would make sense.
“He needs it, Ginger. Not only is he homeless, but he really needs this town. He doesn’t know it yet, but he does. I know you don’t see it, but I do. If there was ever a time for us all to rally behind someone and welcome them, now would be the time,” Andy said kindly.
Mayor Curtis had said something similar to her when he was explaining his booth decision. Whatever Jake did to swindle those two into believing he was anything other than an arrogant cynic was working. She wondered who else in town would fall prey to his deception.
“I don’t believe he deserves this town, Andy. You and I will have to agree to disagree,” Ginger said angrily.
“I understand, Ginger. I wouldn’t worry too much about my vote anyway. I got an earful from Leah last night when I told her I was going to help Jake. She is voting for you and I’m pretty sure I’ll be sleeping on the couch for a while once I cast a vote for him,” he said and laughed nervously.
At least that was something. She was glad she could at least count on her vote and it, in turn, canceled out Andy’s which was good. “Tell your wife thank you for her support.” Ginger smiled. “Don’t think I won’t try to change your mind, Andy. Remember, I know all your favorite sweets and I’m not ashamed to say that I will try to bribe you every chance I get. In fact,” Ginger grabbed a cherry tart from the display case, “I’m going to start right now.”
Andy smiled as he took the tart and looked at her a bit sadly. “Thank you for not being angry with me. I know you have every reason to be after everything you’ve done for Leah and me over the years.”
Ginger softened a little at his admission. “You’re a good person, Andy. If you see something in him you think is worthwhile, I’ll trust that you know what you are doing. Please just be careful and don’t get too wrapped up in helping him. I have a feeling he may disappoint you and prove you wrong.”
Andy nodded. “I’ll be careful. Thanks again for the donation, Ginger.” He smiled and waved as he walked out of the bakery door.
Ginger waved to him and waited until he was out of view before sitting on the stool behind the counter and burying her head in her hands. She knew that Andy would never intend to make her miserable, but he had inadvertently done so. The idea of him siding with Jake was more than she could stomach. She took a little consolation in the fact that his wife felt differently and from the sound of it, she wasn’t pleased with his decision either. Ginger didn’t believe winning the town over was going to be easy, but with Andy’s help, Jake stood a chance at beating her. She knew there were others in town who would compete against her, but for some reason, the thought of Jake being in the running set Ginger over the edge. She lifted her head and rubbed her temples with her forefingers. She had to come up with something that would put her above the rest. If Jake’s past actions were any indication, he’d take any steps necessary to win even if it meant using underhanded tactics. She couldn’t just sit by and let him think he’d have it easy. Ginger stood up determinedly. She was going to let him know what he was in for if he was going to go up against her. Maybe other people in the town didn’t know what he really thought about Spruce Valley, but she did and she wasn’t going to let him forget that. He didn’t care about Christmas and he didn’t care about the town. She decided to appeal to his sense of decency and ask him to do the right thing and drop out of the running. She doubted he had a sense of decency and there was only a slim chance he would. Since everyone kept telling her to give him the benefit of the doubt, she’d do just that. If he didn’t comply with the request, everything that happened from that point forward was his own fault and she wouldn’t feel a bit guilty by taking him down. She walked to the bakery door and turned the sign to Closed. It would be the first time in years she closed the bakery during regular hours, but she had a feeling she’d be doing quite a few things that were out of character for her. There was no point in delaying the inevitable. She pasted a false smile on her red lips and took a deep breath. Jake might have been able to play on the sympathies of her kind-hearted friends, but he stood no chance in swaying her opinion of him. Ginger had a feeling the battle for the town was beginning and she was about to fire its first warning shot.
Chapter Fourteen
Jake decided he was finally getting into a groove with his cooking. After all the time he spent away from the kitchen, it felt good to get back to his roots. He loved to be a chef and after a few weeks back at it, he couldn’t understand what made him leave it in the first place. Jake grabbed the pan as the mushrooms sautéed and sprinkled in some onion over top. He could hear the sizzle when he added the new ingredient and the sound made him smile. This was what he loved. The smells and sounds of the kitchen. It made it all the better knowing this was his kitchen. The kitchen door swung open and Sandy entered looking more nervous than he’d ever seen her.
“Jake, someone is here to see you,” she said hesitantly.
“Ask them to hold on, I have to get this done first,” Jake said not taking his eyes off the pan.
“Sure,” she said quietly.
“Who is it?” Jake asked turning his attention to her.
Sandy scrunched up her face a bit before answering. “It’s Ginger.”
Jake let a noise that sounded akin to a growl. “I’ll be right there,” he said through gritted teeth. Sandy nodded her understanding and fled the kitchen.
What could she possibly want, he wondered? If she came to make a plea for the music to be turned off, she could forget about it. The volume and the song were there to stay. He finished the dish he was concocting and set it on the counter. He pushed the door open so forcefully that if his speed had been any slower, it would’ve have snapped back into his face. The diners looked in his direction when he entered the room and their eyes followed him until he was upon Ginger.
“What do you want. I’m busy,” Jake snarled.
“Just need a moment of your time, neighbor,” she said in a sing-songy voice.
“Make it quick.”
“Is there somewhere we can speak privately?” she asked her eyes darted around the dining room.
“No,” Jake said plainly.
“Alright, then.” Ginger raised her eyebrows. “I came to congratulate you on your spot for the festival.”
“Thank you. If that’s all, I’ll just get back to work.” He turned towards the kitchen leaving her standing there.
“I was surprised that you even wanted a booth, given that you told me that you couldn’t stand Christmas,” she yelled in his direction. Jake noticed a few disgusted glances shot his way after she made the comment.
He turned back towards her. “I never said I couldn’t stand Christmas.”
“Yes, you did. Don’t you remember? It was right after you told me you refused to decorate your restaurant and didn’t care what people here thought,” she said with feigned innocence.
He walked up to her and quickly moved towards the door. “Outside,” he whispered as he passed her.
Ginger followed him outside and he saw the content smile fixed on her face. “I asked if we could go somewhere more private,” she said.
“I’m running out of patience, Ginger. Say what you came to say and leave.” Jake knew that people inside were probably already talking amongst themselves about Ginger’s stunt.
“I came to ask you to back out of the contest. The house was intended for someone who likes this town. You don’t deserve that house and you know it,” Ginger said heatedly.
“And you do?”
/>
“More than you do, that’s for sure. Take your name out of the running, Jake.”
“No, and not only because now I know you want it. That house is fantastic and if you haven’t realized, there aren’t many places to live around here.”
“Then leave town. You don’t even like it here. I’m giving you the chance to back out now. If you don’t, I’ll make sure everyone knows what you really are.”
“And what is that?”
“An arrogant fake who looks down on this town and the people who live here. They’ll find out sooner or later, but if you try to win the contest, I’ll make sure they find it out sooner rather than later.”
“You can’t threaten me into quitting, Ginger. If that’s what you are trying to do, it won’t work.” It was true that he’d said some things about the town but nothing that couldn’t be explained away.
“Fine. I tried to warn you, just like I did with the decorations and look how that turned out.” She looked up at the figures hanging from the awning.
“You mean other than the citation you bullied Andy and the Sheriff into giving me? It seemed to work out just fine. I got the best booth spot, didn’t I?” he asked sarcastically. Jake saw anger fill Ginger’s eyes. He’d seen her mad before, but not like this.
“I didn’t bully anyone. It was against the code and you deserved it. As for the booth spot, I don’t know why Franklin put the idea into Mayor Curtis’ head, but I assure you he isn’t on your side. He’s like you. He only looks out for himself. That spot should have been mine. If I had known you were going to steal it out from under me, I would’ve never offered to be civil towards you.”
He never really knew why he got the spot. The Mayor hadn’t gone into much detail. “I didn’t know you wanted it. I had no idea what it even was until Mayor Curtis told me about the booths,” Jake protested. “If it’s that big of a deal to you, just take the spot. I don’t care.”
