by Katie Carver
Jake raised his eyebrows at her. “Good thinking. We know how that turned out last time.”
She looked at him and shrugged sheepishly. “Yeah.”
“Are you here to yell at me again?”
She unzipped her jacket and removed her hat. “No, just to warn you.”
“Warn me? I thought you preferred to threaten,” Jake said defensively.
Ginger shook her head and took a deep breath. “Let me start over. Mayor Curtis stopped by the bakery today. He was going on and on about good old-fashioned rivalries and was being dramatic.”
“That’s so unlike him,” Jake said with a sarcastic tone and smiled.
Ginger smiled, too. “Sorry, you’re right. Even more dramatic than usual. Did you know he dropped out of the contest?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“I didn’t either. He said some things about you and me doing better for the town than he could and sort of implied he was hoping we’d get out of hand with the competition. I think he may be up to something and I wanted to let you know. I don’t know what it is, but it isn’t like him to give up so easily.”
Jake could see the concern in Ginger’s face. She also kept shifting her weight from one foot to another. “Are you still cold?”
“No, my feet are killing me from yesterday. Do you mind if I sit for a minute?”
Jake led her over to the table where he had been sitting and pulled out a chair. “I saw all the people at the bakery. It seems like it was a success.”
“It went pretty well, but for some reason, my feet are throbbing today.”
“It’s from walking back and forth. It used to happen to me all the time, too.” He pulled another chair over next to them. “Elevate them, it’ll help a little.” He helped her put her feet on the chair and caught her staring at him. “What?” he asked.
Ginger smiled. “Nothing.”
“So, what should we do about the Mayor?” Jake asked once Ginger was settled.
“I’m not sure. I don’t even know for sure that he is up to something. I just wanted to make sure you had a heads up.”
“I’m grateful for that, but why the sudden change? The last thing you had said to me was that you were going to out me to the town.”
Ginger frowned. “I let things go too far and I’m sorry about that. I still don’t want you to win, Jake, but I let my temper get the best of me.”
“Me, too.” Jake gave a small smile. “I don’t want you to win either.”
Ginger laughed. “Well, as long as we have that all cleared up, I’ll let you get back to dinner. It smells really good.”
“Have you eaten? I can get you a plate. I made a lot.” He saw a look of surprise cross her face. He couldn’t blame her, he was a bit shocked he offered.
“I couldn’t let you do that, but one of these days I will stop by to eat if what you make smells even half as good as it is.”
“That’s right, you’ve never eaten here before.”
“No, but you’ve never had anything from the bakery either.”
“That’s not entirely true. I ate the cookie you sent over with Kacie yesterday.”
“And?” she asked excitedly.
“You were right.”
“I knew it!”
Jake laughed. He liked that his confession made her so happy. “Now, you need to try my food. Fair is fair. Here, take this plate. I’ll be right back.” Jake headed to the kitchen and filled up another plate. When he returned, he saw that Ginger had already begun to eat. “What do you think?”
“So good,” she said in between bites. She looked at him thoughtfully. “Can I ask you a question? Why did you turn off the music?”
“I don’t really know.”
“Did you really not know that I wanted the booth spot?” she asked softly.
“No. I still don’t know why it was so important to you.”
“I was trying to beat Franklin. Well, I’m still trying, but the contest for the house has pretty much overshadowed that. I’m not giving up, though. I still have some tricks up my sleeve.”
Jake didn’t understand what the booth had to do with Franklin. “Beat him?”
“Yeah, beat him. Every year, Franklin raises the most money. You don’t know him well enough yet, but when you do, you’ll understand why.”
“So, you were trying to raise the most money? Why does it matter where your booth is?”
“That spot is right by the gazebo, so everyone in town hits it up first. If you are towards the back, fewer people get to you. The more people, the more money. He brags about it for months and it’s really annoying. You better do well at the festival or else you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. It was never really even about winning, it was more about him losing.”
Ginger was right, he didn’t know Franklin very well. He had a feeling Ginger was correct, though. The mayor had asked him to explain the booths to Jake and what he said was extremely vague. He thought it was strange at the time, but if Ginger was right, it was done with the purpose of him failing. Now that he thought of it, all his interactions with him had been strange. For some reason that eluded Jake, Franklin had taken it upon himself to provide healthy living tips every time they met. “If all you really want is to not have him win, maybe you can help me with my booth. I have no idea what I’m even supposed to do.”
Ginger smiled at Jake. “I can do that.” Her expression then turned serious. “Just don’t expect any help with the contest.”
“Understood,” Jake said evenly. “Why do you want the house so much? I would think living above the bakery is pretty convenient.”
“It is, but I’ve always loved the Baxter House. I have wonderful memories of being there as a kid and watching my aunt and mom cook with Carol. Andy told me you saw it. What did you think of it?”
“I only saw it in the dark, but from what I did see, I have to agree, it is amazing. The kitchen alone is incredible. That butler’s pantry? They don’t make them like that anymore.”
Ginger smiled brightly. “No, they don’t.”
“Andy told me it’s difficult to come across homes in town because most people pass them down to family members.”
“That’s true. The houses outside of town come up more often, but anything available within a few blocks of Main Street gets snatched up pretty quickly. My mom and I lived South of Main Street on Orchard Street, so I grew up in town.”
“Does your mom still live there?” Jake asked.
“No, she passed away right after I graduated. I did live there for a while, but when my aunt got married, she moved to Wyoming and gave me the building where the bakery is now. She used to run a little alteration shop, but it had been vacant for years. When I opened the bakery, I decided it would be easier to live above it in the apartment.”
“I’m sorry, Andy had mentioned that you didn’t want to stay in your mother’s house. I didn’t realize that she had passed away. Why didn’t you stay?” Jake found that odd. If it had been in her family, he wondered why she would give that up, especially in a real estate market that was so difficult.
Ginger shook her head. “There were a lot of good memories there, but after my mom died, it never really felt like home again.” Her eyes began to glisten.
To lose her mother so young must have been difficult for her. She had intentionally left her father out of her living arrangements which led Jake to believe he was out of the picture. Family was important and he couldn’t imagine not having anyone nearby. He placed his hand on hers gently for a moment. Jake took the cue and didn’t pry any further. He decided that it might be best to change the subject.
“Did you like growing up in Spruce Valley?”
Ginger’s smile returned. “Absolutely. Yes, it can be a bit boring, but I didn’t know any better. As a kid, I always found stuff to do. Are you thinking of Kacie?”
“Yes, I’m not sure she’ll like it, but anything has to be safer than the city where I was living. I didn’t even like to go out after it
got dark sometimes.”
Ginger chuckled. “Well, I can assure you, there is not much to worry about safety-wise in this town.” She gave him an odd look. “Why did you live there if it wasn’t safe?”
“It was close to the restaurant where I worked.” Jake shrugged.
“Do you miss it?” Ginger asked.
“A little, I guess. Sometimes.”
Ginger gave him a sad smile. “It’s a big change, huh?”
“That’s an understatement.” Jake laughed. “If someone had told me I’d end up settling in a small town, I would have thought they were crazy.”
“I guess you never can tell what the future holds,” Ginger said thoughtfully.
“No, you can’t.” Jake looked into Ginger’s eyes. If anyone had told him he’d be sitting across from her, he’d thought they were crazy, too, but now that he was, he couldn’t think of anywhere else he would want to be. She was so beautiful, his head began to get cloudy. Jake altered his gaze reluctantly.
Ginger pointed to the near-empty plate in front of her. “What is the name of this on your menu. I might have to come in and order it.”
“It’s not on the menu, but if you do come by, I can make it again for you.”
“Why isn’t it on your menu? It should be. It’s really good.”
“I just threw it together tonight. I’ve never made it before, it’s a new creation,” Jake said.
“Isn’t that fun?” Ginger asked enthusiastically. “That’s my favorite part of baking. I love experimenting like that. Sometimes I don’t even know what I’ll create until it’s done.”
“That’s my favorite part, too,” Jake agreed.
“You can start with regular dough and add different types of ingredients and get something entirely different. A plain cake batter can become something amazing if you add the right ingredients.”
“Or a fruit cake if you add the wrong ones.” Jake smiled.
Ginger laughed. “Hey, don’t knock fruitcakes. I sell a lot of them this time of year and people seem to like them.”
“I don’t doubt that at all,” Jake said warmly.
Jake looked at Ginger. She smiled at him self-consciously as she brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. He liked the way she smiled at him.
“I should probably get going. I didn’t mean to take up so much of your time.”
Jake felt a pang of disappointment that their evening together was ending. It had been a very long time since he just sat and enjoyed dinner with someone. He had forgotten how nice that feeling could be, especially with someone as interesting as he found Ginger. He wanted to know more about her. He felt like he could talk to her all night. He stood up reluctantly.
“How about I get you a box? I’ll put the leftovers in there, too.”
“Thank you, Jake.” Ginger bit her bottom lip and got up slowly, carefully testing out her aching feet. When she was sure of her balance, she looked at Jake and smiled. “I might have to surprise you another time so I can get some free dinner.”
“I’d be okay with that,” Jake said a little more zealously than he had intended.
He helped Ginger with her jacket and walked her to the door. “Don’t forget, you said you would help me with my booth,” Jake reminded her as he opened the door for her.
“You know where to find me. Besides, I’m sure you’ll see me again, soon,” she said and smiled warmly.
He watched to make sure she got back into her bakery without any difficulty. When he knew she was inside, he locked the restaurant door. He did know where to find her and for the first time since he’d met her, he hoped he would see her again very soon.
Chapter Twenty-One
Ginger unlocked her bakery door just in time to see Sheriff Sam walking up the sidewalk. She waved to him and went behind the counter to grab his muffin and juice. She had taken Jake’s suggestion and elevated her legs last night and though they were not completely back to normal, they were much better.
“Morning, Ginger,” Sheriff Sam said as he walked up to the counter. “How are things?”
“I can’t complain,” Ginger said and smiled.
“Sure, you can, you just aren’t trying hard enough.”
Ginger laughed. “It’s still early. Give me some time to wake up.”
Sam took a sip of the orange juice and grabbed his bag. “Take care.”
The Sheriff had been in nearly every day since the contest had begun, but the two of them never discussed it. He never brought it up, so she left the subject alone. Today she felt curious enough to ask. “Sam, can I ask you something?”
He focused his attention on her. “As long as it doesn’t involve citing someone.”
Ginger rolled her eyes. “No, it doesn’t involve citing someone. I was wondering why you entered the contest.”
He gave a small shrug and took another sip of juice before replying. “The wife and I had always talked about how this town could use a bed and breakfast. Our kids are all grown and we discussed it being something of a retirement plan.”
Ginger thought about that. It did make sense. His wife was already retired and Sam had been the sheriff for thirty-five years. Even though she could never imagine anyone else doing it, eventually he’d want to retire. “I could see that. It would make a good bed and breakfast.”
“Well, that was the plan, but the more we’ve discussed it, the more it’s seeming like a bad idea.”
“Why?”
“We’d have to burn up all our retirement savings just to get the place up and running. I’m not ready to retire yet, so I wouldn’t really have the time to spend on it either. I’m thinking of dropping out of the contest.”
Ginger had to admit, without the Sheriff in the contest, her odds would improve, but she didn’t want him to give up if he truly wanted it as she did. “Maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as you think it would.”
“I’ve never run a business, Ginger. I’m not sure that in my retirement years I’d want to start. Besides, the grandkids live three hours away. My wife realized we wouldn’t get the opportunity to visit as often and now she thinks it’s a bad idea, too. I haven’t gotten around to it yet, but I’ll let Mayor Curtis know this week.” He smiled. “Besides, I’m not into this town hysteria. I don’t think I made a good candidate.”
“Sam, that’s exactly why you made a good candidate. Are you sure?”
The Sheriff nodded. “Yeah. It just isn’t in the cards. Good luck to you, though, Ginger.”
“I need it. I wouldn’t have expected to have my only competition from someone who just got to town, but that’s exactly what is happening. Any advice?”
“You’ll be fine.” Sheriff Sam’s phone chimed from his pocket and he sighed. “I better get back to the station. It’s going to be a long day. The baby Jesus went missing again last night and the mayor started calling me at midnight.” He held up his juice to her with a smile and left.
The news of Sam dropping out of the contest did make Ginger a little more optimistic about her odds of winning. He didn’t seem too upset by the fact he was withdrawing. She knew that if winning meant missing out on time with their grandchildren, his wife would want nothing to do with it anyway. The repairs and updates would be costly even if it wasn’t being converted to a bed and breakfast, but since Ginger owned the bakery and her apartment, all she did was save money. She had a nice little nest egg saved up and it would more than cover any necessary costs that came along with the house.
Ginger walked back to the kitchen and checked her orders. She had to nearly double what she normally did in order to get caught back up since she didn’t get as much done last night as she had hoped. She would get there, but it would take a little time. She was grateful her feet were feeling less sore today. She’d start with the cookies and move on to the pies. Six dozen sugar cookies and two dozen gingerbread men. She hoped she would have enough gumdrop buttons for them. She knew she was already running low. She went to check her supply and heard the bakery door chime. She closed the pan
try door and went up front. It was still too early for most of the town and she couldn’t imagine who would be there so early. When she saw that it was Matty at the counter, her interest was piqued. Matty rarely made her way to the bakery and her visit today would be the second this month. She looked annoyed about something and Ginger was hoping she had done nothing wrong. Matty wasn’t the kind of person who dropped a grudge easily and Ginger had learned it was just easier to stay on her good side. They got along well, so Ginger had a feeling her ire this morning was directed at someone or something else.
“You’re up early this morning, Matty. Can I get you some coffee?”
Matty waved her off hastily. “I’m not here to socialize.”
“Okay, then. Is everything okay?” Ginger asked cautiously.
“If you think that this is okay.” Matty handed Ginger a folded piece of blue paper.
Ginger opened the paper. As she scanned the words, her heart began to race. “Who gave this to you?”
“It was taped to my store when I got there this morning. Can you believe the audacity of that man?” she asked forcefully. “First, he shows up at my home and now this? I have half a mind to turn the tables on him and run a smear campaign on him. If he thinks that he can just waltz into town and take over, he has another thing coming.”
Ginger re-read the flyer.
There is only one true choice for the new owner of the Baxter House: Jake Robbins
Jake Robbins has already shown this town that he is willing to do what is needed to make Spruce Valley the very best town in Vermont. He believes in the town residents’ good sense and doesn’t feel the need to bribe or cajole them for votes with free merchandise.
His heart is filled with Christmas spirit every day of the year, not just in December when others find it convenient for their business.
Other candidates want to dwell in the Baxter House for selfish purposes. He intends to make Baxter House a family home once again, just as it should be.
He is cool and collected and even when faced with flaring tempers, he remains calm under the pressure. A vote for Jake Robbins is a vote for reason, a vote for the true spirit of Christmas, and a vote for Spruce Valley; the most wonderful town to live.
