Donuts & Daydreams

by Maddrey, Elizabeth

  “I wish. Didn’t you get the memo?”

  Felipe shook his head.

  “Apparently, despite having filled out reports the same way for the last eight years, I’ve been doing them wrong. Presumably others have as well. But all the forms for the last five weeks have been kicked back to get fixed and re-filed.”

  “Your tax dollars at work.” Felipe cocked his head to the side. “You look happier than you’ve been in a while. Did you have that conversation we talked about?”

  “Oh, yeah. That didn’t go quite as well as I’d planned.”

  “Oh?”

  Gloria’s licked her lips as she glanced around to make sure the room was still mostly empty. She perched on the edge of Felipe’s desk. “He might be moving back to D.C.”

  “That’s not good. So why are you happy?”

  “Because I have a plan to convince him to stay. And the support of his family. I’m praying that between the seven of us, we can make him see that leaving would be nothing more than running away. He’s supposed to be here, Felipe. Even if he’d not going to end up with me, this is where he belongs.”

  Felipe nodded. “You know I’m a big believer in being near family. What is your plan?”

  “I’m going to court him.”

  Felipe laughed.

  “What?”

  “You are serious?”

  She nodded.

  “Huh.”

  “Serena thinks—and I kind of agree—that he’s probably thinking he can’t make a move until some amount of time passes. I mean, everyone knows after a divorce there’s supposed to be all this time for healing. And in a normal situation, I’d totally agree. But Frank and I have been over since I moved here. I grieved those first two years—you remember?”

  Felipe nodded.

  “I don’t feel like I need any more time. And I feel like Jonah is someone God wants in my life.”

  “Ah ha.”

  “Yeah. So.” Gloria shrugged. “I’m going to see if I can help him see that and get him to consider the possibility that staying in Arcadia Valley is about more than hanging out near his siblings. That there might be a life—a full, rich life—for him here, too.”

  “I’ll be praying it works out. Keep me posted?”

  “You know I will. Pray for this paperwork, too.” Gloria shook her head and settled behind her desk. “’Cause I’d just as soon not get buried alive underneath it before I have a chance to tell Jonah I love him.”

  * * *

  Gloria hummed quietly as she turned into the parking lot in front of the bakery. Twice in one day was a new record. Of course, the first time she’d been sneaking. Now she was going to keep it light and breezy. Friendly.

  Micah grinned as she entered. “Hey, Gloria.”

  “Hey. How’s it going today?”

  “A little quieter than usual, actually. What can I get you?”

  Gloria frowned. Was Jonah not going to come out? She stuffed her hands in her pockets and eyed the display cases. “Anything new this week?”

  “There’s a tomato basil bread that’s really tasty, if you want to try it. I can scare up a sample loaf and I’m pretty sure we have butter in the back. Or there’s a dulce de leche donut.”

  Gloria pointed a finger at him. “You’re trying to hold out on me. Although, the bread sounds good, too. I’ll take a loaf of that home. But only if you let me pay for it.”

  “Just this once.” Micah chuckled and rang up her order before scooting down to collect the items and put them in a bag. He leaned closer and whispered, “Those cookies this morning were delicious. He’s been trying to figure out how to make them all day. That and wondering who left them. Did you know you didn’t sign the note?”

  Her stomach sank. She’d packaged up the cookies, written down a rather cheesy poem on the card and her mom had called half-way through. “Oh, no.”

  Micah nodded. “I think he suspects it’s you. I’ve heard him muttering. But next time, sign the note.”

  “Yeah. Got it. I can’t believe—” Gloria broke off when the door leading to the kitchen swung open. “Hey, Jonah.”

  “I thought I heard your voice.” His gaze lingered on her face longer than usual. Gloria’s cheeks heated. “What’re you getting?”

  “Micah said the dulce de leche donuts were good. It’s hard to turn down caramel. And the tomato basil bread.” Gloria offered Micah her credit card and reached for the bag. “Thanks.”

  “Got time for some coffee?” Jonah crossed to the mugs and started to fill one.

  Gloria checked her watch. “Couple of minutes, sure.”

  “Micah, why don’t you see what Mal’s up to?”

  Micah’s eyes sparkled with mirth as he handed Gloria back her card. “See you later, Gloria.”

  “Bye, Micah.” She headed to the coffee station and reached for a mug.

  “I’ll get it. Why don’t you have a seat?”

  He was so close. Gloria resisted the urge to step a little closer. It was already as if electricity sizzled between them. She moved to a table and sat, reaching into her shopping bag for the donut. “What prompted the caramel?”

  He smiled slightly as he placed a mug of coffee in front of her. “You’ve been on my mind. It’s your favorite, right?”

  “Yeah.” Gloria cleared her throat. “I apparently forgot to sign my note this morning.”

  “Those were from you?”

  She nodded and bit into the donut, creamy caramel oozed out of the dough and she caught it with her tongue.

  “Those cookies are really good. How do you make them?”

  “Maybe I’ll show you sometime.” She took a big gulp of coffee as the radio on her shoulder squawked. Gloria angled her head to listen before draining the rest of the mug. “I’ve got to run. These are amazing. You should make them again.”

  If she wasn’t running to a call, she’d probably laugh at the confused expression on Jonah’s face. Day one of courting Jonah was definitely a success.

  15

  Jonah set the game console controller aside and sighed. What was Gloria doing? Those cookies had been delightful. But they were fried, and dealing with hot oil wasn’t something he was keen to start up. Honestly, he’d be frying donuts instead of baking them if he was willing to bother with that whole process. Frying donuts opened up a lot of options that were close to impossible when baking. He’d been surprised the caramel filling had worked as well as it had today. Filled donuts, in general, were a challenge.

  He still hadn’t called his friend in D.C.

  The couple of times he’d started to call, something had come up and he’d put his phone aside, telling himself he’d get to it later. Maybe it was God trying to tell him something.

  Jonah sighed and dug the note that had been attached to Gloria’s cookies out of his pocket.

  Donuts are sweet

  Cookies are too.

  I never daydreamed

  Until I met you.

  He smiled. They’d had so many conversations over the last two years about their hopes and dreams. Gloria had never really had any. She was convinced that dreams were for other people. When had that changed? Certainly not when they met. Recently?

  He’d built enough daydreams around a life with Gloria to fill a book. Maybe two. But he was tired of waiting. At some point, wasn’t he supposed to move on with things and realize that dreams were just that? Not all dreams came true.

  The doorbell rang.

  Jonah frowned and set the note aside. Who’d use the doorbell? Not any of his siblings or their spouses. They all just walked in. Gloria, too, for that matter. She was basically already a member of the family.

  He’d have to think about that more later. Much later.

  He pulled open the front door and blinked. “Morgan?”

  “Hi.” The gorgeous chef/owner of L’Aubergine crossed her arms as if she was hugging herself. “I hope you don’t mind me dropping by?”

  “Not at all. Come on in.” So many questions raced throug
h his mind. She’d likely answer them once they were inside. “Can I get you something to drink?”

  “No. I’m fine, thanks.” Morgan looked around. “I haven’t ever been inside here before. Been driving by for forever, but Corban and I never ran in the same circles.”

  Jonah gestured to the couch and resumed his seat in the recliner, shifting Gloria’s note to the side table. “You’re welcome any time. I’ll make sure you get invited to the next party we have. I’m sure once Ruth’s back home and settled with the baby she’ll be itching to have another to-do.”

  “I hear good things about those. Mostly about the food, which, I understand, is primarily your doing?”

  He nodded. “Everyone pitches in, but yeah, I guess.”

  “When you first moved here, you asked if we were hiring and, at the time, we weren’t.”

  At the time? Jonah nodded. “I’d say that worked out for the best, given how well A Slice of Heaven is going.”

  Morgan gave a weak smile. “Yeah. And I hate to even suggest what I’m about to, but I really don’t know what else to do, short of closing down L’Aubergine.”

  “Close down? Is business really that bad?” Last he’d heard, it was still sometimes a challenge to get a reservation at the popular local restaurant. On any day of the week.

  “Not business.” Morgan pressed her lips together and stared at the ceiling for a moment. “It’s me. I have breast cancer. They’re saying I need radiation and chemo and that it’s going to be at least a year of treatment. Everything I’ve read says that I’m going to be too exhausted to run a kitchen while I’m being treated. If I had an office job, or something more flexible, then maybe...but you know what a chef’s life is like. Throw in all the business management on top of it? I just don’t think it’s reasonable to expect to be able to continue. So, I thought it was better to be proactive and figure something out before it was an emergency. I’ve been praying about it for two weeks and the only name that comes to mind is yours.”

  “Mine.” Jonah struggled to absorb everything she’d said. “Cancer. That stinks. I—you’re asking me to take over L’Aubergine for a year?”

  “Maybe a little longer. Call it eighteen months to be safe.” She held up a hand when he opened his mouth to speak. “I don’t think it’d actually interfere with the bakery. You do most of the baking in the morning, right?”

  He nodded.

  “We can close for lunch. I’d been toying with that—or at least cutting back to one, maybe two days a week—anyway. No one wants fancy candlelit lunches, and I don’t see the point in trying to compete with all the places that do casual lunch around here. Our niche is fancy dinners out.”

  “Hmm.” That changed the situation considerably. Just doing dinner made it tiptoe into the realm of plausible. “Prep for dinner starts at what, one?”

  “About, yeah. We can adjust dinner hours, if you needed a little extra time. Right now, we’re taking reservations that start at five. We could bump that to five thirty, maybe six if we had to.”

  “I don’t think you need to do that. By one, I’m generally done with all the baking and clean up. Even with special orders. I spend the afternoon either helping out up front, making flour, or prepping a little for the next day. Most of that Micah can easily handle, even with manning the cash register. Mal can pitch in with some of it too, if push comes to shove.” Jonah drummed his fingers on his knee. “Let me pray about it and talk to my brothers. When do you start treatment?”

  “I have to have surgery first. They want to schedule it as soon as they can. I know I’m not going to be able to cook while I’m recovering, but the guys can probably hold things down a few days if they have to.”

  “I’ll let you know by Friday.”

  “You sure two days is enough time? I don’t want to rush you.”

  Jonah chuckled. “I’m pretty sure my siblings are going to think this is an answer to their prayers.”

  Morgan shot him a confused glance.

  “Not your cancer, obviously. I’ve been talking with a friend in D.C. about moving back to help run his kitchen. They don’t want me to go.”

  “And this would keep you here. For a while, at least.” Morgan’s smile was a little wider this time. “There really is silver lining in every rain cloud, isn’t there?”

  “I’m sorry you’re sick.”

  “Me, too. But as cancer goes, I’m glad it’s this and not something that doesn’t get so much research and attention. The survival rates for breast cancer are so much higher today. I’m not making light of it, but, all things considered, my only big worry has been the restaurant.” Morgan stood and held out a business card. “I put my cell on the back. Call me when you have a decision?”

  Jonah took the paper and rose as well. “You bet. I’ll be praying for you.”

  This time, Morgan grinned. “Thanks.”

  After walking her to the door and watching her back out of the driveway, Jonah returned to the living room and his recliner. He set Morgan’s cell number next to Gloria’s note. Okay, God. I think maybe I get the hint.

  * * *

  Jonah poked his head out into the front of the bakery. “Hey. Got a minute?”

  “Sure.” Micah stood and stretched his back. “Need me to come back there?”

  “No, I’ll grab Mal. Maybe fix us all some coffee?”

  Micah’s eyebrows rose, but he said nothing.

  Jonah strode through the kitchen and peered into Malachi’s tiny office. He waved to get his brother’s attention before signing his request for Mal to join them out front.

  Malachi frowned, clicked a few times on the computer, and stood.

  “It’s a little early for Gloria, isn’t it?” Micah smirked up at Jonah from one of their small round tables. He’d pulled a third chair over and put steaming mugs of coffee at each seat. “Though I do appreciate you leaving the flowers she gave you out front. Several of our customers have commented on how lovely they are.”

  Flowers. She’d sent him flowers from Blossoms by the Akers. Yesterday it had been a tiny box of chocolate hearts. “This isn’t about Gloria.”

  “It should be. You’re being an idiot. The woman’s smitten and if you can’t tell that, you need your head examined.” Even Malachi’s sign language oozed grumpiness.

  Jonah sighed. Mal hadn’t vocalized anything to him since he’d mentioned maybe leaving. He still signed—there were things that had to be communicated and Mal was too much of an adult to give him the full silent treatment—but Jonah was so used to listening to his brother, he hadn’t realized how often he looked away during a conversation. And right now Mal wasn’t repeating anything he signed when Jonah wasn’t looking, no matter how nicely he asked. “I think, maybe, what I have to say is going to make you happy.”

  “Yeah? How’s that?” Micah sipped his coffee, hesitated, stood and walked behind the display cases. He dropped three sugar cookies onto a plate and returned to the table.

  “On Wednesday, Morgan Taylor stopped by the farmhouse.”

  “Do you even hear yourself? ‘The farmhouse,’ like it’s some kind of local site instead of your home. Why not just call it your house?” Micah broke a piece of cookie off and dunked it in his coffee.

  “Because it’s not my house. It’s Corban’s house. He just lets me live there.” Jonah shook his head. “Could you stop being mad at me for one minute so I can explain?”

  “Fine.” Micah pushed the plate of cookies toward Malachi.

  “She asked me to take over as chef at L’Aubergine for the next year, year and a half while she has chemo.”

  “Is she okay? Obviously she isn’t. Will she be?” Micah dropped the rest of his cookie on the table. “Can we help her somehow?”

  “I don’t know. She seems to think she’ll be fine after treatment, just not up to running a restaurant during. Which makes sense. So she asked me and I told her—”

  “No.” Malachi signed and rolled his eyes. “Why are we having this conversation?”

/>   “I told her I’d pray about it and talk to the two of you. It’d mean I’d have to leave here around this time every day to start dinner prep. There are some kinks that we’d need to work out, but I think it’s doable. My heart says it’s the right move, but I wanted to talk to you guys before deciding for sure.”

  “That’s a nice change.” Micah picked up his cookie. “Your job in D.C. still gonna be there in eighteen months?”

  Wow. He hadn’t realized just how badly he’d hurt his brothers until now. Jonah wrapped his hands around the mug of coffee in front of him. “No. If I do this, I stay here. Permanently. No more running away.”

  “And Gloria?” Mal asked, his hands folded in his lap, silent.

  Jonah fought a smile. At least one of the twins had forgiven him. Or was willing to. “Seems like by the time I’m finishing up at L’Aubergine, enough time should’ve passed that Gloria and I can see where things take us.”

  “Pfft. What are you waiting for? The woman is practically courting you.” Micah pointed at the cheery mixed bouquet on the counter. “Or did you not notice?”

  “That doesn’t mean she’s ready for a relationship. She’s only been divorced what, two months?” Jonah reached for the remaining cookie. He didn’t really want it, but he needed to do something with his hands so he didn’t reach across the table and throttle Micah. Why did he not see how hard this was?

  “That’s just the legality. You talk to her? Seems to me she’s been divorced a lot longer than that in all the ways that matter.” Malachi reached for his coffee. “I think staying is good. Helping out at L’Aubergine is doable. And you need to get your act together and tell Gloria you love her and quit messing around.”

  “I’m working up to that, okay?” Jonah’s face heated. He was. Sort of. “One thing at a time. Are the two of you okay with me telling Morgan I’ll help out?”

  “Of course.” Micah glanced at Malachi. “We can handle the afternoon, right? Especially if we keep the two high schoolers. When Serena starts filming it may get a little trickier, but I don’t have to go visit as often as I was hoping. We’ll figure it out.”