by Linda Broday
Trey couldn’t help but think...so that’s why she’s so soft on the inside yet wants the world to think she’s as unbending as these metal molds…
About that time, the back screen slammed to and Trey’s twin brother, Clay, walked in. Although they were born only minutes apart, they didn’t even look like they belonged in the same family—much less, look like they were twins. Few realized just how different they were. As a blacksmith, Trey was always covered with a light layer of soot; while Clay, being the owner of the mercantile, was dressed to perfection. One black leather apron. One white cotton apron.
“Good morning.” Clay, the shorter and less muscular of the two men, reached over and kissed his aunt on the cheek, making her blush.
“Anything new going on, Mandy?” Clay asked, as he turned her direction.
****
Mandy truly wished she had the whole basket of eggs in reach, since she’d promised herself that the next person asking her if ‘anything new was going on’ would get a face full of raw eggs, shells and all.
Taking a deep breath to fortify her composure, she just smiled. “Nothing new with me. How about you?” She turned her gaze from one twin to the other...both looked as innocent as newborn babes, but she could bet the confectionary store on the fact that one or the other, maybe both, were trying to get her goat.
Trey piped up. “Hey, y’all I’ve gotta get back to the shop. Got lots of things to get done before the Valentine’s shindig. Seems about every man in town either needs something done to their carriage, new shoes on their horse, or something special made for their dates for the dance.”
“Let me pay you, Trey,” Mandy said, as she walked over to bag she brought from home.
“No, Amanda.” Trey waved his hands in the air. “If you promise to make me a batch of that candy that goes in the heart molds and maybe kick in two or three chocolate-covered cherries, that’ll be all the pay I need.”
“You can’t make any money doing business like that.” Mandy turned his direction, only to find he was giving her that crooked little smile that always sent her heart racing. “How about if I pay you plus give you some chocolates, too?”
“Amanda, it’s my way or I’m taking the molds back to the shop. I bet somebody would love to own them. Or, I could melt them down and make ’em into horseshoes or something.”
Mandy let out an audible sigh and folded her arms across her chest. “And, you think I’m the stubborn one, Trey Hemphill?”
His dark brows arched mischievously. He kissed his aunt on the cheek. Once he said goodbye to his brother, he turned and walked out, making sure the screen door didn’t slam.
Clay took a cup from the cupboard and filled it with coffee. “Anybody else want some?”
Both women shook their heads and in unison said, “Got too much work to do.” They laughed.
Leaning against the sink, Clay took a sip of coffee. With a twinkle in his eye, he said, “Tastes like it was made about three hours ago.”
“Because it was,” his aunt replied, as she continued to separate the yolks from the whites in the eggs.
“Hey, Mandy, I have a deal for you two that could work out well for all of us.” He poured out his coffee and began fixing another pot. “Interested?”
Behind her nephew’s back, his aunt Emma shrugged her shoulders at Mandy.
“We’re always interested in any kind of a deal that makes money for us,” said Mandy, who was measuring sugar into a big pot. “We want to pay off this store and own it free and clear someday.”
“How about me buying as many of the heart candies as you can make between now and the big Valentine’s Day hootenanny and I’ll sell them at the mercantile? You’ll be guaranteed of your money. I’d be the one taking the risk.”
For a second, Mandy couldn’t catch her breath and was thankful Emma had control of the eggs; otherwise, Clay would have definitely had a couple hit him right between the eyes. No doubt, someone as hardheaded wouldn’t have felt a thing.
“So, you think we can’t make a profit on our new product unless we sell them in your store?” Mandy deliberately allowed sarcasm to filter through her words.
“No. It isn’t that. I just thought you’d be guaranteed the money and I could make a few extra dollars, too.” He continued to dip water into the coffee pot. “Nothing meant by the suggestion, Mandy.”
Emma stepped in. “We all know that penny candy is a money-maker for any mercantile, and you’ve got plenty of that to sell.” She began beating the egg yolks for her pie crusts. “That’s one fine way to get a lady to...” she trailed off and immediately changed the subject. “Of course, that’s your decision to make, Mandy, not mine.” She began adding the egg yolks to the dry mixture.
“While I think your intent was honorable, I don’t think you thought it through, Clay.” Nervously, Mandy licked her dry lips. “No, I think it’d make me look as dumb as a stump to compete with myself. So, while I appreciate your offer, I must decline.”
“Fine. The coffee is perking, so I’ll see you later.” He kissed his aunt on the forehead and headed for the door where he stopped and turned back toward Mandy. “If anything new comes up, Mandy, let me know.”
He must have suspected Mandy had taken about as much of his malarkey as she could handle because he shut the screen door just before a raw egg hit the back of his head.
Chapter 3
Several hours passed as Emma and Mandy worked to fill the shelves and glass-covered plates with fried pies, divinity and other Valentine candy.
“Let’s have some coffee before I start on the chocolate-covered cherries,” Emma suggested, placing two cups on the kitchen table that sat in the corner.
Mandy removed the pot of chocolate from the stove and placed it on the work counter next to rows of pitted, sweetened cherries wrapped in a sugar and butter mixture, all ready to be dipped in the chocolate. “The chocolate needs to rest a little bit, too.”
They shared a jovial laugh.
Emma added a spoonful of sugar to her coffee and stirred it. Mandy washed her hands.
Mandy was the first to speak up, eager to see if Emma knew anything about the valentine. She didn’t want to embarrass herself by letting her business partner know she’d gotten an invitation, but still didn’t know who had asked her to the dance. “I guess we’d better wait to open until Jenny gets here to handle the front, because we both don’t need to be up to our elbows in chocolate like a couple of bogged-down cows and trying to help customers.” Mandy folded the towel neatly and laid it out to dry.
“I agree. I’m sorry that Clay insulted you,” said Emma. “It was almost like he was saying nobody would buy your new candy unless it came from his mercantile. I apologize for him.”
“Nothing to apologize for. I don’t think he meant it that way.” Mandy reached in her pocket and touched the valentine. “He might have an idea there,” she said thoughtfully. “While you and I worked this morning, I’ve been giving his proposal a lot of thought. It might not be as bad an idea as I first thought.” She chewed on the corner of her lower lip, thinking through what she wanted to say to Emma. “Do you think men, especially cowboys, would be caught dead in a confectionary store when they can buy chocolates at Clay’s mercantile?”
The older woman took a moment to answer. “I will admit that the women are our best customers, but since the Valentine Committee decided that the men are to send a valentine to the lady they want to take to the dance—not to mention decorate a box and put their date’s favorite candy in it—I doubt very many men will fill their boxes with peppermint sticks, licorice, and lollipops…or any of the other penny candy that my nephew has to offer. Their only choice would be to make some themselves—”
“Now, that’s something I’d like to see. Most of them would have to resort to either asking their mama or the ranch cook to prepare some candy, so I can just imagine how that would turn out.”
Joint laughter floated through the air.
A half an hour later, Je
nny arrived to handle the sales up front, leaving both Amanda and Emma to stay with their projects and continue filling the shelves as fast as they were being emptied. The store teemed with customers.
“Looks like we’re going to have a good day,” Mandy said.
“Mostly women buying, but it’s still another day until the Valentine’s festivities begin.” Emma rolled out dough. “We’re selling your chocolate-covered cherries as fast as you can make them.” She picked up the cutter for the fried pies. “I can hardly wait until you put out the chocolate hearts. They’ll be a hit, no doubt.” She changed the subject. “Dern it, I’ve run out of apple filling and have dough left. I don’t want to waste the dough, and I’m not ready to fix the peach filling yet.”
“I’ve got an idea. Since I’ve still got other candy to make, why don’t you try out the heart molds and bake a tart of some sort,” Mandy suggested.
“We’ve got plenty of eggs and will have more delivered in the morning, so why not make custard tarts? There are six molds which make eight tarts each, but I only have enough dough for five molds. They’ll be one mold left, if you want to test your marshmallow candy out. What do you think?”
“That’s a wonderful idea. That’s why we’re such good business partners and friends,” Mandy said.
“I’ve got to cut a pattern for the crust and that’s going to take longer than I have. I wish I had some type of a heart pattern to use. I don’t think I can trace them off the molds and get the right depth. I don’t want to waste dough just testing it.”
Without thinking, Mandy reached in her pocket and took out the valentine invitation. I can’t believe I just did that! But the damage was done. She turned the valentine over, face down on the paper Emma had just gotten from their little office. “This should work.” Quickly, Mandy traced the valentine and handed the new one to Emma, tucking the original back in her pocket. If Emma caught on to the fact it was an invitation to the dance, she didn’t let on.
While the cash register out front clicked away every time it was opened for a sale, Mandy and Emma worked on their projects.
“Need more cherries,” Jenny stood at the door and made the request as if they could appear out of thin air.
“I’ve got a tray that is just about set up enough to sell.”
“I’ll tell ’em.” Jenny turned and went back to the front.
Emma stood with her hands on her hips, looking squarely at the first heart pan that was lined with crust, waiting on the filling. “I can’t believe this, but the pattern you gave me fits exactly. Just like it was made for these molds.” She turned to Mandy. “Do you realize how much time this saved me?”
Mandy placed the last two cherries on the tray. “That is just one of those unexplainable things that are just meant to be.”
“Where did this valentine pattern come from?”
Mandy’s heart beat out of control as she made a quick turn toward the front area. Over her shoulder she said, “I don’t know.”
You know exactly where it came from and what it means. Just not who sent it!
She gathered enough energy and turned back to Emma. “Just a piece of trash I found blowing down Greene Street. I forgot to throw it away when I got here this morning.”
Although she might not know who sent the invitation for certain, she had her suspicions and would dern well find out...but did she truly want to know?
Chapter 4
Mandy could see by the look on Emma’s face that she didn’t buy her story for a minute. She’d have to work hard to come up with a tale to satisfy her friend, but then… maybe she could help Mandy solve the identification of the mysterious sender. Maybe the truth would be the best approach.
Emma broke into Mandy’s thoughts. “I know we’ve worked really long hours today and tomorrow will be even busier, but while I’m waiting for the custard tarts to finish cooking, do you think you could make a small batch of the chocolate-covered marshmallow hearts?”
“I believe I know someone who is eager to try my recipe.” Mandy shook her head in disbelief.
A flash of humor crossed Emma’s face. “Might be.”
“Okay, I suppose if there’s any chocolate left over after I do the hearts, I can dip some canned peaches in it. Let’s get busy.”
By dark, Jenny turned over the ‘closed’ sign in the front window, removed her apron, and wished the ladies a good evening. After making sure the front door was locked behind Jenny, the two friends set out to make more delicacies while they still had the energy. In no time, both the marshmallow mixture was cooling in a pan sitting in water, along with a small pot of cocoa, sugar, butter and cream, just the right texture to cover both the peaches and marshmallow mixture.
The last of the valentines were cooling, along with the tarts, which had turned out beautifully as Emma and Mandy sat down for their last cup of coffee. They hadn’t even tried to keep track of the number of pots of chocolate they’d made, but expected the number to double the following day.
“Are you going to the Valentine’s dance?” Emma sipped on her coffee.
“Have I ever? Except, of course, to deliver candy and pies from the store. I think your custard tarts will be a big hit.”
“Well, they did turn out good, but we’re fixin’ to taste them to see if they are actually as tasty as they look.” Emma slid a plate with two tarts on it in front of Mandy.
Mandy added a chocolate-covered valentine for each of them. The friends spent ten minutes trying to decide which delicacy was the best. They agreed to a tie.
It’s time! Mandy could not stand the uncertainty a moment longer. She pulled out the valentine with the invitation written on it and laid it on the table.
Before she could say anything, Emma remarked, “This is the same valentine you used for the pattern for the molds Trey made. Then you were invited to the dance!”
“More or less.”
“Looks like ‘more’ to me,” Emma said.
“It isn’t signed. Do you recognize the handwriting?”
“Definitely not Trey’s or you couldn’t read it. Not Clay’s either. A little too elegant for it to be a man’s handwriting. Likely, not a well-educated woman’s. So, that leaves ninety percent of the females in the area. But why would any man need help in writing an invitation this simple?” The lines of concentration deepened along Emma’s brows and under her eyes. “Let me look at something.” She got up and walked over to several decorated boxes that Jenny had done for some shy, bowlegged cowboys. There was a note with each one identifying the purchaser, except for the last two.
“Hand me your valentine, Mandy, please.”
Mandy looked over Emma’s shoulder as she compared the handwriting on Jenny’s notes and the valentine’s invitation. No doubt, the notes were written by the same person. “Who would want to ask me to the dance, but not write the note himself?” Mandy evaluated the situation. Her stomach began to twist tighter and tighter. “There aren’t very many possibilities, but I think I’ll go over to the boardinghouse and talk to Jenny.”
“You probably didn’t hear her because you were just coming out of the pantry, but she said she was going directly out to the family ranch to pick up her dress for tomorrow night.” Emma handed the valentine back.
“Then I’ll have to wait until she comes to work tomorrow.” Mandy ran her finger along her lower lip, trying to think things through.
“Will you do me a favor and drop by the mercantile to deliver this box of custard tarts? I added a couple of chocolate-covered cherries, and I hope you don’t mind, but I also put in two of your chocolate hearts to tantalize him.” A big mischievous smile broadened Emma’s face. She might be an older woman, but she certainly hadn’t outgrown being playful and sometimes flat-out impish.
“Sure. I’ll be glad to.” Mandy touched the last empty box. “May I use this?”
“Certainly. Jenny can always make some extras if we have too many last minute customers. As late as it is, I need to walk you home.” Emma whipped off
her apron.
“No need to. You know Clay will see me home. It’s simply not necessary for you to go out into the cold night air when your apartment is just behind the store.”
It didn’t take long until Mandy had double-checked the locks in the front part of the store and Emma headed out the back. As always, she gave Mandy her “lock up securely” speech before she left.
The moment Emma was gone, Mandy put six chocolate hearts and two cherries in the last of the decorated boxes. She wrapped a ribbon around it and headed out the door with both boxes. Her first stop would be Clay Hemphill at the mercantile, as she promised his aunt.
Her next stop, the livery...after all she had promised Trey some of her new chocolate covered hearts, and she wanted to keep that promise.
Chapter 5
Clay Hemphill turned over the ‘closed’ sign hanging from the mercantile’s front door. He held back an all-out hoot and a holler, thinking about how fat the cash drawer was from the day’s sales. He guessed the folks who comprised the Valentine Committee were right, after all. They said their idea couldn’t fail, that everyone in town would fill their pockets with money— and they sure hadn’t lied.
Even adding the provision that the men had to put their lady’s favorite candy in the box was a good idea. Clay had sold more paper, ribbon and lace in the last week than he usually sold in months.
At first, he discounted the committee’s idea. Although he believed in love, he knew it was something he’d tried once and it didn’t work out for him. He’d not let himself fall into that ugly trap again. At his aunt’s nagging, he’d sent out an invitation to a woman he’d known a while and thought was a very nice lady. So far, he hadn’t heard anything in the way of an acceptance from her. But that wasn’t unusual. As it turned out, most of the women didn’t respond, preferring to be surprised when they picked up their decorated box and it had the name of the suitor on it. It always added to the suspense and fun of the event.
