The Amish Baker's Rival

by Marie E. Bast

  Mary sniffled and swallowed hard. “Jah, that would be fine.”

  * * *

  A protective twinge tightened Noah’s throat as he glanced down at Mary, snuggling close to his chest. “Do you want to come inside my store to sit and rest?”

  “Danki, but I want to go home.” She blotted a tear running down her cheek. “Mamm will be a wreck wanting to know what’s going on. It was her vater’s bakery, and it meant a lot to her. It will just devastate her. And I need to stop and tell Amanda.”

  “Mary, I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”

  “Don’t talk, Noah. My heart was just ripped out, and I don’t want to discuss it. Not right this minute, I can’t.”

  He drew in a ragged breath and nodded. He released his arm. “Listen, we aren’t enemies. I never meant to hurt you or drive you out of business. I’m truly sorry I put my store across from Sweet Delights. When I rented the building, I knew there was a drug store on one side and an antique store on the other, but I didn’t check the whole street. I’ll give you space in my store, and you can keep your bakery going. You can use my ovens and whatever else you need until your shop is rebuilt.”

  Mary’s eyes widened. “What? I couldn’t possibly do that. Have you lost your senses?”

  Noah smiled and shook his head. “Of course not, but thanks for asking. Everyone in town knows we’re competing, and I don’t want them to think I’d take advantage of you after your bakery burned. Someone might even say I started it.”

  Mary jerked her head up and locked eyes with him. “No one in this town would ever accuse you of that.”

  “It could start as a joke and get around. That would ruin my reputation, and it would be your fault for not working with me and squashing any loose gossip.”

  “Mr. Miller, you have a way of exaggerating the problem.” She shook her head with a smirk.

  “Yeah, but what do you say? I’d sure feel better about everything if you would let me help you.”

  Mary drew a deep breath of smelly, smoky, toxic air, coughed and stepped back. She glanced across the street at the smoldering building. “I don’t know how long it will take to rebuild, or if Daed and Mamm will want to.” Tears filled her eyes and clung to her lashes. She batted them away.

  “We don’t have to talk about length of time now. Moving a small part of your baking to my store is only a temporary situation. Unless you would rather come and work for me?”

  “Not even as a joke. Then people probably would think you did it on purpose to get me to bake for you since your baking tastes terrible.” A smile pulled at the corners of her mouth.

  “I know it’s a big decision, Mary. Take your time.”

  As she stared at her bakery, or what was left of it, he watched the change of emotions cross her face. What would it be like working side by side with her every day?

  She turned and opened her mouth as if she was going to say something but then hesitated...

  His heart drummed up into his throat, so hard he couldn’t speak. He wanted her to say yes, but would she?

  Chapter Eleven

  Heat worked its way up Mary’s neck and burned her ears. She couldn’t move her bakery to Noah’s store. It was an outrageous suggestion.

  It was a solution, but one she abhorred. She couldn’t sell her baked goods out of Noah’s store, and she certainly didn’t want to see him on a daily basis.

  She couldn’t work with an Englischer. What would her community think? Her Gmay frowned on a member having a partnership with an Englischer. Of course, it wouldn’t be a real partnership, but others might not see it that way. And the bishop had warned her more than once about getting too close to Noah.

  Not to mention, working that close to Noah would make it impossible for her to stay clear of him. All the reasons why she shouldn’t agree.

  Noah cleared his throat. “Do you want to think it over?”

  She shook her head and faced him. “Nein. I don’t think it would work.” She glanced across the street at the charred remains of Sweet Delights and already regretted her decision.

  “You know it could take a year to get your bakery rebuilt.”

  She straightened her back. “Why are you trying to talk me into it? Do you want me to show you how to bake really gut pastries? Is that it?”

  “Oh, so you think I need your recipes?” He laughed. “I’m just trying to be nice.”

  “All right, Noah. I’ll move my bakery to a small corner of your store and try to keep my customers that have a standing order. But this is only temporary, just for a few weeks. Could I put a small sign in your window?”

  He hesitated but nodded. “I have a storage room that’s large enough for a small office to fit a desk and your safe. I’ll clear a corner of the store tomorrow.”

  “Danki. That’s very nice of you and it gives me time to visit a kitchen supply shop in Iowa City to pick up a few of my favorite utensils and bowls.”

  “I’d be glad to take you. The SUV’s got plenty of room for hauling whatever you need.”

  Mary shook her head. “I couldn’t ask you to take time away from your work. You’re already doing enough for me.”

  “I need to pick up a few things. You can ride along.”

  She eyed him curiously. “You act like you feel guilty that my bakery burned.”

  He paused and looked across the street. “No, it’s not guilt. It’s empathy.” Emotion caught in his throat. “When both of my parents died at once in the car accident, the store was all I had for security, and my sisters looked up to me to take care of them. I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost the store, too. It would have been like losing my parents all over again.”

  Mary touched his arm, large tears blocking her vision.

  He shuffled his booted feet. “I want to do this. I know how much it hurts, and I want to help.”

  “You make me feel like I can’t turn down your offer. And I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I didn’t get up in the morgen and bake.” She raised her chin. “I’m sure we can work together...at least for a little while until I figure things out.”

  She turned toward the street as Daed’s buggy pulled up next to the curb. “Ready to go, Mary? Your mamm will be waiting to hear the news, and there is nothing more we can do here.”

  Noah raised a hand and squeezed her shoulder. “I’ll pick you up at 9:00 a.m., and we’ll go to the supply store in Iowa City. We can come back and get you settled in your office. After that, we can clear a spot in the bakery and set up a table or two for your baked goods. It’ll be a snug fit, but I think we can manage. While you’re here, I’ll do my baking over at the other store. I mostly do that anyway.”

  “That sounds great. Danki, Noah.”

  Mary climbed in the buggy and sat on the back seat behind Jacob. She took one last glance at Sweet Delights and pain knifed its way through her heart. She had a lot to think about. Could she work next to Noah when he was the competition?

  She leaned back in the seat. Jah, it was nice that Noah had invited her to use a corner of his store. It would allow her to keep some of her customers. On the other hand, now her customers would get used to shopping at Noah’s store.

  She needed to win the baking contest now more than ever, and she needed to keep her distance from Noah. But were either of those even possible?

  * * *

  Wednesday morning, the bright sunlight poured into Mary’s bedroom, startling her awake. She jerked upright in bed and glanced out the window at a few fluffy clouds racing across the blue sky. Her heart thumped as her memory rekindled last night’s disaster. She forced herself to take a deep breath.

  Yawning, she sat and stretched. Mamm had let her sleep after a long night of talking and crying.

  She glanced at the clock. Ach, Noah would arrive soon to take her to the kitchen supply store. She jumped out of bed, dressed and hurr
ied downstairs. When she stepped into the kitchen, Mamm was flipping pancakes. “Morgen.”

  “Morgen, sweetheart.”

  “Danki for fixing my favorite breakfast. I feel like you are trying to comfort me, but you lost a bakery, too.”

  “Nein, I felt bad because it belonged to Daed, but I hardly spend any time there now. My life won’t change much that it’s gone.”

  “What do you think of me having a corner of my bakery in Noah’s store? You never really answered me last night.”

  Sarah turned from the stove and faced Mary. “It was nice of him to make that offer. It probably wouldn’t hurt for a little while.”

  After breakfast, Mary hurried and washed dishes, and was just finishing when Noah pulled into the driveway. She grabbed her bag and ran for the door. “I’m leaving, Mamm.”

  She climbed into the SUV, closed the door and buckled up. “Morgen, Noah.”

  “Good morning.” He drove down the gravel road, turned onto Route 218 and headed for Iowa City. “You should have taken a couple of days off, even the rest of the week.”

  “Danki for the suggestion, but I think it’s better if I fight my fear and keep going. If I give in to it, fear wins. This is a test, and I will persevere.”

  “Your faith seems to be lifting you up.”

  She faced Noah. “I think if I keep my hands busy, it will keep my mind off the horror of my situation.”

  * * *

  Noah could smell the subtle fragrance of lavender from Mary’s soap. Intoxicating. The profile of her delicate features, her blond hair and creamy complexion sent his heart into overdrive. He took a deep breath and tried to clear his head.

  He kept his eyes on the road, and she seemed content to watch the scenery. The sky had cleared to a robin’s-egg blue, and it was a beautiful day for a ride.

  At the supply store in Iowa City, Noah parked his vehicle and escorted her inside. He watched her eyes light up with curiosity when they walked by all the electrical appliances. She stopped and read an ad for an air fryer, then turned to Noah. “Do you have one of these?”

  “Yes, I like it. No grease and it reduces calories by seventy-five percent. It’s very healthy cooking.”

  She moved around until she came to the fancy espresso machines. “I’d like to have one of these for my shop one day.”

  While he followed, Mary moved on to the glassware section and placed a three-piece bowl set in her shopping cart.

  Continuing on to the bakeware area, she looked at the easy-release nonstick pans. “Sweet Delights had pans that were fifty years old, maybe older. Now, I’ll need to buy all new.” Her voice hitched.

  Noah patted her shoulder. “Look at it this way, your new pans will give you inspiration to develop new recipes.”

  She gave a weak smile. “Maybe.”

  He gave her back a pat. “You okay?”

  She nodded.

  “If you want to wander around by yourself, I can meet you at the small appliance in thirty minutes? Or we can stay together?”

  “Jah, I’d like to walk around by myself and just look.”

  He picked up what he needed then met Mary at the small appliances. She was looking at a panini grill and a triple slow cooker.

  “I have one of those,” he commented. “The three cookers come in handy.”

  She glanced around. “I could stay in here all day. I never knew some of these contraptions existed.”

  Noah laughed. “This store is a cook’s dream come true.”

  When they reached the checkout line, he motioned for her to push her cart ahead of him. She placed her bakeware, bowls, set of cutlery and a large iron skillet on the counter and paid with a check.

  Noah paid for his filters, bread pans and bakeware, then set his plastic sacks in Mary’s cart. He pushed the cart out to his SUV and loaded their supplies in the back.

  She settled into the passenger seat and buckled the seat belt. “We never really got into specifics last night. Exactly what did you have in mind? Do I bake for you in addition to baking for my own business, or am I renting the space and the use of your ovens? And how much would that cost?”

  Noah jerked as he buckled into his own seat. “Whoa, slow down. That’s too many questions.”

  “Nein, I want to settle it now.” She raised her chin.

  “I thought we could work it out. I’m not charging any rent. You can bake for your regular weekly orders, and I’ll set up a display case for you to sell a few extras, whatever you want. But it won’t be a big area. I don’t have a lot of extra space.”

  She rubbed her hand across the edge of the dash then laid it back in her lap. “I was thinking I could rent the space and pay whatever amount you thought fair for using your ovens. I’ll put a small pantry in my office if you want me to keep my supplies separate. If you’re going to bake in the kitchen, I’ll need a schedule of when I can use the ovens.” She glanced toward Noah.

  He met her gaze for a second then started his vehicle.

  “I don’t want charity, Noah.”

  He ran his knuckles across his jaw. “I’ll need to think about what to charge you. I’ll figure out the square footage and charge accordingly. Let me run some numbers, and I can let you know tomorrow.” He hadn’t really thought about all the particulars. This could get complicated, and he didn’t just mean with the baking arrangement. He liked her, really liked her.

  “I want to bake for my regulars in your store, but I ache inside like a piece of me has been cut out. Do you know what I mean?” Her voice wobbled.

  “Yes, I know all too well.”

  She sat in silence. He glanced at her and saw tears pooled in her eyes. Her cheeks were pale. She was no doubt worried sick and in no shape to work, but he understood the need to keep hands busy. It had worked for him when his parents died.

  When they reached his store in Kalona, he gave her a tour of the layout and the kitchen. He cleared spots in his cupboards and in the pantry for her supplies.

  Mary nodded. “My heart feels as empty as those shelves you cleared for me.”

  She asked questions in a voice fighting for control. He could see this was the last place she wanted to be. It probably irked her that her competition was going to be right under her nose watching every move she made.

  Noah gulped. This might be the worst decision he’d ever made.

  * * *

  When Jenny called Noah into the office to discuss an urgent matter, Mary took the opportunity to walk through his store by herself. She looked at every item in his bakery. Her eyes widened at her discovery. She offered similar products at her bakery, except his portions were smaller and cheaper than a serving at Sweet Delights. She hadn’t noticed that when she toured his store on opening day. Now she got it when Emily had told her that Noah called her heavy-handed when she cut portions.

  She glanced at the office door, still closed. She headed for the kitchen to give it a better examination than what Noah’s whirlwind tour offered. A woman was there baking.

  “Hallo, I’m Mary. I might be working here for a while.”

  She nodded. “I’m Jean Dwyer. Noah told me you’d be working here. It’s nice to meet you. Sorry to hear about your bakery.” Jean was lovely and very petite. Maybe thirty.

  “Danki, it’s nice to meet you, too.”

  When Jean left the room to take a tray of cupcakes to the front, Mary snatched a mini cupcake and popped it in her mouth. She shook her head in disbelief. “Mmm.” It was maybe one of the best cupcakes she’d ever eaten.

  Shame prickled her skin with goose bumps at sneaking the treat. She’d given Noah and his sisters a free treat. Therefore, she could reciprocate. She wasn’t quite sure Bishop Yoder would see it that way. But if she was going to work here, no doubt she and Noah would be trying each other’s products. Except for their contest entries of course.

  She bit
into a chocolate cookie and stopped chewing to savor the taste. It was delicious.

  Now more than ever, she knew she needed that prize money.

  Chapter Twelve

  On Monday, while Mary used his kitchen, Noah loaded his SUV with a box of vegetables, breads and pastries. He stopped and picked up Emily at her friend, Kate’s, house, and they headed to his grandparents’ farm.

  “Noah, I don’t know them. What do I say to grandma?” Emily worried her bottom lip.

  “You can talk about the store and what you do to help. Ask Grandma about her life on the farm.” For the rest of the ride, he could tell by her fidgeting and kicking legs that Emily was concerned about meeting her grandparents.

  Pulling into the driveway, Noah glanced around the barnyard, his grandpa wasn’t anywhere in sight. He parked by the house, gave the lighter box with bread and rolls to Emily and carried the other two boxes to the house.

  Just as they reached the steps, Uncle Cyrus drove a horse and hayrack up the drive and stopped by the SUV. Cyrus stepped down and shot Noah a stern look.

  Noah entered the house and set his boxes in the kitchen. “Grandma,” he called, “I brought you veggies and bread. Emily came with me to keep you company.”

  Grandma hurried into the kitchen from the other room. “Danki, Noah. Come in, Emily. I’m glad you came. Your cousins will be here later, and you can meet them.” She glanced at Noah. “We’ll be fine.”

  Noah stepped off the porch and met Cyrus halfway.

  “My daed is in the north forty bailing straw. You should have gotten here earlier so you could have helped him.”

  Noah straightened his back. “I’m here now.”

  “Why? Your father never cared. Why do you?”

  “Cyrus, I can’t remedy what my father did. I’m sorry he didn’t like the farm. Nothing will change that now. But I’d like to help whenever I can.”