by Hope Ford
I hate that I let her think I don’t like the treat she seemed to have made just for me. It is good. “Uh, I dunno, I like steak and potatoes. You can’t go wrong with that. I like Mexican food; it’s probably my favorite.”
She’s nodding, taking it all in.
We talk for a little bit, and I learn that she was a tomboy growing up. “Yep, I spent a lot of time with my dad. He always took me hunting and fishing. I’m actually a really good shot.”
Her mood seems to have improved since I first walked in, so I decide to go through with my plan. I’m going to ask her out.
“So, uh..”
The bell over the door jingles, interrupting me, and Officer Crawford and a few of the other officers walk in. “Hey, Sheriff, what are you doing up so early on your day off?”
I try to hide my frustration with just a shrug of my shoulders. I raise the cup of coffee to them. “Coffee and Carrie seems like a good enough reason,” I tell them honestly.
She starts pouring the guys’ coffee, but I see her watching me as she works. If my words surprised her, she’s not letting on.
She takes the guys’ orders, and they all seem overly friendly with her. They must be coming in here too when I’m not here.
A few of the officers hit on her and are openly flirting with her, but she doesn’t seem to notice.
I can barely sit still while listening to Crawford ask her out.
“What do you say? You let me take you over to the Grove Cinema for a movie tonight?”
I lift my head just slightly because I have to see her reaction. Does she want to go out with Crawford? Am I wasting my time here?
But what surprises me is that instead of looking at Crawford, she’s looking at me for just a split second, and then she looks away. “Thank you, really. But I just got back into town and I’m still trying to get settled.”
“You guys got your coffee. It’s on me today. Now go find something else to do besides hit on women that are just trying to do their job.”
The other officers laugh good-naturedly, but Crawford looks mad. Whether from my words or Carrie turning him down, I’m not sure. But he follows the others anyway.
I pull my wallet out of my pocket and lay down a twenty-dollar bill. “Sorry about that,” I apologize to her.
She shakes her head. “It’s fine, really. No big deal. I don’t want anyone to get in trouble or anything.”
She thinks I’m mad. And I guess I am. But not for the reasons she thinks I am. I’m mad because Crawford asked her out. I’m mad that I’ve pretty much ruined my chances of asking her out today after my speech to the men about letting Carrie do her job. But I still reassure her anyway. “No one is going to get in trouble. Thank you for the coffee and the treat. It was good.”
I walk out the door and onto the street, not allowing myself to give her one last glance. Because I know if I do, I’m going to go in there and do exactly what I told my men to stop doing and ask her out.
7
Carrie
“So I drove by the B&B the other day. I can’t believe all the changes. It looks amazing!” I tell Lacy as I bring coffee and pastries to the table. I’m taking a break from my job at Patty Cakes so I can visit with my friend.
We were good friends back in high school. I’ve talked to Lacy a few times on the phone since I’ve been back, but this is the first time we’ve actually made plans to see each other and kept them.
“Thanks, Carrie! My parents have really made the B&B something. But what about this place? All I’ve heard about are all the new recipes at Patty Cakes. The locals and out-of-towners alike have been raving about the food and pastries coming out of here since you got back.”
I’m never one to take a compliment well, so I change the subject. “So what about you and Trent? I hear it’s pretty serious.” I don’t want to ruin the surprise for her and tell her I already know they’re engaged. It was all around Forest Grove by that same afternoon, I’m sure. But I want to hear it from my friend.
Her smile gets even bigger and she blushes as she holds her hand out toward me. “Yep, we are engaged,” she squeals.
“Oh, Lacy. It’s beautiful!”
“I know. It was his mom’s ring, and that makes it even more special.” Lacy sighs.
My hand goes to my heart. “Oh, I know how much his mom meant to you. That’s so perfect.”
I watch as Lacy looks at her hand, still in awe. I remember how devastated Lacy was when she and Trent broke up after graduation and his parents’ passing. I’m so happy that they have found their way back to each other.
The bell rings, and my eyes fly to the door. I know this is the normal time that the sheriff comes in for his midmorning coffee, so I’m not surprised to see him, but I still feel my heart hammering in my chest. I give him a little wave, but instead of getting in line, he takes a seat at a table.
I try to pay attention to what Lacy is saying, but I can’t stop looking over at the sheriff. Each time our gaze meets, I look away quickly. He’s staring at me. I can just feel it.
Finally, I excuse myself from Lacy and walk over to the sheriff’s table.
“Sheriff…”
“Scott. Remember I asked you to call me Scott?” He smiles at me, and I try my best not to stutter. Why does he have to be so good looking?
“Uh, Scott, I can’t help but notice you didn’t get your coffee. Is everything okay?”
He leans across the table, and his manly scent fills my nose. I want to breathe him in, but I know that’s probably not a good idea. Surely he’d notice.
“I like the way you make my coffee. But I wasn’t going to interrupt you. I can wait. I was just sitting here enjoying the view.”
I can feel the heat flush through my face and body. “I’ll get your coffee.”
I walk away, almost running toward the counter. I try to take deep calming breaths while I prepare his drink. Patty could surely fix it the same way I do. I look over my shoulder, and sure enough, he’s still watching me.
I turn back to the coffee pot and finish pouring, adding the extra cinnamon and the homemade French vanilla creamer. I also grab his favorite savory treat, because I know he doesn’t like too many sweets.
I set his coffee and quiche down in front of him, but instead of digging in, he just stares at me.
I feel like he wants to say something, but when he doesn’t, I excuse myself. “I have to get back to my friend.”
I don’t wait for a response. I turn quickly and hightail it back to the table with Lacy. I don’t realize until I sit down that Lacy has watched the whole thing, and my face is lit up like a Christmas tree, I’m sure. “So do you want to tell me what that is about?”
“Shhh, keep it down,” I respond, looking over at the sheriff. Sure enough, he’s still watching me while enjoying his snack and coffee. He smiles even bigger when he catches me looking at him. I turn back toward Lacy with a shrug. “He likes my coffee.”
Lacy purses her lips and looks side to side. “For real, Carrie. He likes more than your coffee.”
The way she starts wiggling her eyebrows, we both burst out laughing. Gosh, it’s good to catch up with her. I’ve definitely missed hanging with my old friend.
Lacy and I visit until the lunch rush starts. We promise to have a girl’s night out soon. I intend to hold Lacy to that promise.
As I pick up our empty coffee cups and leftover snacks, I look over at the table that Scott was sitting in. He’s gone now, but he made sure to stop at the table and tell me bye before he left. He seems interested in me, but I know that can’t be right. He’s the sheriff. He’s older and handsome. And I’m a plus size college dropout. Yep, I’m not going to get my hopes up about Sheriff Scott Jordan.
Scott
Crawford is the only one that doesn’t seem to get it. The man is dense.
“So we’re just not supposed to flirt with any woman?”
“Not on the job you’re not. And not with Carrie on or off the clock.”
I’m
being completely unreasonable and territorial, but I don’t care. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt such strong attraction for a woman, and I’m not just going to let that slip away. Especially not to a dolt like Crawford.
He had his chance yesterday, and she turned him down. Thankfully. I don’t know what I would have done if she’d said yes. I probably would have put the rookie on graveyard shift for the rest of his life.
“So we can flirt with women on our time? But we can never flirt with Carrie from the bakery?” Crawford asks, still confused.
“That’s right. Any other questions?” I ask impatiently. It’s still early, and I plan on going over to the bakery before my shift starts.
All of them shake their head, but I stare Crawford down, wanting to make sure he gets it. When he finally nods his head, I walk out of the station, whistling. Things are starting to look up.
8
Carrie
Patty is hovering again as I put the savory creation into the oven to keep it warm. “Why are you only making one?”
I fidget nervously. “It’s an experiment.”
Patty pats me on the back. “Well, I’m excited to taste it.”
“Uh,” I stammer. “It’s for someone specific.”
She looks at me expectantly, and I know I need to explain. “Scott—I mean the sheriff—has been coming in for coffee and well, he doesn’t like sweets, so I’ve been trying out a few different options to see if there’s something else he would like to eat.”
My aunt nods. “I’ve tried too. Don’t waste your time. The man is stubborn.”
I don’t want to agree with her because I don’t think that of Scott. Just because he doesn’t like sweets in the morning doesn’t mean he’s stubborn. But I can see why Patty would think so. She takes it personally if someone doesn’t like her pastries.
I open my recipe idea notebook and start writing a few notes.
Aunt Patty sneaks a peek and sees all the recipes are titled “Scott Might Like.”
“Oh, it’s like that, is it?” she asks cheerfully.
“No.” I slam the notebook closed. “I’m just wanting to do a good job, Aunt Patty. That’s it.”
But that still doesn’t stop Patty from teasing me. All I can do is hope she stops before Scott comes in for his morning coffee.
Scott
I’m pleased when I arrive at the bakery and there’s not any other customers. Carrie’s already setting my coffee down in front of me before I sit down.
She then sets down what looks like a burrito in front of me. “Try it.”
It smells good, whatever it is, but I really want to ask her out and have that done with. The butterflies in my stomach isn’t something a man my age should be struggling with.
I open my mouth just as Patty comes in the door from the kitchen. “So how did he like it?” she asks Carrie before turning to me. “She made it special with you in mind.”
Carrie’s blush is pretty, soft and sweeter than anything I could buy in the bakery.
“You don’t have to try it.” And she grabs for the plate, but I pull it back just in time.
“I want to try it. It smells really good.”
I pick it up and take a bite, but the whole time, Carrie is rambling about how I don’t have to, but I have to admit I ignore her as I take another bite.
“This is so good, Carrie. What is it?”
She’s watching me closely, and I can tell she’s trying to figure out if I’m telling her the truth or not. “It’s a breakfast burrito, but I remembered you like Mexican so I added some spices to it. It’s got potatoes, bacon, and cheese too.”
Before I know it, I’ve inhaled the whole thing with Carrie and Patty staring at me. Carrie is smiling ear to ear because there’s no mistaking how much I enjoyed it. Patty is looking between the two of us curiously.
I’m not even embarrassed about how fast I ate it. “Can I have another?”
“I only made one.”
I rub my hand over my stomach. “Well, that was the best thing I’ve ever eaten.”
She throws her hand up, waving away my compliment.
I’m just about to ask her out, even though her aunt is in hearing range, when the bell over the door rings.
Deflated, I turn and watch a few people walk in.
I missed my chance.
Carrie
I help the new guests with their orders but keep looking over at Scott. People keep walking in, and we stay pretty busy.
It isn’t long before Scott waves at me, leaving his money on the table.
I’m pleased he liked the breakfast burrito—and this time, I can tell he really liked it. For just a minute, I thought he was going to say something or ask me out. That’s silly, of course. No one is going to be asking me out.
Like my mom said, I’m a college dropout who is overweight and living with my parents.
Wiping the counter and picking up Scott’s empty plate and cup, I can’t help but hope for that girls’ night to happen soon. I need a pick-me-up.
9
Scott
I planned to be early this morning. Today is the day I am going to ask Carrie out. I’d thought about it all night and I knew that I wouldn’t be able to rest until I actually did it. All I could think about is seeing all the other officers flirting with her, and it takes everything I had to stop myself from going over to her house last night and asking her then. But she would definitely think I’m a crazy person. So the plan was I was going to see her first thing this morning. However, the morning has already gone off course. There was a domestic call that came in early this morning, and there was no way I could let Crawford handle it on his own. Not yet.
When I finally arrive at the bakery, it’s almost ten o’clock in the morning, which is much, much later than my usual time.
I can tell the second she spots me, and I get in line. Her already beautiful face gets even brighter, and the pink tinge on her cheeks brings out her freckles even more. She’s making coffees and rushing around, but I’m not in any kind of hurry. A few people come in and get in line behind me.
I notice the way Carrie tenses up, and I look over my shoulder to see an older version of Carrie. Not as pretty but definitely a close relation.
As Carrie juggles four different orders and mans the cash register at super speed, I overhear who I’m assuming is Carrie’s mother talking about her. She’s talking to her friend standing next to her, but she might as well be on the other side of the room for how loud she’s talking.
“Yes, she dropped out of college and came to work here of all places.” I turn and glance at the woman, but it doesn’t faze her. She continues airing Carrie’s private business for the rest of the bakery patrons. That’s bad enough, but it gets worse, and I can’t stop from cringing.
“I tried to get her to work somewhere else because of her massive weight.”
There’s a few gasps around me, and I lower my head, but the calm that has come over the room doesn’t seem to faze the woman. She continues on talking about Carrie and her life decisions. I can feel the anger and rage inside me turning my face red, and with one glance at Carrie, I can see she is embarrassed. Every emotion flashes over her eyes: anger, hurt, disbelief. In that instant I want to take her in my arms and protect her. But I don’t dare draw any more attention to her than she has right now.
I don’t want to disrespect her mother, but I’m having a hard time containing myself.
With my fists clenched at my sides, I try to take calming breaths before I embarrass Carrie even more by saying something to her mother that I can’t take back.
Carrie
I’m mortified. How can my mother be so rude and careless? Does she have to announce her opinions to the world?
I’m angry, but I don’t want to make a scene in Patty’s bakery after everything Patty has done for me. I fill my mother’s order without saying much to her since I’m too mad to do more than minimal exchanges.
And Scott. I couldn’t even look him
in the face when he got to the front of the line. And I know he heard my mom because he looks about as embarrassed as I do. He said he wanted to order lunch but needed a few minutes to decide and took off to sit at a table on the other end of the bakery.
I take care of the line, and luckily my mom and her friend were getting things to go, so they have left also.
I almost ask Patty to take over for me, but I don’t. I’m not a coward. I know Scott heard my mother. Probably half the town has heard about it by now. I’m not going to avoid him because of it.
I grab an ordering pad and pen and go out to the table where Scott is sitting.
My hands shake with nervousness, but relief hits me when he smiles up at me. At least he can look at me again. “Did you make any more breakfast burritos?”
“I put you one back… I mean, you weren’t here at your normal time, but I held one just in case you came in.” I ramble on, letting him know that I was thinking of him. “I’ll go get it.”
Just as I turn, he stops me. “Carrie, I’m sorry about your mother… what she said.”
I hold the ordering pad up in my hand. “No, please.” I do my best to keep my face from showing how truly embarrassed I am. “Please don’t worry about it. I’ve already forgotten about it.”
Scott
I can hardly eat I’m so furious.
I’m upset that I just stood there and let someone talk about her like that. I shouldn’t have cared if it was her mom or not. No one, blood relation or not, should ever speak to her or about her like that. Somehow, in that moment, I let the shock of it sway my better judgment.
