Chapter Twenty-Five
That night, after her parents had gone to bed and the house was still and quiet, Jessica went into the kitchen.
She pulled on her mum’s polka-dot apron and washed her hands at the sink.
The idea had been percolating in her mind for a while now and she wanted to do something special for Gillian and Struan and to bring some magic to the bakery.
She and Gillian had strung some fairy lights and Christmas baubles in the shop window.
But it needed something more and Jessica had the perfect plan for a festive window display.
She was going to surprise them with a gingerbread house.
She carefully made the dough then rolled it out on a sheet of greaseproof paper she’d placed on the worktop.
Following a template she’d found online, she cut out one of the sections then slid it onto a baking tray.
Then repeated it until she had everything she needed.
As the first batch baked, she leaned against the counter and smiled.
The warm scent of cinnamon, ginger and allspice soon filled the kitchen and smelt so comforting.
She felt herself begin to unwind. Chatting to Reuben that afternoon had definitely helped her.
She was also glad they’d cleared the air between them.
As she cut out Christmas trees and stars, using the leftover dough, she sighed.
Even the thought of him still made her stomach flip.
But despite the chemistry between them, she still hadn’t told him the whole truth about Tim.
It was only when all the pieces of gingerbread were cooling on the counter that she realised she had no idea how she was actually going to assemble it all.
She stared at the walls and roof pieces, knowing that it would surely collapse if she tried to build the house and then take it to the bakery.
She would need to do it there, preferably when nobody else was around.
Which meant after Gillian finished her shift tomorrow.
But she also knew it could be potentially fiddly and she could do with an extra pair of hands.
Someone with the right expertise . . . Dusting her floury hands against her apron, she reached for her phone and sent a message.
Help! I could do with your architectural skills for a secret plan. Can you meet me at the bakery tomorrow evening?
She didn’t have to wait long for Reuben’s reply.
I am intrigued. I’ll be there. What time?
Jessica grinned to herself, already picturing the two of them building a gingerbread house. She quickly typed out a reply.
Does 5 p.m. work? And don’t say anything to anyone!
He replied instantly.
I won’t say a word. See you there!
* * *
Her dad helped her carefully transport the gingerbread pieces to the bakery the following evening when it was closed.
Gillian and Struan had agreed she could use the bakery kitchen, especially when she said she was keen to experiment with a few new festive recipes and that she couldn’t use the kitchen at home as her mum was batch cooking.
It was a small lie, but one she hoped they would understand.
Now she stood in the bakery surrounded by the carefully baked gingerbread pieces wondering where on earth to start. The bell above the bakery door jingled and she walked through to the front, relieved and glad to see Reuben.
‘I hope you’re prepared,’ she said playfully, before locking the door and leading him through the back.
He shrugged off his coat and hung it over the back of a chair. Jessica couldn’t help noticing he was wearing the same checked shirt he wore to the Christmas tree farm that day. The one that made him look extremely hot.
He raised an eyebrow. ‘I’m always prepared, Jessie.
Though I have no idea what you’ve got in store.
’ Then he looked over and saw all the gingerbread pieces.
‘Ah, okay. I wasn’t expecting this. And I do have to tell you that I’ve never built a gingerbread house before.
Or a real house either. I tend to just be involved in the design process. ’
Jessica chuckled, realising it was also the first time she hadn’t winced when he had called her Jessie. In fact she was growing to actually quite like it. But there was no way she would tell him that. ‘Compared to what you usually do, I’m sure it will be a cinch. I mean how hard can it be?’
He looked at her, his eyes steady and intense, which made her heart race and her cheeks flush with colour. Why did he always have that effect on her?
He raised an eyebrow as he rolled up his sleeves and stepped towards the sink to wash his hands. ‘So, where do we start?’
‘Reuben, that’s why you’re here. You’re supposed to be the expert.’
‘Mm,’ he said, frowning. ‘Well, we need some glue or something to stick it together.’
She gave him a withering look. ‘Glue? Really? I’m just about to make some icing which will act as the mortar. I’m now wondering if you’re up to this challenge at all.’
Reuben laughed. ‘I promise I won’t let you down.’
Jessica quickly made up the icing, then handed him the piping bag.
‘I’ve got this board to use a base,’ she said pointing at a large cake base on the counter.
If everything went to plan the house would be the size of a large doll’s house which would make an eye-catching showpiece in the window display.
‘Should we assemble it here and carry it through? Or just do it in the window?’
Reuben grinned mischievously at her. ‘We can do it in the window if you want to. But people might talk.’
Jessica could feel a blush creeping up her cheeks and rolled her eyes in an attempt to lighten the sudden crackling air between them. ‘Honestly, you’re impossible, Reuben Campbell. Your mind is in the gutter.’
‘I was just saying,’ he said trying to look straight-faced but failing.
She shook her head and laughed. ‘Right. Mr Architect. Let’s get to work.’
Within minutes the bakery was filled with the sound of their laughter as they worked side by side. Jessica smeared a thick layer of icing on the board so that it looked like the ground was covered in snow. Then they started to stick the pieces together.
Reuben worked with the focus of a master architect, using cocktail sticks to pin the walls together and piping icing along the top in preparation for the roof.
Then he asked Jessica to lift the gingerbread pieces for the roof into place.
‘Hold it there. We don’t want the roof to slide off. That would be a disaster.’
Jessica giggled. ‘You’re making me nervous now.’
‘This is a very serious business, you know.’ As he leaned in to steady the roof in place, his hands brushed against hers and he glanced at her, his eyes lingering on her face.
There was a moment of silence and then Jessica froze. ‘Oh no,’ she gasped. ‘I don’t believe it.’
They both watched in horror as half the roof crumbled inwards.’
‘There must be a flaw somewhere,’ he said, jokingly, with a spark in his eyes. ‘I blame the baker.’
Jessica tutted at him and burst out laughing.
‘Just as well I came prepared then. I made some extra pieces just in case.’ As she walked over to pick up another piece of gingerbread, she took a steadying breath.
The moment was gone but she was sure something would have happened if the house hadn’t started to fall apart.
Perhaps another kiss? She really wanted to kiss him again.
She wasn’t sure she could just think of him as her brother’s best friend any more. Not when she was so attracted to him.
When they finally finished gluing the gingerbread house together, this time without any complications, Jessica sighed. ‘All we need to do now is add some icing to the roof, so it looks like snow, and add the sweets and chocolate buttons and these chocolate fingers for the door.’
‘That should be the easy part,’ he said. ‘Now that the heavy construction is done.’
She rolled her eyes and focused on adding the finishing touches with his help. Then she stood back to admire their work. ‘It looks amazing. Thanks, Reuben. I couldn’t have done it without you.’
‘Well, don’t speak too soon. We still need to get it into the window. Do you want to carry it or shall I?’
‘I’ll leave it to you. No pressure at all.’
Reuben grinned as he picked up the cake board and carefully walked to the front of the shop, placing it in the window. ‘It is incredible,’ he said softly.
She looked at him, expecting him to follow up his comment with a joke.
But he was looking at her with sincerity.
‘What you’ve done for Struan and Gillian is wonderful.
I think they’ll be blown away when they see this.
And so will the village. I don’t think there’s ever been a gingerbread house here before. ’
For a moment they stood together quietly admiring their work. She looked up at him, his gaze dropping to her mouth just as he leaned towards her. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, interrupting the moment.
‘It’s Struan,’ said Jessica when she saw his face pressed up against the glass. ‘I told him to pop in if he was passing.’
Reuben cleared his throat and moved away from Jessica. ‘We make a good team,’ he said softly.
Jessica smiled wistfully. ‘We’d better let him in and show him what we’ve done.’