Chapter 14
Emma
Finding the Right Combination
I’ve been experimenting with gingerbread and icing recipes for the past two days. Today is test number six. Joey and the kids are coming over this evening to decorate what needs to be the final house. This test better be the right combination of gingerbread and icing so the structure holds together. My previous attempts didn’t go well, suffering from a raft of issues.
Icing was too stiff, wouldn’t stick to the gingerbread
Icing was too runny, the gingerbread pieces wouldn’t stick together
Gingerbread was too brittle and cracked too easily
Gingerbread pieces warped during baking
Hopefully, I’ve fixed all these issues because we’re running out of time.
“Ready to try the latest recipe?” I ask Blake after we’ve completed the morning round of baking and handled the first wave of customers. Blake and I are going to slug through another round of gingerbread house building while Mia works the front counter.
He groans, rubbing his belly. “Yes, as long as I don’t have to taste any of it.”
“I thought you enjoyed trying the different recipes!”
The big man sighs. “Emma, there’s only so much gingerbread and icing a man can consume. I’ve reached my limit.”
A laugh slips out. Blake has quickly moved beyond just being my employee He’s become my friend and confidant, in addition to my taste tester. My asking him to sample this latest recipe has obviously crossed the line of our friendship. “Okay, no tasting. But we need to make sure we build a sturdy house out of this combination.”
He chuckles. “What you meant to say is—we need to build a sturdy house without using a ton of icing.”
“Well...the first house you and the kids built did go a tad bit overboard on the icing.” I never told Blake that Joey and I named the first attempt The Fortress.
“Scott and I were rather proud of how it turned out,” he huffs.
I toss him a teasing look, “If we ever enter a contest where sturdiness is key, you and Scott can go to town on the icing.”
We both have a good laugh, then get to work making and testing the latest concoction.
Success!
This combination of icing and gingerbread is perfect. Blake and I spend the rest of the morning building the structure. I decided that our design was too difficult for the kids to get the pieces to stick together, so we went ahead without them. We had to carefully hold the pieces together while the icing dried, which was a slow and tedious process.
The resulting structure turned out great. It looks like a Swiss chalet—at least it will after we’re done decorating it with the kids. Thankfully the house is holding together and hasn’t collapsed.
~*~
Joey and the kids bound into the bakery kitchen around six—well, Joey saunters and the kids do the bounding. Katie rushes over and hugs my legs. “Are we gonna build our real gingerbread house?”
She’s quivering with excitement as I pat her back. “Yes. I’ve got everything set up in the break room.”
The kids squeal and scramble off down the hall. Joey grabs my arm and tugs me into a hug, but I hold up a hand. “Are you really feeling better?” I ask, looking at him with concern.
He rubs my cheeks with his thumbs. “I am. I couldn’t have gotten through the last few days without you.”
When he leans in for a kiss, I hold up my hand and stop him again. “Let’s not tempt fate. The gingerbread house contest is in two days!”
“Don’t you think we’ve both built up immunity by now?” I shrug and he closes the gap between our lips. His kiss is like a whisper, gentle as a light breeze.
“That might hold me over until after we’re done with the house,” he says with a wink.
I try to smack his arm, but his goalie reflexes are too good. All I get is air. He laughs and follows the kids to the break room while I trail behind.
All the candies we need to decorate the house are spread out on the table. Katie swipes a couple of gumdrops and Scott grabs a handful of M&M’s as a snack, but I pretend not to notice.
“Here’s the plan.” I show them the sketch I made detailing the icing patterns on the roof and where the candies should be placed. “I’ll add the icing, then you and your uncle need to add the candies just like what’s in the drawing. Any questions?”
Katie raises her hand and bounces up and down.
“Yes?”
“Can we eat some of the candies?”
Joey and I exchange amused looks since they’ve already snuck a few. He intervenes. “After the house is decorated, you can have a few candies.”
She pouts but accepts his answer without argument.
“Isn’t it going to look too girly?” Scott asks, with a frown marring his face.
Oops! I should have consulted a male for his opinion about the design.
“I want it to look festive. But you have a point, Scott.” I tap my chin and ponder his question. “Maybe we can add some black licorice around the door and use only red and black gumdrops along the roof? Let’s experiment and see what you think. Scott, you have final approval.”
The kid’s grin turns a mile wide, and he agrees.
“Okay, after I add some icing to the roof, I’ll show you how to add the gumdrops.” I grab the frosting bag already filled with icing. “Ready to decorate the winning entry?”
The kids nod excitedly while their uncle gives me a high-five.
~*~
Joey is a saint as he helps the kids carefully place the gumdrops along the edge of the roof, while I concentrate on adding snow around the bottom of the house. He adjusts Katie’s misaligned gumdrops along the way. He helps Scott create a fabulous front door out of licorice that looks just like it’s made from wood, adding that masculine touch Scott wanted.
Scott looks up at Joey, “What can we use as a doorknob?”
“How about a yellow M&M? What do you think, Em?”
I pause what I’m doing to study the front door. “That’s a great idea!” I squirt a tiny glob of icing on the door and Scott carefully places the doorknob.
My hand is getting tired from squeezing the frosting bag for the last twenty minutes. “Let’s take a quick break. I need to go get the trees and Santa’s hockey sticks from the kitchen.”
“Where’s the fairy?” Katie asks.
“Right. I’ll also get the fairy.”
Joey says something to the kids, then follows me down the hall. “Are you doing okay?” He gently turns me towards him and his eyes drill into mine.
“Just a little tired,” I admit. All the gingerbread testing over the last two days has really worn me out. If I don’t bake gingerbread again for another year, that’s fine with me.
“Show me how to add the rest of the icing and I’ll finish the job. In fact, you should sit and oversee the operation.”
I blink at him. Underneath that gruff exterior is a softie that he usually hides from me. “I’ll take you up on that offer. Let me get the trees, fairy, and those hockey sticks.”
I can’t wait to see this big, burly guy wielding a frosting bag.
He squeezes my shoulder. “Thanks for doing this, Em. The kids will never forget this.”
My throat clogs with emotion, so I simply nod.
“Do you think we have a shot at winning?” he asks while I rummage through the pantry.
After I locate what I’m looking for, I say, “I think so.”
He laughs. “The structure has come a long way. Blake’s original bastion has transformed into a Swiss chalet.”
After trying six different gingerbread and icing recipes, I want to add, but don’t.
Joey takes my hand. “Come on Commander! We need to get that house finished.”
I follow him while my heart summersaults inside my chest. I fear that I’ve fallen for the hunky goalie.
~*~
Who knew a man brandishing a frosting bag would be so...sexy. Especially when he’s six-foot-three and two-hundred pounds of pure muscle. Whew! The temperature in the break room just went up ten degrees.
Joey stands back to review his work. “Am I adding too much icing?”
I stand beside him. His first couple of globs were way too much, but he quickly learned how to squeeze out the correct amount. I point to his first couple of attempts. “I’ll scrape these off. The rest of the snowbanks look good to me. Let’s put in the trees and see if you need to add more icing.”
Katie grabs a tree and, in her excitement, breaks it in two. I forgot to mention how fragile the marzipan is.
“You broke it!” Scott yells.
The little girl’s lips tremble and she bursts into tears. Joey is knee-deep in icing, so I rush to her side and pull her into a hug, rubbing her back to quiet her down. “I made plenty, we have extra trees. But we must handle them very carefully.” She continues to whimper against my legs.
Joey throws his nephew a glare that could melt ice and make opposing hockey players quake in their skates. Scott gets the message and mumbles begrudgingly, “I’m sorry, Katie.”
Katie nods but continues to hide her head in my legs. “How about I help you place some of the trees? You tell me where you want them.” She lifts her head and brightens, then points her little finger at one of the snowbanks. I carefully push the marzipan creation into the icing. “A tree will look nice there.”
Scott looks on with a jealous expression, but for now he’s lost his chance of deciding where the trees go due to his rude outburst.
After all the trees have been placed, I pick up Katie’s fairy. “Where do you want this?”
She points to the crown of the roof. “Right there.”
“I love that idea! We’ll have her peeking over the roof.” Joey carefully places a glob of icing near the peak, and I hold my breath as I place the fairy. I’ve got to admit, it adds a cute, whimsical touch. Scott doesn’t dare protest, although I get the feeling that he would skip the fairy.
Next, I pick up Santa’s marzipan hockey sticks. “Scott, you get to decide where these go.”
Scott walks around the house a couple times, contemplating the placement. He stops at the front of the house. “How about we lean them by the front door?”
“Great suggestion! Katie and Joey, what do you think?” I ask, hoping to make this a team decision.
They both voice their agreement, Joey squirts a dab of icing by the door, and I carefully place the crossed hockey sticks.
The kids are busy looking at the house, so Joey leans in. “Those are good-looking hockey sticks coming from a rookie.”
Chuckling, I put my hand up to his ear and whisper. “Don’t even ask how many of these I had to make before they resembled hockey sticks. Blake was the judge, and he said my first several attempts looked like golf clubs, ski poles, and two French baguettes.”
Squinting at the final version, Joey says, “Come to think of it, I see the resemblance to golf clubs.”
This time he’s not too fast and I swat him with my hand. Instead of firmly connecting with his arm, my hand bounces off and smashes against the stand of trees I just placed in front of the house, mowing down the whole row. It looks like a hurricane blew in and knocked them over.
“Oh no!” I shriek as we all sadly survey the destruction.
Joey, being Captain Obvious, makes the remark. “Looks like we’re gonna need more trees.” That comment and my lack of sleep brings on a fit of giggles. I laugh like a hyena for a few moments while Joey and the kids stare at me. I must look like a lunatic.
I take in a few calming breaths, “Luckily, I made more. I thought we might need backups after we transport the house to the contest.”
Joey chimes in. “That’s good planning. How about we get this house safely over to the school first and then replace the trees?”
His logic makes perfect sense. “Sure.”
“Did you happen to make an extra pair of hockey sticks and a fairy, too?”
I sigh. “Nope.”
Joey grabs the frosting bag, “I’ll add a little extra icing.” I watch as he dabs more icing on those two elements.
Standing back, Joey says, “There! Those suckers aren’t going anywhere.” I almost expect him to pound his chest or grunt like Tim the Toolman Taylor.
“You’re as bad as Blake!” I tease.
He laughs. “Just making sure nothing falls off the winning gingerbread house!”