Chapter 11 #2
I shook my head, even as my lips curled into a smile. "You're annoying."
He crossed his arms over his chest. "You don't like people in your space, do you?"
My brows furrowed. "Is it that obvious?"
"Yes," he said simply. "I'll watch and then ask a few questions about your flow."
"Fine." I knew I was being testy, but I was uncomfortable with him watching me so closely. Had I bothered to even wash my face this morning? Did I remember to apply deodorant?
Ugh. I was here to work. Not look good for the contractor.
"How do you like the refrigerators over here?" he finally asked.
That was an easy question I didn't mind answering. "I love all the space, but it would be nice to have a smaller one over here for milk and eggs. The larger ones can be storage for finished products."
"That's a good insight." He jotted down a note on a notepad he pulled out of his back pocket. Then he raised his brow. "See? That's why I'm here."
I could see the value of him being here and watching me work. I just didn't like the way he made my blood simmer and my face flush. I was hot all over, even with the ceiling fans running. I should be focused on baking, not the hot guy whose gaze followed me around the room.
He nodded toward the shelves next to the refrigerators. "You want open shelves for your mixing bowls?"
"I'm not sure." I'd only ever had cabinets for storage.
"It would look like a high-end kitchen, and it would be easier for you to see what you have."
"Yeah, that sounds nice." I could see the shelves in my mind, rows of stainless-steel mixing bowls and storage containers.
"A lot of kitchens do open shelving now."
"Thanks for the suggestion." Maybe having him wasn't so bad after all. He was a wealth of knowledge.
He pulled out a measuring tape and measured the space between the counter and various cabinets and refrigerators. "This kitchen is more spaced out than I'd recommend for you. This one is probably meant for multiple cooks. Do you think you'd hire more bakers at some point?"
I sighed. "I'm horrible at delegating. I feel like I'm the only one who can bake like I do."
He frowned. "Not if you train them right."
"It's scary to trust other people."
"I work with my brothers, and I consider Cooper one of them. But my crew isn't family. I have to trust that they're going to show up and do good work. That I can walk away from the job site, and things won't fall apart."
I paused to consider him. "How do you manage that?"
"It's hard, and sometimes we hire the wrong person. In the beginning, it's rough. You don't know them or their work habits. Are they habitually late? Do they not listen to instructions?"
I shivered. "That's the scary part. It's my reputation on the line."
"It's a process to find the right people, but when you do, your world will open up. You'll have more time to expand the business in other ways. More production, more creative ideas, and maybe even more stores."
I laughed at that idea. "I'm not opening multiple stores."
"Why not?"
I sighed. "I only planned one. I like control, remember?"
"Yeah, but you also want generational wealth. Eventually, you'll tap out the market here, and you'll need to expand. Maybe that's online, or maybe that's more brick-and-mortar stores."
"I don't know—"
"Think about it."
I shook my head. "I just want to bake and reopen my bakery."
"I can understand that, but the sign of a good business owner is always being open to possibilities. Being prepared to pivot when necessary. You never know when the unexpected will arise."
"Like a fire."
"Or the town is sold, and the new owner wants to raze everything that's here and build a resort."
That made me pause and glare at him. "How could you put that out there?"
He had the audacity to chuckle. "I'm just trying to get to you. You're so serious when you're baking."
"Baking is a science. Did you know that? The wrong measurement can throw everything off."
"I had no idea." He grinned. "But I like when you talk baking to me."
I rolled my eyes at him. "You're ridiculous."
"What kind of things do you usually make in the morning?"
"The staples are croissants, muffins, pastries, and cinnamon rolls. Scones aren't as popular, so I'm not making them while we're here. While one batch is baking, I start on the next. It's kind of like an assembly line." I moved efficiently and made the best use of my time.
"If you had a team of people, I'd recommend a U-shaped kitchen with separate workstations, but since you're doing most of the work yourself, I think an angular or free-flow design would work best. It eliminates the ninety-degree angles, using curved surfaces and modular equipment.
If you had wheels, you could move things around to where they worked best for you.
But if you prefer a traditional galley or L-shaped kitchen, we could do that instead. "
I thought about his suggestion, trying to imagine what it would look like. "I think I'd have to see it."
"I can draft something that might work for you. I think it would create the best flow for you if you're working by yourself or with one or two others. It gives you room to make changes, not locking you into one design."
"I like the sound of that," I said as I put the prepared batches of croissants in the ovens.
Once I had those baking, I moved onto muffins.
This morning, I opted for the two most popular options, blueberry and chocolate chip.
Then I'd move onto lemon and coffee bread.
Next up were pastries, with fruit being the most popular.
If I had time, I might do cinnamon rolls, but those were more involved, and Morgan's presence had thrown me off my usual schedule.
Morgan sat on a stool and drew something. I was interested in what he came up with, but I needed to focus on production.
When I had a second to take a break, I stretched my tight back and watched him bent over his paper, his lips pursed in concentration. I wondered if he was thinking about flow and angles. Most of what he'd said went over my head, but I trusted that he knew what he was talking about.
No one I'd ever dated cared enough to get up early to watch me bake. The fluttering in my stomach started up again. I thought I was falling for this man—the one who got up early to watch me bake—who took the time to consider the best flow for my kitchen.