Lizzie
Chapter Thirty-Nine
“All right, buddy. This is it.” I smile down at Simon as we come out of our house, lock the doors, and step onto the landing leading to the back door of the bakery.
I got through my first cooking class event and now it’s opening day of the bakery. I can do this.
“You ready for this?”
“Yep. It’s gonna be great, Mom.”
We descend the stairs and hold hands as we walk to the double doors that lead from the kitchen into the shop portion of the bakery.
“You’re gonna have a ton of people here, Mom.”
“I don’t know. I wouldn’t imagine too many people know it’s happening.”
“We’ll just have to see.” He’s got an adorable smirk on his face. “People know.”
“How do people know? What do you mean?”
We step through the double swinging doors that lead into the shop, and I flick on the lights. It’s six-thirty in the morning, so it’s still fairly dark outside, but as soon as the lights turn on, Simon giggles.
“What’s so funny?” I ask.
He covers his mouth with his hands and shakes his head.
I glance around the shop, confused about what’s amusing my son so much, until I get to the door. I startle, but quickly realize that the person standing outside the bakery this early in the morning, making weird faces to cause my son to laugh, is Holden.
When he makes eye contact with me, he smiles and waves. I stroll to the door and unlock it, wondering why he didn’t just use his key and come in through the other entrance.
“What are you doing? You’re so early,” I ask when the door opens, and he steps over the threshold.
“I wanted to be your very first customer on your very first day. I want the first dollar you make to be mine.”
“Okay, you still didn’t have to come at six-thirty. You know we don’t open for another hour, right?”
“I know, but I figured you might need some help to set up. Even if you don’t, then I can hang out with this little guy—” he pauses and ruffles Simon’s hair, making him smile, “while you do whatever you need to do to finish.”
“Thank you. I think I’m mostly ready. I made a few things last night that I need to put in the oven, but other than that, the cookies in there are still fresh from last night. I’d say thanks to you and Simon for helping me with them, but I think you two ate more than you helped decorate.”
“Can’t help it, Mom. Those cookies are delicious.”
“He’s right there,” Holden agrees.
“How about this? I’ll throw a pot of coffee on, and you two can hang out in here while I put the pastries into the oven. Then we can have a morning drink and a cookie together.”
“Cookies for breakfast!” Simon cheers.
I chuckle when Holden and I both roll our eyes and shake our heads at the same time.
After I start the coffee, I head into the kitchen and retrieve the flaky French pastries from the refrigerator. I taught myself to make them years ago, and they were a fan favorite at my Elladine bakery.
When I was in high school, I first tasted one at a cafe that also served bakery items. I fell in love with them and taught myself from the internet and lots of practice.
It took me over a year to perfect the recipe, but it was worth it.
Once everything’s in the oven, I set some timers on my phone so nothing overcooks.
I look around the kitchen. I can’t believe it. This is really mine: the building and everything.
When I lived in Elladine and started my bakery, I thought it was fine to rent the building.
Once I had saved enough money, I figured I could buy some property if I wanted.
But that didn’t happen quickly enough, and when Landon found me there, I grew majorly stressed out because he knew where I was living.
The cherry on top was finding out that he had purchased the building where I rented my bakery, all as another way of trying to control me.
Trying to make me feel like I had to depend on him and justify his belief that he could come into my shop anytime he wanted.
That’s why I was extra careful this time. I purchased this building in the business’s name. On paper, Sugar and Spice LLC owns this property. Sure, if people dig deep enough, they’ll realize I’m the person behind the company, but at least it puts one more barrier between Landon and me.
I force the thoughts out of my head. Today is a good day. I refuse to let that egomaniac ruin this for us. This is a fresh start for Simon and me.
The rich aroma of coffee fills the room when I pass through the double doors again.
“Oh my gosh, that smells so good,” I say.
I pause, seeing that Holden is already up, making not just a cup for himself, but one for me as well.
“Well, I have to say, I wasn’t sure when you first taught me how to make coffee that it could rival Ella’s, but I’m convinced now that it’s even better.”
Holden turns and hands me a cup.
Then he plants a quick kiss on my cheek.
“Morning, beautiful,” he says in a hushed voice. A wink and grin from him makes my lower belly flutter.
It should worry me. I shouldn’t feel this way for him. I shouldn’t let myself. I haven’t felt these flutters since college. Since the first time I met him.
We walk over to the booth where Simon is grinning as he watches us.
“What’s that smile for?” I ask.
“Nothing. Just remembering something Layla told me.”
“Uh-oh,” Holden says. “You want to share with the rest of us?”
“It’s our secret. Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad.”
“Okay, we’re trusting you, buddy,” Holden says with a light air.
I set my coffee on the table, and before I sit down, I walk over to the display case and pick out three cookies: chocolate chip for Simon and frosted sugar cookies for Holden and me. During all of our taste-testing sessions, this was Holden’s favorite by far.
I bring them over and set them in front of us, then sit down next to Simon, opposite Holden. They chatter away while I lose myself in my thoughts, staring out the window.
“Hey, what’s going on in that pretty brain of yours?” Holden asks, reaching across the table and tapping my hand.
“Nothing. I’m fine.”
“You should be more than fine. This is your big day. Where’s that excitement from a little bit ago? You’ve got less than thirty minutes until you open.”
“I know, but—”
“But what?” Simon asks when I hesitate.
“But what if nobody comes? What if we’re it for the entire day?”
“Oh, that’s silly,” Simon says. “People will definitely come.”
“That’s sweet of you to hope for, Simon, but—”
“I’m not hoping,” he tells me.
“Excuse me?”
“What do you mean?” Holden asks.
“Well, yesterday when you let Ruthie and Lester take Layla and me for pancakes, we took our signs and passed them out.”
“Signs?” I ask. I glance up at Holden. He shrugs and looks dumbfounded.
“We made signs about the bakery opening, and then we took them around to everybody. All the shops and even some people’s houses. Everybody said they’d come.”
I’m speechless for a few seconds. “Wow. I can’t believe you guys did that. That’s very thoughtful.”
“Seems like they were all gonna come anyway,” Simon says nonchalantly. “Lots of the people said they were already planning on it, but they thanked us for the pictures.”
“Pictures?”
“Yeah. Layla and I thought it would be better if we drew donuts, and cookies, and stuff on them. I think that’s what worked best.”
My heart melts. “I bet. Thank you so much. That was very thoughtful of you and Layla.” My voice is a little raspy with emotion.
Wow, even if I don’t get another single customer, this day is perfect knowing these sweet kids did that, and Ruthie and Lester took them around to deliver the signs. That is one of the sweetest things anybody has ever done for me.
Except for Holden. He’s been doing sweet things for me for so long now that maybe I should stop questioning it and simply let myself enjoy being cared for.
The first alarm on my phone goes off, rescuing me from my awkward inner thoughts.
“Be right back.”
I head to the kitchen and check the cinnamon rolls. They look perfect, so I pull them out of the oven and place them on a serving platter. Then I grab three plates and three forks and head back to the booth where my boys are.
“Are those—” Holden starts.
“Mom, those smell so good,” Simon finishes.
“Are those what?” I ask, eager to hear his answer.
“Are those my mom’s cinnamon rolls?”
“Well, sort of. They’re her recipe, and she taught me how to make them, but I made them myself from scratch.” I grin, knowing I’ve shocked him. “You’ll have to taste them and tell me if they match up.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Simon says. “Can I serve my own, Mom?”
“Sure. Go ahead, bud. If you need help, just let me know.”
He’s a little clumsy, but Simon puts a cinnamon roll on a plate. Instead of placing it in front of himself, he slides it over to me.
“Ladies first,” he says. “Holden taught me that.”
“Oh, how polite.” I glance up at Holden, and he’s watching my boy with a smile on his face. Now my heart joins my lower belly and does that flutter.
Jesus, the flutters this man gives me. I need to get control of myself.
Simon serves Holden a cinnamon roll as well and then takes the last one for himself.
I’m about to put the first bite in my mouth when Holden groans, and a muffled, “Oh my God, this is so good,” comes from his cinnamon-roll-filled mouth.
“Are you sure? Is it as good as your mom’s?” I ask.
“I swear it might even be better, but I’ll lie through my teeth if you tell her I said that.”
I giggle. “I highly doubt it’s better than your mom’s, but thank you.”
“I think they taste the same, Mom. Good job.”
“Thanks. I wanted to do taste-testing with you guys before I added them to the menu.”
“You totally should. My mom’s stingy about when she’ll make these for us,” Holden says. “Says they’re a lot of work.”
“They are a lot of work,” I say, amusement in my tone, “but I highly doubt your mom is stingy with anything. She seems like the perfect mother.”
“Yeah, she’s not bad,” he says teasingly.
We spend a few more minutes eating, and then another alarm goes off. I head to the kitchen and pull out the warm treats that are waiting for me to place them in the display case.
As I come back out into the shop and head toward the display case, I glance up to see Harrison, Delaney, Henry, Tillie, Layla, Hayden, and Lena walking into the building. Lydia follows and slips behind the counter.
“Ready for my first day, boss,” she says. That she’s willing to work a few hours a week for me is a godsend.
I pause and really take it all in. My heart races. I have my first customers.
Harrison is first in line and is only about three feet from the cash register when Holden slips in front of him.
“Oh no, you don’t. I’ve been waiting here an hour so I can be the first customer.”
“You’re cutting in line,” Harrison says.
“No, I’m not. I’ve been in line for an hour.”
“I didn’t see you in line. You might’ve been here for an hour, but you weren’t in line.”
“Okay, boys,” Lydia says. “How about we not argue on Lizzie’s big day?”
“Nobody’s arguing,” Harrison says. “I’m simply pointing out that he’s a line-cutting heathen.”
Holden grins.
“I prefer ‘enthusiastic supporter’.”
“Line-cutting heathen,” Harrison repeats.
I laugh.
Holden orders two dozen sugar cookies, and I give him the side eye.
“Ugh, fine. I’ll take six.”
And just like that, I’m officially in business.