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“She will be someday,” I mutter. “Her ex is a piece of work that won’t leave her alone. When she got up the courage to leave, he didn’t take it well and has been harassing her with phone calls, emails, and letters ever since. The things he says to her are just sickening.”
“Do you have a restraining order to keep him away—or can the police be called if he does show up?”
“We had to do that after he came to the bakery about six months after she started working for me. He made a scene and damaged a few things in the bakery. That was enough to get the order in place,” Piper says. “Listen,” her shoulders slump, “I’ve never told my family everything. They’d worry, and Mia is very private about it all. I don’t even know why I blurted it all out to you,” I say as it dawns on me that I trust him more than most—or maybe I just know he won’t be here forever, so he’s someone that I can confide in.
“Wow, I’m so sorry. I can understand what Mia’s dealing with. An ex who won’t let go can be a nightmare.” He shakes his head and then looks at me. “We have some great attorneys and investigators on call. I could have them look into this guy and maybe resolve it for Mia,” he offers.
I pause for a moment, thinking about how Mia deserves to start fresh without Jason in her life. But at the same time, it’s her business, and I don’t want to make things worse for her.
“Maybe not,” I tell him. “What if he gets more aggressive? Or that’s not what Mia wants?” He nods his head in understanding. “Do you mind me asking what happened with your ex?”
“I thought I loved her, but then I overheard her on the phone saying she was just using me for my money and didn’t care about me at all. When I ended things, she didn’t take it well. She kept calling and showing up everywhere. I told her I wasn’t interested in getting back together, and eventually, she stopped.”
“Wow, Caleb, I’m so sorry you went through that. I can’t even imagine.”
“It’s alright, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. It was tough in the beginning, but then I realized how that relationship wasn’t right for me.” He holds his gaze with me then continues, “Just know the offer stands for Mia. I don’t appreciate men who torment women like that,” he mutters with the first sign of anger on his face I’ve seen.
“I appreciate it, Caleb. And since they don’t know, my mom has been trying to set her up with potential suitors. I think matchmaking is her new hobby. I’ve been trying to stop her, as I don’t think Mia is ready for a relationship right now—and who knows when she will be.”
“I understand. Maybe next time a guy walks into the bakery, you can announce that he’s dating Mia.” He shrugs as I playfully swat at his chest.
“I think that was a one-time thing,” I return. “So, besides teasing me, was there any other reason for your visit today?”
“I thought I’d stop by and see the cookie operation,” he says. “You’ve been talking about it since I got to town, and I wanted to see how it all works.”
“You know the rule—if you come into the kitchen, I put you to work,” I retort.
“I’ll wash my hands,” he says with a grin as he walks to the sink.
After Mia returns, we all work together to prep for tomorrow’s cookie subscription boxes. We manage to bake a few batches and package them up before closing for the day. I send Mia home early and encourage her to take some time for herself while Caleb and I clean up the kitchen. I can tell that she’s been worried ever since she got that call earlier. With everything cleaned up and ready for tomorrow, I hang up my apron and glance over at Caleb, who has a playful glint in his eyes.
“You know what would be the perfect way to end this day?” he suggests, a hint of excitement in his voice.
I raise an eyebrow, curious. “What do you have in mind?”
“A hike,” he suggests. “There’s a short trail not too far from here that leads to an incredible lookout point. Mr. Larson mentioned it to me the other day when I stopped by the diner.”
My heart flutters at the thought of spending more time with Caleb outside of the bakery. The idea of exploring the wilderness with him away from the chaos of daily life is incredibly appealing. Caleb’s presence has been a refreshing change of pace.
“Alright, Mercer,” I say playfully. “Lead the way.”
I take Gizmo home, give him dinner, and change into hiking clothes before we head out. I’m not much of a hiker, but sunsets are my weakness. We make our way up the trail, breathing in the cool scent of pine trees and wildflowers, and reach the viewpoint.
“I can’t believe I’ve never been here before,” I exclaim to Caleb. “It’s breathtaking!”
Caleb stands next to me, his gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun sets. I steal a glance at him, admiring how the fading light brings out the gold flecks in his eyes.
“I have something for you,” Caleb says with a soft smile.
He grabs a wrapped box out of his backpack and hands it to me. I unwrap the box to find a hardcover book inside. As I flip through the pages, my breath catches in my throat as I realize what it is—hundreds of recipes written in my grandmother’s neat, cursive handwriting.
“Caleb…is this…?” I stammer, looking up at him in disbelief.
He nods, never taking his eyes off me. “Your grandmother’s recipes,” he confirms.
Overwhelmed with emotion, I sit down on the ground and run my fingers over the familiar handwriting; a connection to the woman who taught me everything about baking.
“But how did you…?” I start to ask, but he interrupts by gently taking my hand.
