“I don’t think you should change it at all.”
“Then I won’t.”Myrtle smiled at him.“You’re a good man to experiment with cooking on.”
He chuckled.“You cook it, and I’ll eat it.”
She took a deep breath.“Katie talked me into buying a second stove on credit today.She’d actually ordered it before talking to me.I’ll pay for it myself, of course, but I wanted you to know that I’d done it.”
He frowned for a moment.“I hate being in debt, but if you think it will work out well for us, then that’s fine.”
“More than anything, Katie wants more baked goods to sell.”She briefly told him of how two men had met her before she’d reached town to buy from her.
He smiled.“I wouldn’t be surprised if that happens more and more.We’ll see how the winter goes, but that bakery may be a necessity by spring.”
“That would make me so happy.I could make a soup of the day, and baked goods, and have a small eating area...”
He chuckled.“You may be getting just a little bit ahead of yourself.”
“I’m not so sure.It helps to have a plan.Something I can look forward to.”
Aaron finished his cobbler and pushed the plate away.“I wish I’d saved a little more room for cobbler, but that whitefish was too good.”
She smiled.“I’ll make cobblers to sell tomorrow.And we’ll have plenty left for tomorrow night.”
“I won’t say no to leftovers.”He rubbed his stomach.“I haven’t eaten this well since I was a little boy...No, that’s not true.I’ve never eaten this well, but don’t tell my grandma!”
“I won’t.I’m just happy you enjoy my cooking.”She stood to clear the table.“Would you like another cup of coffee?”
He shook his head.“I couldn’t even have another drop of water, I’m so full.”
“Well, good.That tells me you really did enjoy supper.I’ll pack some of the whitefish, potatoes, and cobbler for your lunch tomorrow.”
“If you want to marry off more friends from Massachusetts, that’s the way to do it.All of the men watch those of us who have married at lunchtime, and we can see their envy.I used to hate it, but then I got married, and now...I kind of love it.”
She laughed.“Don’t be mean about it.”
By the time they were ready for bed, Myrtle had planned out the next few days of baking.She wanted to keep making a good impression.The more she baked, the more money she made.It was amazing.
Back in Beckham, it didn’t matter how hard she worked.She made the same amount of money.Here...it seemed the sky was the limit, and she was reaching for the stars.
*****
There were four menwaiting on the trail to town the following day.Each of them had a tin plate in their hand.They all paid for a loaf of bread and a piece of her blueberry cobbler.
“Thank you,” the last man said as he paid her.
“You’re welcome!I’ll be walking this way around this time Mondays through Saturdays.If you want to make sure you get some baked goods, feel free to wait here for me, and I’ll sell them.”
One of the other men grinned at her.“I watched Aaron eat this cobbler for dessert a few minutes ago.When he told me that’s what you were taking to the store, I made sure to get some.”
A tall, dark-haired man nodded.“What do you think you’ll be making tomorrow?I missed out on your jelly rolls.”
“Katie gave me the receipt for Eskimo fry bread.I thought I’d try that tomorrow.I have some icing sugar that I’ll be dusting over it.”Myrtle felt strange finding customers for her baked goods on the way to town, but she wasn’t complaining.
The man who had asked what she’d be making smiled.“Sounds delicious.I’ll be waiting.”
“Me too!”the other three men echoed.
Myrtle smiled.“I’ll see you all tomorrow then.”
