Myrtle nodded.“I do have a few plates I keep on hand, but the men know it will cost them far less to wash their own plate and bring it back to me.”
“It seems you have all the men in the whole valley trained!”
“I wish I did.”Especially Aaron.She wanted to train him to let her have her way about things.Of course, that wasn’t happening.He had his own opinions, and he wasn’t afraid to share them with her, whether she liked it or not.
Josie helped Myrtle pack the wagon before they went to Maggie’s house for lunch.They each removed cobblers to carry them into the house for the other ladies.“They’re all mixed berry,” Myrtle said.“And I have meat pies if anyone is interested in those.”She always felt the need to offer what she made to the other women first.They had provided the ingredients after all.
Myrtle didn’t participate much in the conversation with the other women.She’d already spent the morning with Josie chatting, and she needed to do some serious thinking about the disagreement she’d had with Aaron.Was he right?Had she been premature in asking about a lease for the bakery?
She sighed.She probably had been.Though she hadn’t intentionally made anyone feel that she was interested in them romantically.Myrtle didn’t even know the man’s name, and he was telling people she was interested in him?
After lunch, Josie again walked with her to the store in town.The man she’d given the extra cookie to the day before stood with his chest puffed out.She’d seen paintings of peacocks with their feathers fluffed up all around them as they tried to impress the peahens.That’s exactly what he looked like to her at that moment.
She was careful not to make eye contact with any of the men—but especially the man who loved her sugar cookies—as she offered her meat pies and cobblers.When she mentioned they were made with sugar cookie crusts, the one man puffed his chest out even further.“Aaron suggested I make crumbles with my sugar cookies because he loves them so much.You should all thank him for the idea because I think they are one of my favorite treats.I think they’ll be a favorite of all of you as well.”
Hopefully, that would let the man know she wasn’t planning on leaving her husband for any reason.
When they arrived at the store, Katie asked about the lease.
“I’m going to wait on that for a while.I need to have someone working with me.Aaron is afraid I’m going to wear myself out,” Myrtle said.
Katie nodded.“I do think that’s a real worry for your ladies.You all work so hard!I know you worked hard at the hotel as well, but it almost seems excessive.”
Myrtle shrugged.“But now we work for ourselves.We’re building our own futures and not lining a rich man’s pockets.”
“I can see how it would be tempting to spend every waking moment working toward your future.I did that when we first opened the store.If someone pounded on my door at midnight, I’d open the store for them to buy what they needed, because every cent helped.I don’t do that anymore, so no knocking at my door in the middle of the night!”Katie grinned as she said it.She knew her friends had better manners than that.
As Myrtle watched, Katie tucked two meat pies and an entire cobbler aside.“Mr.Johnson loved your cobbler so much.He even had all that was left for breakfast this morning.”
“I’m so glad!”Myrtle said, smiling.
“If you’re open to special orders, we’d like two of those every Saturday.One for us and one to serve after our service.”
“I can do that!Maybe I’ll bring one for service as well to make sure everyone gets a piece.”
Katie laughed.“It would be good advertising.And the group is getting big enough that it would be welcome.I think I’m going to start serving coffee as well.”
“Sounds wonderful,” Myrtle said.Two cobblers every Saturday.Saturday would just be a cobbler day from now on.Why not?
Josie stayed for a little while after they got back to the cabin.She wiped the dishes after Myrtle washed them.“This brings back memories,” Josie said.“How many shifts did the two of us take washing dishes?”
“Way too many,” Myrtle said, laughing.“I was starting to think my fingers would always be wrinkled.”
After the last dish was dry, Myrtle immediately started supper.More whitefish had been dropped off, and she knew it was a good way to apologize to Aaron...and she’d decided he deserved that apology.
Josie watched for a minute before pulling on her coat.“I should go.My Jack needs supper too.”
Myrtle nodded.“You got your cobbler, right?”
“Oh, thank you for reminding me!It’s on the table.I didn’t want to risk you selling it.”Josie picked up the cobbler.“I’ll bring your pan back tomorrow.”
Myrtle’s eyes narrowed.“I honestly don’t know whose pan that is.I just use whatever I can get my hands on.”
“You need more dishes for your bakery business.”
“I do.Someday.”
Josie hurried off toward her home, and Myrtle finished fixing supper, putting the cobbler into the oven to warm just a bit.She knew Aaron preferred his cobbler warm.
