Page 18 of Cowboy’s Christmas Baker

Chad had carried a torch for Valerie for years. And every time it seemed like maybe Valerie would relent and let him take her out, she chickened out at the last moment and said they were just friends.

Valerie had told Mal a long time ago that she couldn’t take Chad seriously because he was just a handyman down at the inn, without any ambition for his future.

But since then, he’d gone to the police academy and then joined the tiny Trinity Falls force. And this fall he had been made deputy.

It would be impossible even for Valerie to deny that the man looked absolutely gorgeous in his uniform with that shiny star on his broad chest.

Mal sometimes wondered if it was the fact that Chad had a little girl that kept Valerie from letting him into her heart. But he didn’t even have custody of her, he just visited with her and occasionally brought her into town.

“The bracelet isn’t really worth anything,” Valerie said without really answering. “And I’m not going to invest in cameras and all that for a trinket. But I don’t like it.”

“Me neither,” Mal said. “If you made it, then it was special.”

“We’ll keep an eye out for anyone wearing it,” Ana said. “I’ll tell my mom too.”

“Thanks, girls,” Valerie said.

“These look good so far,” Mal said, admiring the large trays. “Anyone want coffee or chocolate before we do the next part?”

As if she really had to ask.

“Have you done any more signature treat experiments?” Ana asked hopefully.

“Yesterday, but I brought it all to Carla’s Place,” Mal said. “It was chocolate biscotti, and they didn’t really go wild for it. I need to keep trying.”

“You’ll come up with the perfect thing,” Ana predicted. “I just know it.”

“Thanks, Ana,” Mal said, hoping her friend was right.

She headed back to the kitchen to make a really rich hot chocolate for her friends.

The space wasn’t overly large, but she smiled every time she saw the gleaming stainless-steel appliances and counters, and remembered that this place was really hers, at least for now.

Unlike Valerie, Mal didn’t own her building. She rented both the bakery and the apartment above from Simon Webb. But he had given her a fair enough price and a long enough lease that she could afford to put in the kitchen. And she dreamed of making him an offer on the place one day.

Soon, the concoction of melted chocolate, milk, heavy cream, and a dash of vanilla extract was ready. She added just a pinch of salt to make the flavors pop, then poured it carefully from the pan into her grandmother’s silver kettle and headed back to join her friends.

“Is this the chocolate?” Ana asked excitedly.

“It sure is,” Mal told her as she set down the tray with the kettle, plus three pretty teacups and saucers and a bowl of fresh whipped cream. “I used one of the bars your mom brought back from Costa Rica.”

“Amazing,” Ana sighed.

Mal poured out the gorgeous, thick chocolate and topped each cup with a dollop of whipped cream.

“Nice, Mal,” Valerie said appreciatively.

They all sat back and sipped at their treat, the only sounds an instrumental version of “White Christmas” playing on the radio and the whistle of the radiator by the big front window.

“Are you really going to make a wedding cake for Julie and Declan?” Ana asked quietly.

“I need the business,” Mal admitted. “And besides, if I say no, where are they supposed to go? I can’t make a big deal out of it. I just have to move on.”

Ana nodded.

“You know what?” Valerie said suddenly, placing her cup down on the table. “We talk about men way too much.”

Ana and Mal looked at each other.