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“We can work out the details between the two of us, based on what we’re both comfortable with,” Sarah began, but before she could say more, Mindy nodded once.
“I’m comfortable with anything.”
Sarah blinked, nerves rising in her at the clear confidence in Mindy’s voice.Uh oh.
“Okay,” she said, swallowing. “If that’s the case, then let’s keep it simple. We’ll each bake one item, anything we’d like. You can choose your absolute favorite, and we’ll each make enough for everyone at the party to try some. Then we can ask everyone to vote for which treat they liked best.” She didn’t want to sound too worried about the outcome of the voting, so she added, “It will all be in good fun. And it’ll be a good way for us to both drum up some more business, I think.”
“I’m sure it will. I think it’s a great idea.” Mindy tilted her head to one side thoughtfully. “I’ll go back to some of my recipe books from pastry school and see if there’s anything challenging in there. I’d love to really pull off a show-stopper, especially if we’re going to be doing this as part of the Christmas celebration.”
Sarah’s heart bottomed out for only a second at the mention of Mindy’s more professional training, but she didn’t let the friendly look on her face falter as she nodded. “That sounds lovely. I can stop by or send someone with the details later this week. How does that sound?”
“Looking forward to it.”
Not wanting to stick around any longer than she had to, Sarah nodded at Mindy, thanked her for her time, and then turned and walked out the door. Once she was back on the sidewalk and had gone far enough away that she wouldn’t be visible through the windows of the bakery, she stopped and let out a breath.
She had been equal parts nervous that Mindy would reject the idea of a competition and nervous that she would accept, but now that the bake-off was set, Sarah knew just what she had to do.
Her deep love of pastries had gotten her this far in life, making Sweet Thing Bakery a staple of the town. Now she just had to dig deep, find some creative inspiration, and remind everyone—including herself—just how good of a baker she could be.
* * *
Zach chuckled as Colette threw her hands over her head, waving them around in celebration as she beat him, yet again, at air hockey.
“Take that!” she exclaimed, grinning wildly and pointing a finger at him.
“Whew, you really got me.” He pursed his lips, unable to hide his amusement. “Good game.”
“Thanks. You too.”
The next couple waiting for the table stepped up to take their spots, and he and Colette walked away. Zach placed his hand on the small of her back as he led her through the crowded arcade portion of the ice rink. There was a slight chill in the air as people walked back and forth through the door that separated the two spaces, but he and Colette had been moving around from game to game so much that he had hardly noticed.
“Oh!” Colette exclaimed, her voice filled with surprise. “It’s almost nine. I didn’t realize how late it was getting. Do you want to go to Sweet Thing before they close?”
She craned her neck a little to glance up at Zach, giving him a hopeful look that he couldn’t say no to.
“Absolutely. Coffee and a dessert sounds perfect.”
“It really does. Although some of the seasonal coffee drinks that Sarah and William have come up with are like a dessert unto themselves,” Colette pointed out, sighing dreamily at the memory of some delicious concoction and making him laugh again.
They walked over to where their coats hung on hooks by the door along with everyone else’s and bundled themselves up before stepping out into the cold. A fine layer of snow had fallen, and it glinted under the streetlights as they walked.
Feeling emboldened, Zach reached down and took Colette’s hand, interlacing their fingers, and her only response was to beam at him. He couldn’t quite believe how much she’d come out of her shell. It was now almost impossible for him to reconcile the smiling, funny, charismatic woman he’d taken out on a date this evening with the weary, still grieving woman he had met when he’d first arrived in Snowy Pine Ridge.
Colette still experienced moments of that loss, of that grief. He knew that. But she wasn’tonlygrieving now. She was living too.
The two of them chatted amicably as they walked, and they made it to Sweet Thing in what felt like no time at all. When he pulled the door open for Colette, a bell chimed brightly, announcing their arrival, but the place was empty.
Or, at least, it seemed that way until they paused to listen. Colette’s gaze met his, a confused look crossing her face as they heard scuffling and muttering from the kitchen in the back. Whoever was back there seemed not to have heard them come in, and when a few more seconds went by without them being greeted, he arched a questioning brow at Colette.
“Sarah?” Colette called, trying to peer into the back without walking behind the counter.
The sounds and muttering from behind the door stopped, and a moment later, Sarah poked her head out of the kitchen to greet them. There was flour and cinnamon covering her face, and a smudge of frosting right on the tip of her nose, and Zach had to suppress a laugh at the sight of her.
“Oh, hi.” Sarah beamed at them. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t hear you come in.”
Colette studied her friend, clearly noticing that the woman hadn’t fully stepped out of the kitchen yet and seemed to be doing that deliberately.
“What’s going on back there?” Colette asked, and Sarah blushed.
