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Chapter One
Holiday
It’s the perfect weather to start baking, but then again, it’s always perfect up north where the snow starts just before October and continues until early spring. I love it here, and I can’t wait for Christmas to come.
I stretch while getting into my favorite yoga pose early in the morning. The sun isn’t up and won’t be for another two hours, but I have to get a move on soon or I won’t be able to open on time. One more good stretch with a sun salutation, and then a deep breath before wrapping up and hitting the shower.
It's going to be a long day, but I’ll finally get to put up my Christmas decorations. I’m practically giddy with excitement at the prospect of doing it. If I could leave them up all year without looking like an absolute weirdo, I would, but then again, I love other holidays too. I suppose my name is quite fitting: Holiday Belle. My parents thought it was adorable, and so does everyone that meets me. My bubbly personality and blonde curls don’t help with the cuteness overload either, but I don’t mind since I love the business it brings to the bakery.
I have cookies for every holiday, but my favorite are Christmas cookies. We have so many to choose from, and the lines never seem to end as everyone waits for my goodies. I’m nearly out the door when I see a car pull up next door.
The house has been for sale for about three months. Most people don’t want to buy it because it belonged to a grumpy old man who hated everyone in town. His granddaughter is a total sweetheart, and she spent a great deal of effort getting the house ready for sale. After grabbing my things, including my snowbrush from the front door, I walk out and make it to my car in time to see the realtor putting up a sticker on the old Manchester property.
I can’t help but smile. Today is going to be a fabulous day.
“Hi, Mr. Sanders, how’s it going?” I asked him as I remove last night’s snowfall off my car.
He smiles widely. “Great, pretty lady. Aren’t you ever going to call me Andrew?”
“Sorry. You are my former math teacher. Force of habit,” I say with a shrug.
“You’re all grown up now,” he says in a way that’s too intimate for my liking and the reason I’ve always kept the formality. Smiling politely, I create a greater distance between us, tuck my snowbrush in my backseat, and open my driver’s side door.
“That I am, and I’m running late to my business. Excuse me.”
“I can’t wait to get some of your delicious cookies.” Goodness—something tells me he’s not talking about my baked food. I pull out of the driveway in a slight rush and completely forget to ask about the new neighbor. It’s not worth it at this point. The small family will probably be here within the next week or two.
My shop isn’t far from home, so I arrive in fifteen minutes and park in the back. I have four employees, and we’re only open from seven to six Monday through Saturday. I’m the first to get in and unlock the back entrance. Turning on the kitchen lights, it’s nice to see a clean shop. We have a lot to bake today.
Twenty-five dozen chocolate cookies for special orders are up first. Then, we have to fill the slots full of gingerbread cookies, iced cookies, Almond cookies, and several varieties of brownies in Christmas shapes.
Turning on the ovens and the machines, I pull out my things and get to work. My team will be here within the next half hour, so we’ll be in full swing soon. The next thing to get flipped on is the Christmas music. Dancing around the room, I mix my ingredients and enjoy my morning.
“Someone’s chipper,” Bethany says.
Shimmying my shoulders, I grin and say, “Yep. Christmas is coming, business is doing well, and the place next to me has finally sold.”
She jumps up and down, nearly dropping her bag on the floor. “Oh, that’s great news. Celeste’s probably doing cartwheels.”
“Well, not in her condition,” I say. Celeste just found out she’s pregnant and is really starting to show with her twins.
“No. Definitely not in her condition, but she could use the money from the sale.” The house was left to her since she’s the only one left her family, which made her quite sad. They never got to know each other.
“Absolutely. Girl, any news on who the baby daddy is?”
“No. Unfortunately it was one of those drunken one-night stand things after her grandfather died, or at least that’s what she said.”
“Do you think there’s more to her story?”
“I don’t know, but she’s not that kind of a girl.”
“You never know. Maybe he’s fine as hell. I know I might fall into a hot guy’s arms if I was drunk and sad.”
“True. Well, we don’t have time to think about it. Let’s get to baking, girl.”
“Let’s do this.”
“So, where’s Glen?”
