The Christmas Confection (Hardman Holidays Book 6)

by Shanna Hatfield

  Unable to shake it, he stopped by the bakery. Since the day they’d gone for a walk to the stream a couple of weeks ago, Fred found it nearly impossible to stay away from the beautiful blonde-haired baker.

  He knew he should bank his feelings for her and bury himself in work, but he couldn’t do it. Just seeing her smiling face in the morning as he enjoyed a cinnamon bun or a flaky fruit-filled pastry lightened his heart and brightened his whole day.

  The bakery was crowded when he stepped inside. Ethan filled his order for two cinnamon buns and a glass of milk, then Fred took a seat at the corner table he considered his. Miraculously, no one else had claimed it yet this morning. Before he could fork a bite of the sweet cinnamon-laden treat, he watched Alex and Arlan Guthry arrive.

  Fred stood and waved them over, holding out a chair for Alex as she took a seat and loosened the blanket wrapped snuggly around her son.

  “My gracious. I think everyone in town is here this morning,” Alex said with a smile as baby Gabe looked around the crowded room. “I suppose we’re all excited about the performance tonight.”

  “I suppose so,” Fred said, making a silly face at the baby and earning one of Gabe’s happy gurgles.

  “I’ll go place our order,” Arlan said, hurrying over to the counter. He soon returned with their food and the three of them fell into a comfortable conversation as they ate.

  Fred held the baby for a moment while Alex wiped sticky residue off her fingers and Arlan hastened to drink the last of his coffee.

  “How is it working out taking Gabe to school with you?” Fred asked. He’d been surprised when Alex asked the school board if she could continue teaching, at least on a part-time basis. She taught in the mornings, bringing the baby along with her, while Lila Grove usually taught in the afternoons. Once in a while, Tom Grove filled in if either woman required a substitute.

  “So far, so good. I’m not sure what I’ll do when he gets a little bigger, though. When he gains more mobility, we’ll definitely have to do something different.” Alex glanced at Arlan and shook her head. “And yes, my darling husband, I know your thoughts on the matter, that I should stay home and not worry about teaching, but I love it and the students would be so disappointed if I left.”

  “Perhaps, but once Gabe figures out how to walk, you won’t be able to keep him contained in the classroom.” Arlan set down his empty coffee cup and smiled at his son.

  “I’ll just send him with you to the bank,” Alex teased, laughing at the shocked look on Arlan’s face. She leaned toward Fred and dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I wouldn’t do that to Luke, but it’s good to keep Arlan on his toes.”

  Fred chuckled and pulled another funny face that made the baby flap his hands and chortle with glee.

  “You sure have a way with Gabe,” Alex said, rising to her feet and holding out the baby’s blanket. She wrapped it around her son then lifted him from Fred, kissing Gabe’s rosy little cheek.

  “I don’t think it’s just Gabe,” Arlan said, watching as little Owen Dodd teetered across the bakery toward Fred, jabbering and giggling.

  When the baby neared the table, he squealed and shouted, “Wed! Wed!”

  Fred scooped him up and tossed him in the air as Chauncy hastened over to reclaim his son.

  “You better put a string and bell on Owen before you lose him,” Arlan taunted as the pastor tried to take Owen from Fred. The baby refused to move, wrapping his fingers around Fred’s shirt collar and holding on tight.

  “Just wait until Gabe can walk,” Chauncy said to Arlan as he pried his son’s fingers loose and ignored the baby’s wails of protest as he lifted him with one strong arm. “We’ll see how smug you are then.”

  Alex handed Gabe to Arlan and motioned for him to accompany Chauncy outside. She turned to Fred and gave him a long, studying glance. “Are you doing okay?”

  “I’m great, Alex. Why do you ask?” Fred knew she often saw far more than he was willing to reveal. After all, she knew him better than most anyone in town. Alex had been the one who saved his life and gave him hope when he needed it the most.

  “You just seem not quite yourself this morning. It’s almost as if…” Her voice trailed off as she watched Fred’s gaze follow Elsa’s every move. The fresh-faced young woman slid a pan of cinnamon buns into the big glass-fronted pastry case. Alex grinned and leaned close to him then lowered her voice. “Why don’t you ask her to go with you to the performance this evening?”

  “Who?” Fred asking jerking his attention back to Alex.

  She laughed and shook her head. “Just ask her.” With a motherly pat to his arm, she disappeared out the door.

  Fred sank back down in his chair and alternated between nervously jiggling his foot and finishing his glass of milk.

  It took an hour before the last of the breakfast patrons left. Elsa noticed Fred lingering at his table and hurried over with a pot of tea. “Would you like some tea?” she asked, setting a cup on the table.

  “Actually, Elsa, I wanted to talk to you about something,” he said, standing and pulling out a chair for her.

  “Oh,” she said, sounding surprised as she set down the teapot and wiped her hands on her apron. She sank onto a wooden chair and looked at him.

  Fred returned to his seat as he studied the braid wrapped around her head like a crown, the flush to her cheeks from the heat of the kitchen, and the smudge of flour on her chin. He’d been particularly pleased to see her the Sunday afternoon when they went for a walk because she looked so different from the girl who labored long hours in the bakery. That day, her hair was pinned in a soft style on top of her head with little wisps and curls falling around her face and along her neck. She wore a beautiful gown of dark blue with a thick lace collar that made her look so feminine, he’d been hard pressed to keep his hands to himself. Not that he did a great job of it, but he’d at least tried to behave like a gentleman.

  Today, Elsa wore a serviceable dark brown skirt with a white shirtwaist, covered by a large white apron that bore smears of cinnamon filling and splashes of chocolate.

  Without thinking, he reached out and brushed the flour from her chin.

  Pink blossomed in her cheeks and she self-consciously brushed at her face with her hands. “I’m sure I’m a mess.”

  “You’re beautiful,” Fred said, unable to keep his thoughts from spilling out his lips.

  Her blush deepened, but she stopped wiping at her face. “What did you want to speak to me about? Is something wrong?”

  “No, Elsa. I was just wondering, hoping… if you aren’t already… that is, if you don’t have other plans…”

  “Yes?” she asked, offering him an encouraging smile.

  “Would you do me the honor of accompanying me to tonight’s performance? I’ve heard the DeMoss family puts on quite a good show and it would be my pleasure to attend with you.”

  She blinked slowly three times before she cleared her throat and opened her mouth. She snapped it closed, cleared her throat again, and then nodded her head. “That would be quite satisfactory, Fred. Thank you for the invitation. Would you like to meet there?”

  “I’ll come by your house. We can walk from there. Would a quarter before seven be a suitable time?”

  “That would be just fine, Fred. I’ll see you then.” Elsa stood and hurried back to the kitchen, leaving the teapot on the table.

  The fear he’d battled all morning that she’d say no ebbed. Fred relaxed as he stood and shrugged into his coat then settled his hat on his head. Tomorrow, he may regret asking Elsa to accompany him, but for today, his heart soared as he strode out into the crisp morning air.

  That evening, Fred took one more glance in the mirror above his dresser, adjusted his tie, and hurried out the door. He swung into the saddle and guided Festus into town. He left the horse at the livery then walked over to Bruner’s Mercantile.

  Aleta Bruner was just about to turn the open sign to closed as he strode inside.

  “I k
now you’re about to close, so I won’t take long,” he said, making a beeline for a display of confections. From eating many of the sweets over the years, he chose a floral-stamped box containing six pieces of caramel-filled chocolates.

  Aleta rang up his purchase and gave him a sly grin. “Is someone special going with you to the performance tonight, Fred?”

  “Maybe,” he said, sliding money across the counter and lifting the box of candy. “Are all of you attending?”

  “Mercy, yes. Alice has been chattering about it until my ears are fairly ringing. Percy spent the last twenty minutes wearing a hole in my new parlor carpet, waiting for the Jenkins family to arrive.”

  Fred chuckled. “He always has been quite partial to Anna. She’s a sweet girl.”

  “She certainly is.” Aleta smiled. “What that young lady sees in my rascally boy is beyond my ability to comprehend.”

  “Percy’s a good kid,” Fred said, walking over to the door. “Thank you, Mrs. Bruner. I’ll see you later.”

  “Yes, you will.” Aleta shut the door behind him and locked it.

  Fred’s long strides carried him to Elsa’s home in no time at all. He fussed with his tie one last time then knocked on the door.

  Ethan swung it open a moment later, offering a friendly grin. “Evening, Fred. Come on in. Elsa’s almost ready.”

  Fred entered the house and lingered by the door, uncertain what to do or say. He’d never courted a girl before and had no idea what to expect. None of his self-appointed teachers had coached him on how to win over a girl’s family, although he’d received plenty of advice and lectures about how to behave like a gentleman and treat a woman with care and respect.

  When necessary, Fred knew how to draw people into conversation, so he asked Ethan how his practice roping the branch had progressed. He offered to get a horse from the livery and take Ethan on a ride one day if he wanted to go.

  They discussed a sea of sheep that had swept through town a few days prior when a new Hardman resident decided to bring in five hundred head of sheep. Luke Granger expressed a multitude of colorful opinions about sheep milling through town. Fred heard them all at dinner the night he was invited to share a meal with the Granger family. It had been something to see the main street of town full of wooly sheep as herders moved them to the ranch located several miles south of Hardman. However, their jaunt through town created several hours’ worth of chaos and work in their wake.

  Fred was in the midst of relaying how the sheep had filled the schoolyard and Alex had barely kept the children contained inside when he glanced up and sucked in a gulp. Elsa stood in the doorway looking like something from one of Fred’s dreams. Her hair was swept up in a becoming style on top of her head with curls cascading around her face. She wore a cream-colored gown topped by a gossamer overdress in a deep cranberry shade that made her lips look luscious and ripe for kissing. Her blue eyes twinkled with excitement as she stepped into the room.

  “Ready to go?” she asked, smiling at Fred with such warmth, he battled the need to loosen his tie and remove his suit coat.

  “I am,” he said, rising to his feet and walking over to where she waited. A wide velvet sash made her waist appear impossibly small. Since she most often had on a voluminous apron when he saw her, her appearance this evening reminded him of her fine figure. A step closer filled his nose with her soft, floral fragrance.

  Entranced by the beautiful woman, Fred handed her the box of chocolates. “I got these for you. I know it seems silly to give the town baker something sweet, but they are really tasty.”

  “I love chocolates,” Elsa said, accepting the box with a smile. “I shall greatly enjoy these later.” She glared at her brother. “And you won’t snitch any.”

  Ethan feigned innocence, holding up his hands in front of him. “I would never do that.”

  Elsa shot him a dubious look then turned back to Fred. “Thank you. It’s the perfect gift and completely unnecessary.”

  “You’re welcome,” Fred said, then motioned to the door. “Do you have a coat? It’s cold outside.”

  “I do,” Elsa lifted a black wool coat from the hooks by the door and Fred took it from her hands, holding it as she slipped her arms in the sleeves. Since her brother watched him like a hawk, Fred dropped his hands without allowing them to linger on her shoulders or caress the smooth skin of her neck.

  “Sure has been cold for November, hasn’t it?” Ethan said, lifting his coat and shrugging into it.

  Elsa gave him a narrowed glare as she tugged on her gloves and pinned a wool hat on her head.

  “It has been cold. You just never know when winter will arrive around here. I remember one year, I was about eight or so, it snowed a week before Halloween and didn’t stop until February.” Fred smiled at Elsa when she tossed him a concerned glance. “Another year, we only had one little skiff of snow all winter and that was toward the end of January. Usually, though, it starts to snow around Thanksgiving and stays until spring.”

  “Do you think we’ll have a typical winter?” Elsa asked as she preceded the two men outside. Ethan closed and locked the door then she gave him another warning glare.

  “I’m gonna run ahead,” Ethan said, winking at his sister. “See you there.”

  Fred watched Ethan jog down the street then held out an arm to Elsa. “You didn’t have to chase him off.”

  She stiffened but placed her hand on his proffered arm. “I didn’t chase him off. He merely was in a rush to get there.”

  “Mmm, hmmm,” Fred said, pleased to have Elsa all to himself. He looked down at her, liking the way she would tuck right beneath his shoulder if he was bold enough to wrap an arm around her. Which he wouldn’t be. At least not yet. It was crazy to ask her to go with him. Stupid to allow his dreams to surface when he knew they’d never come true.

  For one night, though, he just wanted to enjoy the experience of accompanying her to a community event.

  “It’s nice of Mr. and Mrs. Granger to open their home to the community for the performance this evening,” Elsa said as they turned on a side street and made their way to Dora and Greg Granger’s mansion.

  “It is nice of them. Then again, other than one of the churches, there really isn’t anywhere that could hold this many people.” Fred tipped his head to some of his friends as they waved from across the street. “Mr. and Mrs. Granger have been generous about sharing their home with the community since the first Christmas event hosted there five years ago.”

  Elsa’s face lit up. “Do you think they’ll hold it again this year? It was such fun to attend last year. I had no idea Alex was such a gifted magician.”

  “Yes, they are planning to do it again on Christmas Eve. And Alex the Amazing is really amazing. In fact, she’s incredibly talented at creating wondrous feats of spellbinding prestidigitation.” Fred’s voice held a theatrical tone and he waved his hand in the air with dramatic flair.

  Elsa giggled. “Why are the men in town so thoroughly fascinated with that word?”

  “What word?” Fred asked with feigned ignorance.

  “Prestidigitation. I’ve heard Luke Granger work it into a sentence multiple times. Pastor Dodd and Blake Stratton aren’t much better.”

  Fred shrugged. “It’s a fun word to say. What’s one of your favorite words?”

  “Confection,” Elsa replied without a second of pause. “I love the word confection. You know, it doesn’t just mean a sweet treat either. It can be something delicate or lovely or luscious.”

  Fred bent down so his lips nearly brushed against her ear and dropped his voice to a husky whisper. “Then, Miss Lindstrom, you assuredly are the loveliest, choicest, most luscious Christmas confection I’ve ever seen. The color of your gown makes me think of Christmas. You truly look beautiful this evening.”

  The pale pink blossoms on her cheeks deepened in hue, but she didn’t pull away from him. Instead, she turned her head until her gaze collided with his. Fred had the most insane desire to take her in his ar
ms, right there on the Granger’s front walk, and kiss her as his heart commanded.

  Rather than succumb to the urge, he grinned at her and placed a hand to the back of her waist. “Let’s go see what all of the hubbub is about.”

  “Yes, of course,” she said, unable to hide the flash of disappointment in her expressive eyes as she turned and walked up the steps.

  An hour and a half later, the two of them joined the crowd in giving the DeMoss Family Lyric Bards a standing ovation.

  When the group performed Sweet Oregon, the state’s unofficial song written by Henry DeMoss, as the final number for the evening, the room remained silent except for the musicians. As the last note faded, the crowd surged to their feet with enthusiastic claps and whistles.

  “Oh, that was so wonderful, Fred. Thank you for inviting me to join you,” Elsa said, leaning close to him to be heard above the noise of the crowd.

  “It’s my pleasure, Elsa. I know you would have come with Ethan anyway, but sitting with you made the show even better.” Fred offered her his arm as they stepped into the aisle and moved with the crowd downstairs to where refreshments waited in the dining room.

  Fred knew Elsa had contributed several pies and a fancy layer cake topped with candied pecans to the assortment of sweets on the table. The scent of mulled cider hung in the air, filling the house with a delicious aroma while laughter and friends filled it with warmth.

  “Can you imagine being able to play all those instruments?” Elsa asked Fred as Ethan stepped beside them. “Someone said there are more than forty instruments they play.”

  “Did you see the one brother play two coronets at once?” Ethan asked. A look of awed wonder settled on his face. “How do you suppose he manages that?”

  “Talent,” Elsa said, grinning at her brother then at Fred. She looped her arms through both of theirs and pulled them into the dining room. “I don’t know about you two, but I’m parched and a cup of cider would taste delicious.”

  Fred could think of at least one thing more delicious than the cider, but refrained from stating his thoughts since they centered on Elsa. She looked good enough to eat, or at least savor the ripe, rich flavor of her rosy lips.