by ID Johnson
“Always am,” she replied, and with a wave, she headed off toward the monstrosity, double-checking her pockets that she had her wallet, gloves, hat, and phone. She’d leave the keys in the Charger in case her parents needed to move it. The likelihood of anything getting stolen in these parts was slim to none.
Delaney had to turn the starter twice; the second time, she caught her father’s concerned eye, but the engine finally fired up, and she let it run for a second as she hooked her seatbelt. With another wave, she backed down the drive to the spot where she usually turned around and cranked the wheel so that she was headed back to town.
The roads were fairly clear since the snow wasn’t that thick and no more had fallen in the last few hours. By the time she reached town, the streets were damp but all of the snow had either melted or been carried away by other passing cars. She checked the time and saw that she still had a few minutes before she needed to swing by Melody’s house, so she decided to stop by the bakery and check on how things were going. If last Saturday was any indication, they would be busy.
She pulled the truck into her usual spot and pulled the keys out of the ignition, hoping it would start again. It was a bit of a drop down to the ground and there was no running board, so she took her time getting out. Pushing the heavy door shut, she made her way to the back door.
It was locked. And her key was at her parents’ house with her car keys. With a sigh, she banged on the door, hoping it wasn’t so busy that no one would hear.
A few minutes later, Cameron pulled the door open, cautiously, as if he wasn’t certain whether or not he’d actually heard a knock or if it had been his imagination. “Oh, hi, Delaney,” he said, his face morphing into a smile. “Didn’t expect to see you today.” He stepped out of the way so she could enter the warm kitchen.
The smell of baking muffins filled Delaney’s lungs, a scent that she’d never grow tired of. “Thanks. I didn’t have my key. I just stopped by to see how things were going. Been busy?”
He didn’t need to say anything for her to find her answer. Looking through the narrow opening between the kitchen and the storefront, she could see a crowd of people even larger than the record crowds they’d had earlier in the week. “It hasn’t been slow for a minute,” Cameron replied. Even with all five of us here, we’ve been pretty busy.”
“Hey, what are you doing here?” Bonnie called, hurrying to the oven just as the timer went off. She slipped a large red oven mitt on her hand and began to pull out trays of steaming muffins.
“Just came by to see how it was going,” Delaney replied. Instinctively, she began to help move the muffins to the cooling rack after slipping on another oven mitt which was laying on the counter. “I’ve never had five employees working at the same time.”
“You have now,” Bonnie said. “Six counting you. We’ve been working the whole morning without a break.”
“Crazy,” Delaney muttered.
“I’ll head back out front,” Cameron called.
“Oh, fiddle,” Bonnie exclaimed as he passed by her. “I forgot to refill Mrs. Pentecost’s cocoa.”
“I’ll get it,” Cameron assured her with a smile.
“Thank you, Cam,” Bonnie said with a sigh of relief. Then, turning to Delaney, who had just set the last tray of muffins on the rack and returned to place her oven mitt in the correct drawer, she said, “That boy is a very hard worker.”
“I know,” Delaney agreed. “He’s really smart, too. And good with the customers.”
Bonnie nodded, and leaning back against the counter, clearly happy for a short break, she added, “He’s always got the little old ladies smiling.”
“I’m so glad we found him,” Delaney said, glancing around to see if there was anything else she needed to do before she left. “Everything okay?”
“Yes, just busy. You should go though. Aren’t you headed off to Josh’s tree farm?”
Delaney felt the color rising in her cheeks. It had been Bonnie who convinced Josh to try the cocoa in the first place, and if she hadn’t given him a mug instead of a to-go cup as he’d requested, she never would have met him. Bonnie had claimed it was an accident, but Delaney knew better. Bonnie had a reputation for being a bit of a matchmaker, and while she’d never attempted to fix her boss up with anyone before, Delaney was happy for the tactic Bonnie had used to make Josh linger in the store a bit longer that day. “Yes, I’m going.”
“Well, good luck, honey,” she said, patting Delaney’s arm. “He’s a cutie. And he seemed pretty bright, which means he’ll know what he’s getting with a girl like you.”
While Delaney knew she meant what she said, she couldn’t help but feel as if she were being flattered. “Oh, stop. It’s not even a date, Bonnie. I don’t even know if he’ll be there.”
“He will be.” She winked, as if she knew something, though Delaney was certain she was just being optimistic.
“Do you need anything before I go? Is the cocoa holding up?”
“We’ve gone through a lot, but we’ll be okay for the rest of the day, I think. I haven’t had to open the emergency tin yet.”
Delaney was the only one who made the cocoa, so on days when she wasn’t there, she always made sure there was enough to go around and even had an emergency supply available. If the workers had to open it, they were to call her immediately. Even though many people thought of cocoa as a seasonal drink, people ordered it year round due to Delaney’s secret recipe, so each time she stopped by, she always checked on the cocoa, even in the summertime. On a day like today, she wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t sell twice as much as they were used to.
“Okay. Let me go up front really quickly and make sure everyone’s doing all right.”
“They’re fine,” Bonnie called, but Delaney stepped around her and went to check, just in case.
What she saw was a bit surprising to her. Despite the hustle and bustle of customers, Cameron was whispering something into Joanna’s ear, which made her giggle from her station behind the cash register. He quickly stepped away to attend to another patron without even noticing Delaney behind them, but she was shocked to see Joanna even acknowledging Cameron. The girl had worked there for almost a year now, and never had she seen her voluntarily speak to any young man. She’d say the bare minimum to customers, often with a nervous expression on her face, always with a timid air about her. Joanna seemed so relaxed and free when Cameron spoke to her, it made Delaney smile. Perhaps Bonnie had been up to something with the teens as well.
Though Cameron and Joanna seemed to be in high spirits, the second Delaney saw Courtney’s face, she knew something was wrong. The girl had a dishtowel in one hand, as if she’d just returned from wiping down the tables, and she came to a sudden stop with a huff as Delaney surveyed the supply of treats under the counter. “Is everything okay, Courtney?” she asked, once she was sure nothing needed to be refilled.
“Yes, I guess,” she said, though her voice did not sound convincing. “It would help if some people didn’t think everything was so hilarious.” She tossed the cloth onto a counter and crossed her arms.
Delaney could tell immediately that Courtney was jealous of the attention Joanna was getting from the new male employee, and while she felt a bit of sympathy for the more popular girl, she couldn’t say she wasn’t glad. It was about time Courtney shared some of the spotlight. “It’s that time of year,” Delaney said, playing it off. “Everyone’s in good spirits.” She turned to check the cocoa and saw that it was full. Deciding to bring Melody a treat, she grabbed a couple of to-go cups and began to fill them, hoping Courtney would let it go and get back to work.
“I guess,” she exhaled, the end of the world clearly on her mind.
Delaney held back a chuckle. “How’s your boyfriend. What’s his name? Kyle?”
“Kyler is fine,” Courtney lamented, leaning against the counter next to Delaney. She had her head tipped up as if she were studying the ceiling. After a long pause, she returned her focus to
her boss. “Say, would it be all right if I left just a few minutes early on the twentieth? Like, an hour?”
Momentarily confused, Delaney thought about what the current date was. “You mean next Saturday?” she asked.
“Yes,” Courtney replied. “It’s the Winter Formal, and I want to make sure I have plenty of time to get dressed and do my hair.”
Despite the fact that Delaney knew for sure they’d be very busy that day—there was a lot happening in the downtown area for Christmas, such as meeting Santa at the library—she nodded. “Sure, that sounds fine.” She figured she’d have to come in and help out anyway, so an hour probably wouldn’t make that big of a difference.
“Great,” Courtney sighed. “I’m sure Joanna won’t need to leave early,” she added. “I don’t think she’s going.”
The comment sounded innocent enough, but it made Delaney look from Courtney to Joanna, who was just a few steps away and might have even overheard if she wasn’t talking to a customer. “Why isn’t she going?” Delaney asked, returning her attention to Courtney.
She shrugged dismissively, as if it wasn’t a big deal. “I don’t know. She never goes to dances. We don’t really… hang out at school, so I don’t really know her business.”
Once again, it wasn’t the message but the tone that made Delaney’s stomach tighten up. Even though she’d been fairly popular in high school, she’d tried to be a friend to everyone, and the way Courtney made the statement, it led Delaney to believe that Joanna might be having trouble making friends at school. It made sense—she was overly shy and a bit awkward. But it had never occurred to Delaney that Courtney might not treat the other girl the same way at school as she did here, where they seemed to get along fairly well.
Delaney glanced up at the clock and saw that it was almost time for her to meet her friend, but since Melody only lived a few blocks away, she set the drinks aside, and waiting for Courtney to get back to work and for the customers to dissipate, she sidled up next to Joanna.
“Hey, how’s it going?” Delaney asked, offering her a smile.
Joanna peered over her shoulder at her boss without turning around. She adjusted her glasses and said, “Fine, I guess. Busy.”
“Right,” Delaney nodded. “You and Cameron seem to be getting along pretty well.”
It was a risky endeavor, but Delaney took the chance. Instantly, Joanna’s face turned as red as a beet. “Yeah,” she mumbled. Her lips twitched as if she knew she was expected to say more, but nothing else came out.
Thinking she needed to proceed with caution, Delaney changed the subject. “We are really busy today. Thanks so much for being here, Joanna. I know I can count on you to serve our customers with respect and a great attitude.”
“Sure thing,” Joanna nodded. That seemed to put her at ease a bit more, since Delaney’s compliments were not a rarity. The young girl glanced around as if she were looking for something to do to make herself useful before she had another customer to ring up.
Delaney took a chocolate muffin from under the counter and dropped it in a bag, knowing those were Melody’s favorite. “Can you ring this and two cocoas ups?” she asked, and Joanna began to punch the correct buttons on the keyboard. Even though Delaney could do whatever she wanted to in her own bakery, she often went ahead and rang up any items she consumed to set a good example for the other workers and to make sure her numbers came out correctly each evening.
Already knowing how much it would be, she slipped the cash out of her wallet and handed it over, taking her change and dropping it loudly into the tip jar hoping the patrons would remember it was there. “Thanks, Joanna,” she said as she gathered up the cocoas. Acting as if it were an afterthought, she paused on her way back to the kitchen. “Oh, and if you need to leave early to go to the Winter Formal, just let me know. I’m planning on being here next Saturday.”
Joanna’s face was red again, and her eyes widened behind her thick lenses. “I don’t think… I’m going to go,” she mumbled.
Delaney realized Cameron was now standing just a foot or two away, and she thought perhaps she should let the conversation drop, but before she could stop herself, she asked, “Why not? It might be fun. I used to go to a lot of dances with my friends.”
Her blush somehow managing to grow even deeper, Joanna turned her attention to the cash register buttons. “Yeah,” she muttered again. “Maybe.”
Though she wanted to ask why Joanna wasn’t interested in going, Delaney didn’t press it. With a sigh she patted her on the back and said, “Have a good afternoon.” Her attention returned to Cameron, who was frozen in place, one eyebrow raised, his eyes trained on the back of Joanna’s head. “Thanks for your hard work, Cameron.”
That jolted him back from wherever he’d disappeared, and with a sheepish smile, he replied, “Thanks for the opportunity, Delaney. I hope you have fun picking out your Christmas tree.”
While Delaney had mentioned her plans to him the morning before when they were the only two in the store, she had not mentioned Josh, and she could tell by his nonchalant tone that Bonnie hadn’t either. “Thanks. I’m sure I will.”
Delaney waved at Courtney and Francine, who she hadn’t even had the chance to speak to, then headed back through the kitchen. Bonnie was busy with the baked goods, so she didn’t stop to say more, just shouted a, “See you later,” and headed off toward the truck, still puzzling over the teenagers and wondering if things had been so complicated when she was in high school. She guessed they must have been, but she’d been so focused on academics and culinary arts, she hadn’t really had too much time to concern herself with what other people were doing. She’d dated some, but never had a serious boyfriend, and while she had friends who were gaga over one guy or another, she tried to keep the drama to a minimum. She hoped that whatever was going on with Joanna, she would be all right. She was a sweet girl, pretty, too, in her own way. Surely, she had friends at school and boys who were interested in spending time with her, didn’t she? It certainly seemed like Cameron might be, and he was about as good a guy as they got in Delaney’s book.
Climbing back into the truck with two cocoas and a muffin was a feat, but she managed to do it, and once she’d dug the keys out of her coat pocket and said a silent prayer that the engine turned over, she put the key in the ignition and breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the motor catch. She backed out of the lot, hopeful that there would be no more drama in her day and that she could make it to Taylor Tree Farm without the butterflies in her stomach causing her heart to explode. She had no idea what she would say when she got there, but she was hopeful that Bonnie was right and Josh would be available—and remember her—and not be completely shocked that she’d shown up unexpectedly.
Chapter 9
Despite the fact that the alleged point of this trip was to spend time conversing with Melody, both girls were extremely quiet most of the way from Charles Town to Shepherdstown, which would take about thirty minutes. A light dusting of snow covered the road, and from time to time, Delaney flicked the wipers on to clear the softly falling flakes. For the most part, they rode in silence, Delaney trying to come up with something interesting to say to Josh should he remember who she was and want to know why she was there, and Melody likely thinking about the man she’d arranged to meet at the tree farm. When Melody had shown up the day after they’d made their initial plans and asked if she could invite some friends, Delaney’s curiosity had been piqued. When she’d learned it was the new handyman all the women in town were raving about, she’d been more than pleasantly surprised. Melody deserved to meet a good guy, and she was hopeful that Reid and his son Michael would make her friend forget all of the unpleasant memories she’d recently come to associate with this time of year.
The closer they got to Taylor Tree Farm, the more knots Delany got in her stomach until she was certain that an ultrasound would reveal something resembling her father’s Christmas light catastrophe. She had the radio off because she knew Melody didn
’t like Christmas music anymore, but she tried to concentrate on the tune she was playing in her head, and her hand began to tap against the steering wheel either to the beat or because of her nerves.
The GPS prompted her to turn onto a narrow country lane as Melody assured her that Josh certainly couldn’t have forgotten her so quickly—as if she was quite memorable—and Delaney tried to take deep slow breaths. She still had no idea what she should say.
Delaney had the opening to the parking lot in her sights when Melody offered, “Well, if he is here, and you get a chance to spend some time with him, let me know if you need me to come rescue you. I hope he really is as nice as you’ve described.”
A large sign in red and green proclaimed this to be Taylor Tree Farm, and as she swung the truck into the parking lot, she said, “Thanks.” That’s about all she could manage at the time as her stomach seemed to be sliding up her throat. She turned the truck off, and turning to face Melody, who was peering around the parking lot expectantly, she said, “Wish me luck.”
Melody turned to face her, a reassuring smile on her pretty face. “Luck! It’ll be great. Who wouldn’t want to get to know you better? And if he doesn’t—then he’s an idiot, and you don’t need him anyway.”
Realizing she’d been overly focused on herself and not even considering that Melody must also be nervous, Delaney placed her hand on her friend’s arm. “Thanks. And good luck with… Michael. I know that’s who you’re here to see.” Melody’s face reddened, and Delaney tried not to laugh. Clearly, it was more than just the little boy who had led Melody to invite the pair to meet them today.
Grabbing her hat and gloves, she opened the door and carefully hopped down from the truck. She could hear a child’s voice on the other side of the truck shouting Melody’s name and couldn’t help but giggle at the sweet sound. She slipped her gloves on and used the mirror on the truck’s door to make sure her hair looked okay as she carefully placed the hat on her head before going around the front of the truck to meet Reid and his son Michael.