Page 2 of Demolishing with the Mountain Man
“Yep. And yours?”
“Taelyn. Just moved in last week.”
“Well Taelyn, it’s nice to meet you. We’re really friendly on this street, so don’t be surprised if others offer to help.”
“I’ve noticed…” she said, her voice trailing off slightly.
I laughed. “Okay, did you want to try to prime and start it?”
“Yes.” Taelyn said and followed my steps exactly. She yanked and yanked, but nothing. “What the hell?” She said with a loud sigh, her shoulders falling in defeat.
“I was really hoping that would work. Okay, let me try.”
Taelyn stepped back and waved her hand in front of herself. “Be my guest.”
I didn’t prime it this time, since Taelyn had, and gave it a hard tug a few times before finally the engine roared to life.
Taelyn threw her hands in the air. “Finally! Thank you!” She moved in front of me, prepared to take over the mower, but I shook my head while her sweet scent filled my nose. A mix of baked goods with a hint of lavender. I wanted to immerse myself in it, to stop time so I could stay in it.
I wanted to be around her forever.
What? What are you even saying?
“I can’t let a woman mow the grass when I’m perfectly able to. So please, let me do it for you. I’ll leave the mower in the garage when I’m finished.”
Taelyn stood with her hands on her hips. She eyed me suspiciously, but the relief was clear on her face. “Are you sure? I can pay you.”
“I wouldn’t take your money. And honestly, I love yard work.”
“Okay, well, thank you, then. I really appreciate it. Have a good day.” She smiled and offered a small wave before she turned and walked up the driveway. My eyes couldn’t help but watch her ass sway back and forth, her tight pants leaving little to the imagination. Not that I minded.
Maybe she felt my stare because she turned back to look at me and I waved like a damn idiot. Her cheeks flushed as she smiled and disappeared inside her cabin.
I liked how she was all business and no small talk. But it made me want to know more about her. Crack her open and dig out all the good stuff.
The whole time I mowed her lawn, I hoped she’d come outside again, but she didn’t. A black cat sat perched in the window and watched me move about the yard. When I finished, I disposed of the grass trimmings and pushed the lawnmower back into the garage.
Then I headed home for a much-needed shower.
Yet I couldn’t get something, or should I saysomeone,off my mind.
CHAPTER TWO
Taelyn
I addedthe beaten egg mixture slowly to the mixing bowl of my standup mixer. Slowly but surely, my dough came together, until the consistency became smooth and pipeable. Pâte à Choux wasn’t an easy dough to make, but an interesting one, light and airy from the way it’s mixed. First you start with milk, butter, water, and sugar on the stove, incorporating the ingredients together before adding in the flour. This was the hard part, needing to stir quickly. It only takes about a minute to cook, and you don’t want the dough to burn. Lastly, it’s transferred to the mixing bowl to whip the eggs in after cooling it off. My favorite part of this dough was the light texture of it and how there’s always a delicious cream filling inside. It’s used to make eclairs, cream puffs, and various other French desserts.
I’d become a master at it.
I would hope after years of training in France, under some of the best pastry chefs in the world, I’d be a master. Or at least very good.
It wasn’t an easy dough to make. It had to be cooked and, most importantly, it needed to cool slightly before adding the eggs or else you might cook them, ending up with a scrambled mess of egg and runny dough.
Every step had to be done correctly, every ingredient weighed out to the exact measurement, because one slip up, and it throws the whole dough off.
Removing the bowl from the mixer, I grabbed a large pastry bag and folded it over my hand. With a large spoon, I scooped my dough into the pastry bag until it was full. I grabbed my sheet pant, ready to go with parchment paper and spray, and piped eclair shapes onto the pan. Eclairs were my favorite, and I loved experimenting with different fillings and toppings. In France, we’d never stray from the pastry cream filling and chocolate ganache on top. Here, I experimented and had fun with it.
But today, for my new job at the bakery, I’d start with the classics.
