Page 31 of The Blessings of Christmas
“No problem. I enjoy working in the bakery.”
“Your brother did too.” Picking up a piece of leftover cookie dough, Lila rolled it in her fingers. Then she formed an S with the dough. “Sarah, remember how we used to make our initials with the leftovers?”
“Sure do.” A small smile on her lips, Sarah started playing with the leftover dough. Then she dropped it and turned. “Guess we should frost them now.”
Her mother left and Sarah filled two tubes with the white frosting. If the rolling pin struck fear into his heart, that was nothing compared to that plump tube in his hand. Of course for Sarah, it was child’s play. A little squirt here and another one there and Santa looked great, decorated with white.
He tried. Really he did. But he pressed too hard and blobs of frosting shot out, not the delicate lines and swirls on Sarah’s pieces.
He tried again. Ah, better.
But not for Sarah. “Hmm. Let’s count that as a trial piece.”
What? Okay, so the cookie looked a little blobby. It would taste the same. But he did it again.
“Better.” Sarah was peering over his shoulder. He couldn’t resist. Turning, he squirted her. First she looked shocked. Then she got mad.
“So that’s how you want to play it.” Frosting dripped from her forehead onto her cheek. Her tongue darted out. Grabbing another pastry tube, she took aim and hit him right between the eyes.
“Game on.” Chasing her around the butcher block table, he went nuts. This was like paint ball but even better. And Sarah gave as good as she got.
“Take that,” she’d yell.
“Oh, really? How about this?”
Frosting was flying and their faces were covered by the time by the bags were empty. Shoulder to shoulder, they collapsed against the counter, laughing until they were breathless. It had been so long since he’d heard Sarah laugh. Her mother peeked over the door and then faded away.
Messy with frosting,Ryan looked adorable. Adorable and hunky. Standing there babbling, Sarah felt like a fool. The man did have a way about him. How had she ever missed that? Gone was Jamie’s irritating little brother. That old image didn’t fit anymore.
He’d made her laugh. And it felt good.
Her heart beat in time to “Little Saint Nick,” blasting from the radio. Why had she wrapped her arms around him like that? Hadn’t once been enough the other day? Maybe that was the problem. She knew how Ryan’s broad shoulders tapering down to a slim waist felt and, mercy, she liked it. He’d beenso darn cute working with that frosting, biting his lower lip in concentration.
Checking the clock, he laid the bag down. “Okay, if I leave, boss lady?” He gave her one of his mischievous grins. “There’s a Harley waiting for me up at Branson’s.”
“Sure. No problem.”
Taking off the apron, he folded it into a neat square and then hesitated. “Maybe I’ll just take this home and wash it. It’s a mess.”
“You’ll do no such thing.” She took it from his hands. “I’ll just throw it in with mine.”
Funny but she liked the idea of their laundry twining together in the washer.
“Okay. Thanks, Sarah.” Dashing over to the sink, Ryan washed his hands. His apron in her hands, she felt dazed, like the time Mildred Wentworth had accidentally side-swiped Sarah’s car in the parking lot at Clancy’s.
Turning, he dried his hands on a towel. “Don’t you notice anything different about me?”
Sarah’s head jerked and her eyes focused. “What?”
Slipping the towel on the toolbar, he grunted. “Never mind.” Shaking his head, he mumbled something she couldn’t understand. When he pulled on his huge sheepskin coat, she thought of what Chili had said about macho man. Maybe she was right. In that coat, Ryan should be out on the plains herding cattle. The image sent a warm rush through her.
“See you later,” he said, ducking out the door.
“Later.” The room seemed to deflate after he left.
Ryan must be exhausted, holding down his job at Branson’s and driving here to help out. How she wished she could pay him. But having another person on the payroll would be stretching it. Eager to get the cute cookies into the case, she arranged them on a fresh tray and carried it to the front. Her mother was ringingup a sale so she slipped behind her. The customers left. “More people from the library,” she said with a sassy smile.
“That’s good, Mom.” Going around to the front, Sarah checked the cookie display and smiled, remembering what fun she’d had with Ryan that morning.
