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It’s Almost Too Tempting To Resist
12/4/2024
Grace approached the door to the bakery, but her hand froze on the handle. ‘Rats, that guy is everywhere.’ She let go as someone pushed their way out. She stepped in.
Leo was perusing the display of pies. She kept her back to him as she ducked behind a cake display.
‘Just get your brioche and go home.’ She scanned the storefront for Leo and the fresh bread.
He itched his chin as he studied the display of individual pie slices. She kept her eyes peeled as she crept behind him. Leo turned abruptly. Grace ducked behind a basket of loaves.
“Can I help you find something?”
Grace saw a pair of knees and the hem of an apron. “I’m looking for some brioche.” She whispered.
The woman knelt down beside her. “They’re in this basket over here. Grace?”
“Oh, hi, Marion. How are you?” Grace peeked over the edge of the basket.
“Oh, same as ever. Busy, busy, busy.” She handed Grace a loaf.
“Good. Good to hear. Hey, we’re having French Toast. Can I get two more?”
“Sure.” Marion handed her two more loaves. “Why are we whispering?”
Grace peeked over the basket, but Leo was gone. ‘Is he gone-gone or is he somewhere else in the store?’ She turned to Marion. “Whispering? Sorry, I have a sore throat. Wow, look at that. That’s gorgeous.”
Marion smiled as she studied her rings. “So’s my husband. You should think about getting one. They’re very handy.”
Grace’s breath caught in her throat. “Ha ha, yeah. Kill the spiders. Open the jars. I’ve got to finish college first.”
“Ooh, where are you these days?”
“I’ve been at school in Empire City.” She slowly rose to her feet and scanned the bakery for Leo.
“Oh, that’s nice. Home for the holidays?” Marion stood up and scanned the bakery.
“Yes. I’m home on break. That’s right. Just home from school.” She spotted Leo at the cash register and dove behind a display of cupcakes. “Oh, look at this one. Did you decorate these, Marion?”
She knelt beside Grace. “And we’re back to the whispering. Why are you hiding from Leo?”
“Hiding? Who’s hiding?”
Marion raised an eyebrow. “Shall I ring these up for you?”
“Is he still at the register?”
“Why? Is he bugging you? Do you need me to talk to him?” She glared at Leo.
“No, he’s been great.” Grace clenched her fists and squeezed her eyes tight. “It’s the darn Christmas lights.”
“What?”
“His family lives across the street from us.” Grace wrung her hands and cast a worried glance at him. “My dad has been feuding with his for years over the stupid lights. It was just coffee…”
“Oh, right. No consorting with the enemy.” Marion smiled. “Looks like he’s leaving now. We can go check out without violating international treaties or anything.”
“I mean, I’m just home from school. I’m not staying. I’m not committing to anything. It was just coffee.”
“Of course, honey. Just coffee. Come on. Let’s get you back on track for that French Toast.” She held the loaves as she headed to the cash register.
“Sure, thanks.” Grace kept an eye out for Leo as they wound their way around the store. “Ooh, look at this.”
Marion stopped to check on what Grace had found. “Yeah, the Cran-Apple Crumb is wonderful.”
“I like how they have the pie shell pieces on top cut like Christmas cookies.” Grace studied the festive holiday pie.
“And the icing snowflakes were my idea.”
“A stroke of genius, to be sure.” Leo said.
A chill ran up Grace’s spine. She bit her lip and looked up at her neighbor.
“It’s almost too tempting to resist.” His gaze wandered over the pies on the display and back to Grace.
‘Is he playing me?’ Grace blushed and pressed on toward the cashier. She stole a glance back to the pie stand. ‘He’s actually talking about the pie.’
Marion followed her to the cash register, loaves in hand. “Might as well let him have it. I think Cran-Apple Crumb would be too sweet to go with French Toast.”
‘Let him have it? Ha, I’d like to smash that pie in his face.’ She dug into her purse for some money. “How much?”
“Twenty ninety-seven.”
“Oh, gee. All I have is a twenty.”
Leo walked up with the pie in one hand and a dollar bill in the other. “Here.”
‘Leo to the rescue again?’ Her eyebrows knitted and her cheeks reddened. “I’ll get it back to you when we get home.”
“Think nothing of it.” He smiled.
Marion held up three pennies. He pointed to the penny dish and put his pie down on the counter. “Should I save you a piece?”
Marion’s eyes grew wide as she studied Grace.
“No, but thanks. Like Marion said, it’s a bit much after French Toast.”
“An excellent point. Should go marvelously with Mom’s turkey chili.”
Grace nodded. “Gotta finish up that Thanksgiving bird somehow. Huh?”
“Necessity is the mother of invention, they say, and my mother is very inventive.”
“Definitely one of the upsides of being home from school.” She noticed Marion grinning. “Mom’s cooking, that is.”
“No doubt. Do they have a cafeteria at the Wisler Institute?”
“Yes, but it’s hard to pass up on Empire City pizza.”
“I’ve heard good things about it.”
“What do you like?” Grace hugged her bag of loaves.
“Oh, pretty much anything. It’s kind of funny, though.”
“Hmm?”
“I’ve been having a craving for gawumpkies lately.”
“Gołąbki? That is funny. Now that you mention it, I haven’t had any in ages. I’ll have to talk Mom into making a batch.”
“How’s work?”
Marion slid his pie over. “Eighteen?”
He handed her a card without taking his eyes off of Grace. “Was your professor’s friend able to get you some hours?”
“Yes, Dr. Hu is great.”
“Is his office in a blue phone booth?” He took the card and the pie back from Marion.
Grace smirked at him. “Why does everybody keep asking that?”
“Dr. Who is a British TV show that’s been on for ages and he travels around in a blue police phone booth.”
“Well, my Dr. Hu is a woman, and she works at St. Hedwig’s.” She rolled her eyes and headed toward the door. “How do you travel in a phone booth?”
He got ahead of her and opened the door for her. “It’s actually a time machine that’s really big on the inside. Silly sci-fi stuff.”
‘Figures he’d be into sci-fi.’ She rolled her eyes as she breezed past him out to the sidewalk. ‘I don’t know what that cologne is, but I’d like to have him for dessert. WHAT? Where did that come from?’ She hurried toward her car. “I’m parked over here.” She tried to control her breathing, but it came out in visible clouds of silvery vapor in the holiday chill. ‘He’s going to think I’m having an asthma attack.’
“Yes, you are.” He followed her.
‘Why is he still following me?’ She wrestled her car keys out of her purse without dropping the bag of bread. “I might have some change in the car.”
“No, really. Don’t worry about it. What’s a buck between friends?”
‘Friends? Is that good or bad?’ She almost walked past her car, trying to process that. “Oh, ha ha. Sure.” She opened her passenger door and tossed the bag inside before slamming it. ‘Nice move, spaz.’
“Tell you what.” He said.
‘Good Lord, what?’ She fiddled with her keys as she waited for him to complete the thought.
“If you can wrangle a batch of gawumpkies from your mom, I’d be happy to meet for lunch and do a swap.”
“S-s-swap for what?”
“Anything you’d like.” He smiled and tipped his pie to show the decorative top.
‘You. I want you.’ She pursed her lips. “I’ll have to get back to you on that. I mean, I don’t know when or if Mom’s going to make any. You know?”
“Sure, sure.” He nodded. “Can I get your number?”
Her knees weakened. “My, uh, number?”
“So you can flag me if she comes through. I guess we could just yell across the street, but…” He pulled out his phone.
“Yeah, that makes sense. Of course.” She fished for her phone in her purse. ‘Is he actually asking me for my number over gołąbki? Is that the ploy of the century? I had no idea he was such a player. Why should I make it easy for him? Because I want to dig a tunnel straight to his room, that’s why. No. Don’t you dare. Daddy would totally flip.’ She zipped her purse shut. “Silly me. I left my phone at home. I’ll get it to you later. Okay?”
‘Rats. It was worth a try.’ Leo smiled. “Great. Let me know later. See you at home. I’ve got to stop for some milk to go with this.” He clicked the button on his key to unlock his car.
She turned to find he was parked right behind her. ‘He knew I was here all along. Oh, you are a player. Ha! You won’t get my number without a crowbar, pal.’ Grace watched him place his pie in the passenger seat. ‘Wow, Mike Kistler’s caboose has nothing on that. No! Get in your car and go home. They’re waiting for French Toast.’
Leo felt the radar lock as he secured his pie. ‘Is she seriously?’ He peeked back to find her honed in.
Their eyes met.
She scurried over to her driver’s side door and jumped in. ‘You’ve definitely got something on your list for Confession this time.’ She pulled out of her parking spot. Leo was there in her rear-view mirror, waving. “Oh, rub it in, wise guy.”
“I should have done it. I should have just done it. Now, giving him my number is going to be some kind of weird, contrived exercise in mental torture.” Grace was waiting for the light to turn green when she flipped on the radio.
The song ended and the DJ came on. “So, that was Bobby Helms helping us get into the Christmas spirit with Jingle Bell Rock. Yeah, it’s that time again, folks. I’ve got a special message from our friends at Himmelreich’s Tractor and Farm Supply. Hey, Staś.”
“Daddy?” Grace drove up the block to a stop sign.
“Hello, Polka Pete. I’d like to extend a Merry Christmas to you and your loyal listeners on behalf of the Himmelreich family and all of us here at the Tractor and Farm Supply. We had a blast on Black Friday and the holiday deals just keep coming.”
“It’s like an Advent Calendar. Isn’t it, Staś?”
“That’s very true. Instead of a calendar, you can open the doors here for new deals every day through Christmas. We’ll have coffee and hot chocolate waiting here for you.”
“With weather like this, we’ll need it. You’ve got to tell me, buddy. How is this year’s Old Cas?”
“Blessed by Father Nowak himself, Pete. It’s Christmas cheer in a bottle. Get it while it lasts.”
“Ha ha, it’s like Christmas cookies. You wish you could have some year ‘round, but you’ve got to get some before it’s all gone. What’s the deal for today, Staś?”
Grace changed the channel. “Ugh, that stuff isn’t fit for a pig.” She shook her head and turned the corner. As she drove past the market, she spotted Leo’s car. “How did he get here before me?” She turned in at the paint store and crossed the parking lot back to the market. “Should I?” There was a spot open right behind Leo’s car.
She made her way in. Even if Leo got here before her, she figured he couldn’t have gotten too far. ‘Oh, what are you doing? Don’t you think hearing your dad on the radio isn’t enough of a reminder not to engage with Leo?’
Grace hurried on to the refrigerated section in search of eggs. ‘Gee, if I get milk too, I might just make it snow.’
Leo was there, pulling a gallon of milk from the shelf of the fridge. “Remembered that you forgot something?”
“I got the bread at the bakery. I stopped here for milk and eggs.”
“Oh, trying to make it snow, eh?” He pulled his wallet out. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Well, if you’re planning to shower me with money, I’m glad you’re here, too.”
“Hardy har har. If you’re reluctant to share your number with me, it occurred to me I could just as easily give you mine.” He pulled out a business card and handed it to her.
“Interior Decoration Consultant? Sounds very official.”
“Yeah, yeah. It’s got my phone and email. Let me know about those gawumpkies or I’ll be stuck resorting to store bought.” He slid his wallet back into his pocket.
“Well, we can’t have that.” She slid the card into her purse and squeezed by him to open the refrigerator door. ‘That cologne. Yeah, I’m definitely going to Confession this weekend.’