Some links may be affiliate links. We get money if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these links on our site.

Christmas All The Time is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Let’s Get Cooking

It may well be Cyber Monday for everyone else, but to Aundrea it was the start of a new week in the holiday shopping season. She got in early, took stock and began baking. She had a tendency to lose track of time when she baked. When you’re focusing on fifteen, twenty or thirty minute increments, the actual time of day fell by the wayside.

She knew it and planned for it. She had a strict schedule mapped out and she stuck to it. Planning and preparations the night before helped to prevent some of the little mishaps that can quickly pile up into a massive time-suck. She had her run books to keep her on track and her pre-arranged collection of dry ingredients set up to save on a bit of the arbitrary running back and forth that tended to kill her productivity.

Before she knew it, Phyllis was letting herself in to start helping with the front-end setup.

“Hi, Phyl. Thanks for coming in.”

Phyllis smiled at that. She was just fastening her dark silver hair into a ponytail with an ornate clip that looked like evergreen swag with bright red berries. “Sure, kid. I mostly come in for the smell of those cinnamon rolls. I feel like I could put on five pounds just whiffing those things.”

“Leave some of that aroma for the customers. I’m just about done with the breakfast items. I’m going to clean up and start on the cookies.”

“That’s good. I think Jeb had his heart set on coming back for a freshly baked batch.”

“Don’t tease me, Phyl.” Aundrea was sweeping loose ingredients and bits of dough from the table with a towel. “I know you got a kick out of how frazzled he got me on Saturday. I was just surprised.”

“Uh-huh.” Phyllis got a mischievous smirk as she tied on an apron. “I’ll just put these out for you a while.”

Aundrea continued with her clean up and took a moment to breathe deeply. The mixed aromas of the completed breakfast items teased her almost as much as the notion of seeing Jeb again today.

Cookies, huh? Okay. Cookies it is. Let’s get cooking.

I wonder what kind he likes. Probably gingerbread men. Everybody likes gingerbread men and he had taken the remaining stock with him. Besides, the scent of the gingerbread men would complement the aroma that was already wafting through the front of the bakery.

Only 8:30 and she had time to make another batch before Phyl opened the doors. Chocolate chip, I think. I don’t know anybody who doesn’t like a chocolate chip cookie.

“Can I get those for you, honey?” Phyl came in with her oven mitts at the ready.

“Sure, but can you put on a clean apron? You got something on that one.”

“Oh, I didn’t see that.” She pulled off the dirty apron and looped a clean one over her neck. “I’ll take those out and get ready to open up. Okay?”

”Thanks.” She stepped aside to let Phyllis take the fresh batch of cookies away. She was just catching her breath when she thought she heard Phyl talking. She wandered over to the kitchen doorway to see what was going on.

Phyl was turning the lock to open the front door for someone. “Hi, Jeb. Back for more cookies?” She held the door to let him in.

Aundrea couldn’t hear Jeb’s answer from here. She jumped away from the door and tried to listen in.

“The chocolate chip are fresh out of the oven and the gingerbread men got done just before them. Did you have some in mind? I can tell Aundrea to put them on next. She’s just cleaning up from the last batch.”

Aundrea slapped some sleeve over her mouth and sucked a panicked breath. ‘Phyl! What are you doing?’ She screamed inside her head.

“Those sound fine but I wouldn’t mind some peanut butter cookies if she’s taking requests.” Was that Jeb’s voice? Was he actually talking? Peanut butter? Who knew he liked peanut butter? Who knew he ate? Who knew he could actually talk? It was hard to hear him from where she was hiding.

“Sure, Jeb. I’ll tell her.”

“Thanks. Could you ask her to come out a minute before she starts those? I wanted to talk to her about something quick.” That voice again. His voice? And he wanted to talk to her about something? She clutched the wall to keep from sliding away like loose fondant.

“You gonna live?” Phyl was there smirking at her.

“I think so.”

“He wants to talk to you about something.”

“I heard. I don’t think I can make my feet move, Phyl.”

“Don’t be a sissy. Go see what he wants.”

Sissy? Nobody ever called her that. She got some steel in her spine and marched out to find Jeb studying the cookie displays. “Jeb?” He turned to see her walking out of the kitchen. “Phyllis said you wanted to ask me something.”

“Hi, Aundrea. This is a lovely bakery.” He spoke. He had a voice. It was rich and sonorous like an oboe. It had been worth the years of waiting.

“Thank you. I’m glad you like it. What was it you wanted to ask?”

He looked a bit nervous and out of sorts as he reached into the side pocket on his slacks. She looked back at Phyl to gauge her reaction.

Phyl shrugged and looked kind of confused. She looked back to see if he’d found what he was fishing for.

Her head began swimming when he said. “Well, I came here to propose-” She made a sound that was half hyperventilating and half shrieking right before she blacked out.

“Oh, what happened?”

“Aundrea, how many fingers am I holding up?” She heard Phyl saying.

“What? Fingers?”

“Look at me, kid. Look at my fingers. Are you okay?”

“Three fingers, Phyl. What happened?”

“Jeb was going to ask you if you’d sell some of his stuff in the store.”

“He said he was going to propose. He was reaching in his pocket.”

“He was pulling out a wooden spoon he’d carved. Beautiful piece of work. I think you should go for it.”

“Spoon?”

“What did you think he was reaching for? A little velvet box with a big ol’ diamond in it?”

“Oh, Phyl. He probably thinks I’m an idiot.”

“No, I was just concerned about you. Are you okay, Aundrea?”

“Jeb?”

“I’m here. Are you feeling alright? Did you have breakfast this morning?”

“If I’m being honest, all I had was a cup of OJ.” She tried to sit up. She wasn’t on the floor. She was on her prep table. “What am I doing here? How’d I get here?”

Phyllis put a hand on her shoulder to hold her down. “Just stay there a moment. Jeb carried you in here so people wouldn’t see you lying there on the floor. You could say thank you.”

“Thank you, Jeb.”

“You’re welcome, Aundrea. I’m sorry I shocked you. I guess I should have started off a little differently.”

“I don’t know what I was even thinking, Jeb. Can you help me sit up?”

“Slowly.” Phyl chided.

Jeb and Phyllis lifted Aundrea carefully. They heard the bell from the front door. Aundrea’s eyes went wide.