The Bachelor Baker

Melissa wiped her hands again, then walked past him to the front of the bakery, stopping at the front counter. “I thought you could start with taking care of customers, stocking the cases and organizing the stockroom.”

“And baking?”

“I take care of that,” she said, a brusque note in her voice.

“I thought you needed full-time help.”

“I do, but for now you can start with this.” She leveled him a narrowed gaze. “I hope that’s not a problem?”

Brian held his hands up. “No problem. I just figured I’d have to be making cupcakes or some such thing.”

“I like to be in charge of the baking.” She said it with such a firm note in her voice, Brian pegged her immediately.

Control freak. Not that it mattered to him if he didn’t do any baking. This job was strictly a fill-in.

“This is the cash register, obviously,” she said, changing the subject. She pointed to a machine sitting on the wooden counter at right angles to the display cases. “People can pay cash or use their debit or credit card.” Melissa demonstrated, her fingers flashing over the keys. Brian tried to keep up but figured he would find out by trial and error how the thing worked.

“I’ll be in the back most of the day and when I’m not, Amanda is around. She comes at noon and stays for the afternoon. She knows how to run the cash register, too.”

Melissa gestured at a chalkboard on the wall behind her. “This is a list of the prices of the goods. I also have a master list of what I’ve baked for the day in the back. When the stock gets low, check the list first to see how much we need compared to how much we make on average.”

Melissa pointed out another checklist, rattled off some more information about stock and overages, words spilling out of her mouth faster than oil out of a busted hydraulic hose.

“Hey, Miss Sweeney,” he said, holding up his hand to stem the verbal flow. “You’re throwing too much at me too quick. Why don’t we take this one step at a time? Let me learn as I go.”

“Okay,” she said, her gaze flicking away from his. “I’m usually in the back so I’m available.”

“Good. Then I’ll start with memorizing the price list.”

Melissa nodded, then, avoiding his eyes, walked to the supply room just off the front of the bakery.

Brian blew out a sigh as he looked around the front of the bakery. Well, this was it. His new job. And from the way Melissa was acting, it was as if she wasn’t too impressed with having him as an employee either.

As Miss Coraline said, God moves in mysterious ways.

“One other thing I need from you,” Melissa was saying as she came out of her office carrying a bag. “You’ll have to wear this.”

Brian opened the bag, pulled out an apron with broad pink-and-white stripes, then stared at Melissa in dismay. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.” Melissa gave him another pinched-lip look and he stifled yet another flicker of humiliation.

“Looks too small,” he said, grimacing as he held it up.

“I had ordered a couple extra because I had assumed if I hired someone I would be hiring...” She paused, shrugged.

“Another woman,” he finished for her. He blew out a sigh and slipped the top loop of the apron over his head. The bottom of the apron, instead of coming to his knees like hers did, hit him midthigh. Well, his indignity was complete. God was definitely trying to teach him humility.

It’s for Grandpa.

“I can order another one.”

“No. I’m good.” As he knotted the ties at the back he couldn’t help think of the phrase “tied to a woman’s apron strings.” That was him. “So, what do you want me to start with?”

“You could start with them,” Melissa said as the door of the bakery opened and two men came inside. “I’ll be in the back if you need me.”

He held her gaze for a heartbeat, then turned to his first customers of the day. His heart sunk as Don Mankowski and his ever-present friend, Jake Fry, stood in front of him.

Don was almost as tall as Brian but heavier. He wore tight T-shirts in all weather to show off the muscles he worked diligently to maintain. His short cropped black hair made him look tougher than he really was, but Don was all about presentation.

Jake was shorter than Don, not as heavily built, blonde where Don was dark and not as full of swagger and self-importance. A decent guy but too attached to his sneering buddy.

Jake and Don had played football with Brian in high school and had also worked at the factory, albeit under him.

Don elbowed Jake as he tilted his rounded chin toward Brian. “Well, look who’s serving up pastries. Our old boss, Mr. Montclair.”

Jake gave Brian a lopsided grin. “Hey, Brian. Didn’t expect to see you here.”

Didn’t expect to be here, Brian wanted to say.

“So, this is your new job,” Don said with a smirk. “Suits you. All this sweet and fancy stuff.”

“What can I get you guys?” he asked, tamping down his own humiliation.

Don pulled a face as he looked around the display cases, then the bread racks. “You out of doughnuts already?” He shook his head, tut-tutting. “You snoozing standing up?”

Brian recognized the comment as a jab he gave Don from time to time when Brian found him slacking off. His back stiffened but he knew he couldn’t let this guy get to him.

“I doubt that. Melissa said we were well stocked.” But he walked behind the display cases to make sure.

Don was right. They were out of doughnuts. Great, his first minute on the job and he had already messed up.

“I’ll be back,” he said.

Melissa was cracking eggs into a large mixing bowl on a stand.

“We’re out of doughnuts,” he said, unable to keep his annoyance with Don out of his voice.

Melissa brushed some dough off her chin with her shoulder, then frowned at him. “We’re not out of doughnuts because I don’t make them.”

“What? Really?”

“No. I thought I would try a different direction with the bakery.” She hit a switch and the huge paddle of the mixing bowl started spinning around.

Brian could only stare at her. “Everyone expects doughnuts at a bakery. That’s not a good direction.”

Melissa’s expression darkened. “I think I know best what I’m trying to accomplish in my own bakery.”

Now she was getting all uppity with him. One of those “her way or the highway” bosses. He’d worked under a couple of them in the factory.