The Baker's Man (10 page)

The door at the top opened onto the flat surface of the roof—the widow’s walk. Anna stood in the sun and inhaled slowly. She smelled lavender and pine. She couldn’t imagine anywhere more perfect to live than this house. Except she wanted to pick it up and move it to Wildehaven Beach. A gull cried, and Anna smelled ripe cherries.

“What are you doing up there?” Evelyn asked from the bottom of the stairs. “Come down here.”

Anna met Tessa and her mama in the second floor hallway. “What do you think?” Tessa asked. “Isn’t the master bedroom dreamy? There’s so much light in this house, and I know how you like windows.”

“Why don’t you ride with Tessa to her office and look over the contract?” Evelyn asked. “You can walk to the bakery as soon as you’re done.”

“Mama—”

“Go,” Evelyn said and patted Anna on the arm. “Nothing is binding. Look it over and see how you feel. I think you’ll realize it’s perfect for you. I need to run. I left your dad at home with the contractor, and they’re probably sitting on the back porch talking about football. I’ll never get my kitchen finished.” Evelyn hugged Anna and Tessa, leaving behind the whispery scent of her magnolia blossom perfume.

Anna followed Tessa downstairs, and they made another pass through the kitchen. They walked through the backyard in silence until Tessa finally cleared her throat.

“What’s going on with you and Baron? I didn’t mean to upset you earlier,” Tessa said. “I feel out of the loop.”

Anna rubbed her fingers over the leaves of an unruly rosemary bush. “He left, and I’m not going with him.”

“You broke up with him because of his job? You know how much he wanted it.”

“It’s more complicated than that. I’m happy he got the job, but he’s going to California and I’m staying here. He didn’t even ask me to go, Tess. He didn’t even
think
about us. I didn’t break up with him, but it’s obvious that it’s over.” Anna turned and walked toward the house. She wasn’t mad at Tessa, but she was sick of defending Baron and sick of talking about him. Thinking of how Baron was able to leave her behind so easily sucked all the light from the day and blew a bitter wind across the yard.

“Did he say it was over?” Tessa asked when they stood on the back patio.

Anna wiped at her eyes. “He didn’t have to say it. Isn’t it obvious? There’s no where to go from here.” She pushed her long hair over her shoulders and smiled ruefully. “How’s your mama?”

Tessa tugged at her jacket. “She’s doing better. She keeps asking about you and Lily, wanting to know when y’all will stop by.”

Anna nodded. “Any time she wants us to. When she feels like having company, we’ll swing by and I’ll bring her favorite dessert over.”

Tessa smiled. “She’d like that. And what about Eli?” Tessa asked.

“What about him?” Anna opened the backdoor and walked inside.

“What’s he doing with you?”

Anna stopped abruptly. “He’s working for me.”

Tessa tucked her hair behind her ears. “Is he dating anyone?” she asked. She locked the backdoor and met Anna in the hallway. “People were asking.”

Anna laughed, but the back of her throat burned as though she’d swallowed whole chipotles slathered in adobo sauce. “He hasn’t even been here a week,” she said. “But no. He’s single.”
But he’s mine
. The ferocity of the declaration surprised her.

Tessa smiled and locked the front door. They climbed into her Corolla, and Tessa turned on the radio. “I can’t believe he’s single. He’s really good-looking.”

“He is,” Anna agreed, and she noticed Tessa hadn’t stopped smiling.

˜˜˜˜

Tessa parked in front of Andrews Real Estate Agency, and she and Anna climbed out of her car. Tessa’s spacious office was dull with its white walls, two framed prints of still-life paintings, and gray filing cabinet. The overly ornate lamp with its beaded shade looked out of place in the office. Her desk could have been substituted for any random desk found in an office supply store, made of particle board and mahogany laminate. The only distinguishable and odd-looking item in her office was a misshapen, lumpy doll Tessa’s grandmother had stitched for her when Tessa was a child. Now it sagged on the desk like it no longer had the energy to sit up straight and watch the world. At least she had a wide window.

“Tessa, you really need to buy a plant or paint the walls. This place feels like a jail cell,” Anna said, sitting across from Tessa’s desk.

Tessa rummaged through the filing cabinet and pulled out paperwork on the Clarke House. “You and Lily say the same thing every time. Except she’s a lot meaner,” Tessa said and grinned. She passed the paperwork to Anna. “It’s a basic agreement. Should you decide to place an offer, you would need to put down earnest money. Mrs. Clarke wants a month in order to move out and arrange for all of her things. She’s also willing to negotiate on any of the furniture. It’s a pretty standard contract, nothing too quirky, but you can read through it and let me know if you have any questions.”

Anna’s cell phone rang. She fished it out of her purse. “It’s Lily. Hello? No, I’m not there. I’m at Tessa’s office. No, I’m not buying a house. Are you okay? Sure, come over.” She hung up and shrugged. “Said she has something to tell us. She sounds weird, sorta strung out.”

“Too much espresso?” Tessa asked, and Anna laughed.

Anna flipped through the paperwork. She had enough money to put a decent down payment on the house. Her mortgage would be affordable. Mrs. Clarke only wanted a grand for earnest money, and even that was doable. Anna leaned back in the chair and placed the paperwork in her lap. She absentmindedly braided her hair and stared at the top page. She never dreamed she’d have an opportunity to live in the Clarke House. She could write a check and get the ball rolling. Then she thought of the contract in Wildehaven Beach. Accepting one dream meant forfeiting another.

“What’s stopping you?” Tessa asked.

Anna looked up at her. She hesitated. “It’s a big decision.”

Tessa leaned forward on her elbows and toyed with a ballpoint pen. “Here’s what I suggest. You put down the earnest money to let her know you’re interested, especially since she agreed to let you have the first offer. I know you like the house, but buying one is a big deal, so think about it. You don’t have to sign the contract today.”

Anna nodded. Tessa’s advice made sense. Maybe in a few more days she could sort through the mess that had become her life. Although she didn’t know how she would be able to work out the problem of Eli in a few days’ time. Anna wrote a check for the earnest money and handed it to Tessa. The room flooded with the smell of strong Colombian coffee.

“I thought you weren’t buying a house. What is going on here?” Lily asked, pointing at the check in Tessa’s fingers. She plopped down beside Anna. The manic energy she emanated vibrated off her and landed on Anna. Anna rubbed her hands up her arms.

“I’m not buying a house. Not yet. The Clarke House is for sale,” Anna explained.

“I
love
that house,” Lily said. She hung her purse on the back of the chair. “Tessa, didn’t I tell you to stop wearing gray? It completely washes you out. You dress like a mortician. Maybe that’s why Tommy the Taxidermist has the hots for you. He thinks you’re a gray version of Morticia Addams.” She wiggled out of her coat. “How can you stand being in here all day? This place is like a tomb. Would it kill you to paint? And that doll, doesn’t it freak anybody else out? It’s a redheaded voodoo doll—”

“Lily,” Anna interrupted. “Did you have something you wanted to tell us?”

Lily wrung her hands together, and anxiety rippled through the room. Anna and Tessa passed glances toward each other. The silence dragged on, and then Anna’s cell phone rang.

“I’m sorry. I have to answer,” Anna said. “Eli is alone at the bakery. Let me see who it is.” Anna winced when she saw the bakery was calling. “Hello, is everything okay? The house was great, but is something wrong? Dadgumit, I completely forgot. It’s supposed to be delivered at one p.m. No, that’s okay. It’s not your fault. Keep the display cases filled, and I’ll be right there.” Anna disconnected. “I am
so
sorry, but I really have to go. I’m supposed to have four dozen cupcakes delivered to Mrs. Shirley’s luncheon today. I haven’t started a single one. Can this wait?”

Lily sighed. “Yeah, it’s fine. Go ahead. We can catch up later, I guess.”

Anna rubbed her temples. “You sure?”

“Yeah, go,” Lily said. “I can tell y’all later.”

“You can tell
me
,” Tessa said.

“I promise to call you as soon as I’m done.” Anna stood. “I’ll meet you anywhere, and we can talk.” She looked at Tessa. “Thanks for showing me the house.” She said a swift goodbye and then she rushed down the few blocks to the bakery.

8
Lady Fingers

Anna put away the last of the clean dishes and glanced at the clock. She had one more hour to get through before she could fall face first onto her bed. Her brain felt like a water balloon ready to burst. She’d barely arrived on time with Mrs. Shirley’s four dozen cupcakes, and she’d sped straight across town, praying for only green lights and no stray dogs. Mrs. Shirley had given her the eye but thankfully still paid her the agreed-upon amount.

Once she returned to the bakery, the rest of the day had been a blur of colors and people, like watching confetti swept up in a windstorm. There was a constant flow of people into the bakery, people she’d never seen set foot on her black and white tiles. On one hand, she was thankful for the business. On the other hand, she couldn’t help but wonder if it had more to do with Eli’s charm than with her creations.

Anna felt Eli had been avoiding her all afternoon. Sure, they’d been swamped with a steady flood of customers, but she could count on one hand how many times he’d smiled at her. His distance only intensified her confusion. She still hadn’t heard from Baron, and she refused to appear weak and call him. If he wanted to talk to her, he knew how to contact her. She sighed and glanced up at the ceiling as though she could see the contract for Wildehaven Beach sitting on the table. She thought of the Clarke House, of the earnest money she’d put down so easily.

She grabbed replacement napkins from the backroom and carried them to the front. Eli helped the last customer in the shop, and she felt his eyes on her back. Once the customer was gone, he spoke.

“What are you putting in your cookies?”

“Which ones?” she asked. The display cases were nearly empty. She debated whether or not she should bake more, but it was so close to closing time.

“All of them,” he said. “These people can’t get enough.”

Anna looked up at him. “I think it’s
you
they can’t get enough of.”

Eli laughed. “Me?” He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest.

“You and your mumbo jumbo magic. You’ve charmed the whole town,” Anna said. She sighed and looked out the windows.

“But not you?”

His words startled her. She wanted to argue with him and tell him that he had charmed her the most, but the front door opened. As soon as she saw Tessa, she realized she’d forgotten to call Lily.

Anna met Tessa halfway across the bakery. “Is Lily okay? What was her news?”

Tessa glanced over Anna’s shoulder and waved at Eli. Then she whispered, “It’s not my news to share. You’ll have to ask her. It wouldn’t be right for me to tell you. Anyway, I wanted to come over and ask Eli a question.”

During all their years of friendship, Anna had never known Tessa to know a secret about Lily that she didn’t know. The idea made her skin feel prickly. Tessa wrung her hands together and smiled at Eli.

“Is there any way you’re free tonight?” she asked him. Anna’s mouth fell open.

Eli glanced at Anna and shrugged. “What’s happening tonight?”

“I’ve been thinking. I want to paint my office, but I’ve never painted before. Do you think you could help me with it? It shouldn’t take long, and I’d buy dinner,” Tessa said. “And wine too.”

Wine
?
To paint an office
? Anna’s body wouldn’t respond. She wanted to walk over to Tessa and tell her to back off, but she just stood and stared like a goldfish floating in a bowl.

“Sure,” Eli said. “Anna needs some space, so this is a good excuse to give it to her. What time do you need me?

I need space?
Anna shook her head, but no one was looking at her.

“If you’re free now, I’d love to have you go to the hardware store with me. We can look at paint samples together,” Tessa said, bouncing twice on the toes of her black flats before composing herself. She turned to look at Anna and smiled wide enough to park a full-size sedan in her mouth. “Can you let Eli go early today?” Her hazel eyes pleaded with Anna.

“Okay,” was all Anna managed to say. Then Eli was untying his apron, dropping it off in the back, and leaving the bakery with Tessa without even saying anything to Anna. The room stank of burnt caramel, and Anna hadn’t ever felt more alone than she did standing in the empty bakery, watching Tessa and Eli disappear. She pulled her cell phone from her pocket. No missed calls. No texts. Nothing but silence.

˜˜˜˜

Anna lay sideways on her bed and held her grandmother’s yellowed envelopes in her hand. She stretched to turn on her bedside lamp because nightfall was blanketing Mystic Water. Kitchen twine bound the letters, so she tugged them free. When Anna opened the first envelope, she realized they weren’t letters sent to her grandmother. They were notes Beatrice wrote to herself and sealed. Tiny white daises bordered the edges of the powder blue stationary. Anna rolled onto her back and read.

November 8

Mildred can’t stop talking about the gypsies. She is mesmerized by their jangling bracelets and colorful skirts, their long dark hair and almond eyes. They move like water, fluid and graceful, charming you with their bubbling voices. No one knows where they come from or where they are going. Most people keep their distance. Mystic Water is friendly, but they’re wary of outsiders. Mildred doesn’t care. She told me she’d sat by their crackling fires and listened to them tell stories for hours. At least until her mother found her and demanded she “go home right this instant.”