The Baker's Man (13 page)

“Until eleven p.m.? Did you rearrange her entire house?” Anna asked, still smiling.

Eli cleared his throat and shrugged. “Not really. We hung out for a while, and then I came home.” He finished his mug of cocoa and put the mug in the sink. “I’m gonna jump in the shower, and then I’ll be ready.” Eli passed her, and Anna caught a whiff of overdone cookies.

When she heard the shower turn on, Anna walked to the refrigerator. Eli’s short sentence read,
I want to believe but I want cake
.

˜˜˜˜

Wildehaven Beach was approximately an hour-and-a-half trip down a two-lane highway. Anna wanted to cook a quick breakfast before they left, but Eli suggested they stock up on random convenient store snacks for their road trip. Anna wasn’t sure she wanted junk food for breakfast, but Eli convinced her it would be an adventure. After sharing a large bag of Doritos, a Snickers, a bottle of Coca-Cola, and Skittles, Anna and Eli were singing at the top of their lungs, and it felt good to let go of all the stress for a while. During breaks from singing, they talked about places they’d like to visit, their favorite foods, and movies they wished they’d starred in. Eli’s answers didn’t exactly match Anna’s, and rather than finding the information disturbing, she felt comforted by the fact that Eli was becoming his own man.

Anna parked behind the bakery, and they followed the sidewalk until it connected with the boardwalk. The breeze off the ocean was chilly, and Anna zipped her jacket. She and Eli stepped onto the boardwalk, and instead of going straight to the bakery, they walked toward the water. An older man tossed a bright green tennis ball to his golden retriever, while a young woman jogged down the beach. Otherwise, the beach was deserted. Gulls soared through the air like feathered kites and skittered across the wet sand, dodging the waves lumbering in. Farther out, a group of brown pelicans undulated over the gentle waves like toy boats in a bathtub.

Anna untied her shoes, stuffed her socks in her jacket pocket and rolled up her jeans. Then she bounced into the cold sand. It squished in between her toes, and she shivered. Closing her eyes, she breathed in the smell of the ocean, all fresh, salty air and new possibilities.

“Last one to the water has to drink chunky buttermilk,” Eli challenged.

Before she could open her eyes, he was already sprinting for the wet sand. Anna yelled, “Cheater!” But she laughed and followed him, pumping her arms like a steam engine and closing the distance between them. Eli reached the water first and kicked a spray of water in her direction.

“You’re faster than I imagined,” he said, bending over and sucking in cool air. “The intense expression on your face is intimidating.”

Anna kicked water at him and smiled. “High school track team,” she said. She pointed at his legs. “Slim chance of winning when I’m racing against those mile-long legs.” She laughed and dodged a kick of water. “You cheated, so I’m not drinking chunky buttermilk.”

Eli laughed. Then he turned and looked in the direction of the boardwalk. “Which one is it?” he asked.

Anna stood beside him, breathing in the scent that was purely his. She pointed straight ahead. “The one there on the end with the blue and white awning. Aren’t the windows gorgeous? There’s so much light all day, but he used heat-reflecting windows to keep out the summer heat.”

Eli used his toe and wrote in the sand. Anna followed behind him, reading his words until the entire sentence was complete:
This could be yours
. She grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the boardwalk.

“Let’s go have a look. You can meet Mr. Cornfoot and his wife.”

They washed sand from their feet in the freezing cold water from the tap at the end of the boardwalk. Anna jumped around and complained of the cold until her feet were nestled back in her socks and shoes. She smelled warm chocolate chip cookies before she even opened the bakery’s door. Warm air rolled out to greet them, and Mr. Cornfoot popped his head out from the kitchen. His weathered face stretched into a smile.

Timothy Cornfoot was tall and still lithe from years of playing tennis. His hair was nearly white with slight undertones of the dark brown he wore in his younger days. His eyes were dark and inviting, reminding Anna of smooth dark chocolate. “Anna,” he said, wiping his hands on his apron. “This is a surprise.”

“I had the day off today, so I thought I’d visit,” she said. “It smells so good in here.” She walked to the display cases and smiled. She tapped the glass with her fingertip. “Mr. Cornfoot makes the best cream-filled donuts I’ve ever had.” She debated asking for one, but she was still full of Doritos and chocolate. “I received the contract in the mail. Everything looks in order.”

Mr. Cornfoot nodded. “Can I get you two anything?” He held out his hand toward Eli. “I’m Timothy Cornfoot. I have coffee or hot chocolate, and Mel is pulling a coffee cake out of the oven right now if you’d like a piece.”

Eli shook his hand and introduced himself. “I work with Anna in Mystic Water. I’m her assistant, and I’d love coffee and cake.”

“He’s more than an assistant. He can do everything I can,” Anna said. “Hot chocolate, please.” While Mr. Cornfoot prepared two mugs, Anna looked at Eli and shook her head. “How can you possibly be hungry?”

“I never turn down an opportunity to eat,” he said.

“Are you coming to Wildehaven Beach with Anna?” Mr. Cornfoot asked. “If she accepts the offer.”

Eli glanced quickly at Anna, and her lips parted as if she might say,
Of course he is
or
Only if he wants to
or
Where else would he go
? or
Please
, but they were spared from answering because Mrs. Cornfoot stepped out of the kitchen with a coffee Bundt cake on a mint green cake plate. The room filled with the smells of warm vanilla cake, cinnamon, and walnuts.

“Who wants cake?” she asked. Melanie Cornfoot was a beautiful woman in her late ’60s. Her hair fell past her shoulders, salt and pepper, and Anna thought she resembled Emmylou Harris. “Well, hello there. I’m Mel Cornfoot,” she said to Eli. As Eli introduced himself, Mel cut two pieces of cake. “Anna brought reinforcements.” She smiled at her husband. “How did the contract look?”

Anna thanked Mel for the slice of cake even though she didn’t have an ounce of space left in her stomach after the road trip snacking. Eli took a bite and closed his eyes. “This is amazing,” he said. “Don’t suppose you’re going to leave behind your recipes?”

Mel ushered everyone to a table. “Of course they’re included. I won’t have time to make cake while Timothy and I are globetrotting. I’m planning on people making cake for
me
.” She patted Timothy’s thigh and smiled.

“The contract looked great,” Anna said. “Just as you said it would.” Anna cut her fork into the cake but didn’t make an attempt to eat the small piece.

“But you’re having doubts?” Mel asked her.

Anna’s head popped up. “No,” she said immediately. Then she exhaled. “Not really.” She looked at Eli for help, but he continued eating. “It’s complicated. I really do love it here. It’s a big decision, and I’m weighing all the pros and cons.”

“Good girl,” Mel said. “You need to do what’s best for you. Timothy and I would love to have you take over our place here. But if it’s not right for you, then it will be right for someone else. Think it over. Consult your friends.” She tilted her head toward Eli. “You look like a smart fellow. Did I hear you say you work with Anna? Want me to show you around the place, and you can give Anna your expert opinion?”

Eli grabbed his empty plate and stood. “I’m right behind you.”

Anna heard Mel describing their top-of-the-line appliances. The kitchen had been completely updated two years ago, and it was amazing. The industrial-size mixer alone was enough to tempt Anna to buy the place. She could make so many batches of her goods at once. It would cut her preparation time in half, if not more. Anna looked out the window at the white-capped waves rolling onto the shore. The bakery wasn’t the only thing she loved about Wildehaven Beach. She could smell the ocean amid the bakery scents. It settled around her like handfuls of thrown glitter, and her shoulders relaxed.

“I’ll miss this place,” Timothy said. “But it’s time I kept my promise to Mel and showed her the world. We’ve been happy here, but I’m ready for a new adventure myself.”

“Me too,” Anna said honestly. She looked toward the kitchen just as Mel and Eli returned from the backroom.

“I’m sold,” Eli said with a huge grin, and Mel laughed. “Anna,
you
would fit in that mixer.”

“You two should enjoy the sun today. Take a walk. Take him to Tucker’s Pier,” Timothy said. “Mel, why don’t you pack them a bag of treats to go?”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” Anna said. She carried her plate toward the kitchen.

“Nonsense,” Mel said as she slid open the display cases. “Eli, come over here and tell me your favorites.” He bounded over, and they whispered among themselves as the to-go bag grew fatter and fatter.

Anna thanked Timothy and Mel for the treats, and she and Eli stepped outside into the cool October air. The sun warmed her cheeks, and she exhaled a restful sigh. Would every day feel like this one—perfect and peaceful?

“Timothy and Mel are great,” Eli said as he strolled toward the beach. He shifted the bag to his other arm.

“Aren’t they?” Anna asked. “You know I can’t resist a bakery, so I wandered in one day, and we talked for hours. Before I knew it, Mel had me in the kitchen whipping up brownies, and we had the best time. I missed lunch with my parents that day, and my mom scolded me for working on my vacation. But it’s not like work to me,” Anna said and smiled at the memory. She untied her shoes, and Eli passed her the bag while he took off his shoes. “Whoa, this thing feels like a bowling ball. If we eat all of this, we’ll end up in a sugar coma.”

“Is that a challenge?” Eli smirked.

˜˜˜˜

The return trip to Mystic Water felt as though time folded in half, and before Anna knew it, they were home. She groaned as she hauled herself from the front seat. The sun crept low on the horizon, and deep blues painted the sky. The first of the evening stars twinkled. Anna shivered as she jingled her keys around in order to find the one to her apartment.

“I can’t believe we ate all that,” she whined. “I feel like I have the shakes.”

“I can’t believe
you
ate three donuts. I thought you were pushing it with the second one, but when you went for the third, I knew it was bad news,” Eli laughed. “I bet you’d bleed sugar right now.”

Anna glared at him. “This is all your fault. You taunted me with them. All the
oohs
and
aahs
. I had to test them.”

“Testing would require a bite, not the entire pastry,” he said.

“Do you want to sleep outside tonight? Maybe a little frostbite will do you some good.”

Eli laughed and followed Anna inside. They shut the door as quickly as possible to cut off the freezing air that tried to follow in behind them. Anna turned up the thermostat, and the heat clicked on. Her cell phone rang, and she rustled around in her bag until she found it.

“Hey, Tessa,” she said. “I haven’t checked my messages yet. We went for a drive today. Wildehaven Beach.” Anna looked up at Eli. “Tessa says hello.” Eli rubbed the back of his neck and stared into the kitchen. Anna took a step toward him and poked her finger into his bicep. Still he didn’t look at her. “What? Why?” Anna asked. Then, she walked into her bedroom. “Okay, I’m in my room. No, he’s in the kitchen. Why are you whispering?”

Anna listened to Tessa for less than a minute. Tessa’s voice pitched high like an excited child, but Anna’s ears started ringing. The sugar in her veins pulsed thick and sickening. She went to sit on the edge of her bed, and she nearly missed. She caught herself before she dropped to the floor. Anna mumbled a few more words—possibly a goodbye—and disconnected. She rubbed her hand across her collarbone, and her throat felt so swollen she could barely swallow.

The room filled with the scent of stale donuts and glazed sugar that had hardened and flaked like crackled paint. She looked up to see Eli standing in the doorway. She’d never seen the expression in his eyes before—guilt and uncertainty.

“You kissed Tessa,” Anna said. It wasn’t a question. Tessa wouldn’t lie, and even more than that, Tessa was so thrilled that Anna could feel the energy rippling through the phone line and electrocuting her in the heart. Eli said nothing; he simply stared at her. The temperature in the room spiked, making Anna dizzy. Her brain rocked in her skull like a boat in a storm. “She said it was amazing,” Anna babbled. “That she never wanted it to end. The best ever.” Anna looked away from Eli’s piercing gaze. She blinked at the floorboards. “I’m happy for you both. Tessa is a great person.” The words hung in her throat as though they were connected to fishhooks that someone yanked.

“I’m going to take a shower,” she said. When she stood, her knees buckled, and she wobbled sideways. Eli stepped toward her, but she held up her hand and shook her head.

“I’m sorry,” Eli said.

“Why?” she asked.

“Because I can tell you’re upset.”

She tried to laugh it off, but her bottom lip trembled instead. “Why would I be upset? I have a boyfriend.” The word
boyfriend
sank into her stomach like burning coal.

“You do have a boyfriend,” Eli said quietly. His eyes pleaded with her to let him come closer to her, so she took a step backward. Being near Eli was too dangerous now. The idiot side of her brain wanted him to hold her and take away the sick feeling clawing its way out of her. But the rational side of her brain told her to redraw the friendship lines between them—the same lines she’d been assuring everyone else existed.

Anna rushed into the bathroom and shut the door. Then she trembled so badly her teeth chattered. She turned on the water scalding hot and sat on the edge of the tub while it heated up.

Eli had kissed Tessa. This perfect man she had created by accident, this man who tugged at her heart in a way no one else did, had kissed another woman. And not just any woman—one of her best friends. Maybe she was all wrong. Maybe Eli wasn’t hers. He was changing, making his own decisions, and evidently deciding Tessa was the one he’d like to be with instead of her. She knew she should be happy for Tessa’s excitement, for finding such a great man. But her heart squeezed so tightly in her chest she could barely pull in a breath. Instead of feeling happy for Eli and Tessa, Anna climbed into the shower, let the water beat against her cold skin, and cried into the blue and white tiles.