“Yes,” Joey said. “We’ve got the five o’clock orders right here.” She handed her the two pies and checked her off on the clipboard. When they were alone again in the kitchen, Adam met her eye and grinned at her.
“Two pies,” he said.
She ducked her head, but her smile was the absolute biggest Adam had ever seen. Abandoning his cookie crumbs for now, he moved over to Joey and wrapped her up in a hug from behind.
“You’re incredible,” he said. “You have this dream, this vision, and and you’re doing it.”
“A lot of people do that,” she said.
“No,” he said. “They actually don’t. You’ve got to give yourself credit for this.”
She stood stiffly in his arms, gently moving the cream aroundin the pan as she waited for it to bubble. She had ingredients lined up on the counter beside her, including the eggs that she would temper, the chopped chocolate, and the finishing butter and vanilla.
“Hey,” he said. “Take ten seconds with me.” He turned her in his arms, and she sighed in a way that told him she didn’t want to take ten seconds with him.
“Why can’t you admit that you’ve done a great thing and take pride and joy in it?”
“I am,” she said. “Did you see me smile?”
“Yeah. But then you’re right back to work.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “You’re going to lecture me about going right back to work?”
“No,” he said. “That’s not….” He exhaled heavily, tamping down the annoyance rising through him. “I just think you’re incredible, and you don’t believe me.”
“Yes, I do,” she whispered.
“Then say it,” he said.
She glared at him, her eyes filled with blazing blue fire now. “Adam, I don’t have time for this.”
“It’ll take five seconds,” he said, taming his smile. “Just say it.I’m incredible. I made delicious pies that people are going to be so happy to eat because I am a fantastic chef.”
He nodded to her. “Your turn. Say it.”
“I can’t even remember what you said,” she griped. “It was too long.”
“Then just say two words.” His fight-reflex hovered at an all-time high, and he didn’t want to walk awayfrom this. “It’s okay to admit you’re good at something. It doesn’t make you proud or sinful.”
“I’ve never said that,” she said.
Adam shook his head, because now was not the time to talk to her about her faith or beliefs. “I think you’re incredible,” he said, his eyebrows going up with the corners of his mouth. He waited, and Joey exhaled impatiently.
“Fine,” she said. “I’m a good pie baker.”
“You’re anincrediblepie baker.”
She met his eye. “I’m an incredible pie baker.” A smile curved her lips, and Adam’s jumped to his face and crinkled his eyes all the way.
“You’re an incredible person.”
“I’m an incredible person,” she said, and she seemed to draw life and strength into her shoulders.
Adam nodded and leaned down and touched his lips to her cheek. “All right,” he said, stepping back. “You can go back to work now.”
“Gee, thanks.” Joey turned back to the stove and said, “Oh, this is boiling.”
That meant she had to get to work to finish the chocolate pudding, and she went through several utensils to do that, including a ladle as she tempered the eggs, a whisk as she violently stirred them into the boiling cream, a rubber spatula to get all the way down into the corners as she melted all the chocolate in, and then finally, that vanilla and the very cold butter for added taste and shine. While she did all that, Adam managed to mix together the melted butter and cookie crumbs and section it into four pie pans.
