I set the grocery bags on the gleaming stainless steel.This was mine for now.And soon, I'd have something like this in my bakery.It would be better than before.I could serve more clients than I ever had.It was time to elevate my business.
I much preferred thinking about my business that way, as opposed to feeling down about the situation.I could stay in Morgan's home and cry about everything that happened, or I could bake.I let out a breath.I couldn't wait to bake.
I heard footsteps, and then the double doors opened."Reina!"
I hugged Eve."I can't believe I get this kitchen all to myself."
Eve opened her arms wide."It's yours for as long as you need it."
I pulled back."I can't thank you enough."
She smiled."It's just me working here.My office door is always open, so I get a few people coming in to meet with me, but otherwise it should be quiet."
"I hope you're okay with the place smelling like a bakery for a while," I said as I pulled the ingredients out of my bags.
She leaned against the counter."As long as I can sneak down here and be your taste tester."
I grinned."Deal.I'm sure I'll enjoy the company.I usually bake for a few hours by myself, but then I'm greeting customers for the rest of the day.But this will be different."
"You can visit me in my office anytime you're lonely.It will be a nice change if someone brings me baked goods instead of complaints."
I winced."Is it hard being the town mayor?"
"I'm technically the town manager, but somehow, it morphed into mayoral duties.I enjoy it, but it's lonely.I'm going to like having you as a neighbor."
"You want to help me bring in the rest of the groceries?The sooner I can get set up, the sooner I can bake."I hadn't made anything since the other night in Morgan's kitchen, and I was feeling restless.I needed the release that baking gave me.My life was imploding, but if I focused on getting these orders out, I could forget about the fire and the damage for a few hours.
"Absolutely."
It took us several trips to get everything inside, and then she helped arrange everything on the shelves.I'd had to order spoons, bowls, and a new mixer because most of my stuff was charred from the fire.
She moved toward the door."I'll leave you alone so you can work."
"Thanks for helping me get set up."
"You can pay me with baked goods.”
"I'll run some up later," I said to her as she walked out.
I was excited to get started.I finally had a home, one where I could disappear and bake for hours, and no one would interrupt me.I wasn't messing up someone else's kitchen.This was all mine.
I was so grateful that this was available.It would allow me to fulfill existing orders and take new ones.I'd tweaked the online ordering system so that I could offer more options, things I would normally sell in the bakery, just in bigger quantities.
But I hadn't reached out to tell customers that I'd found a new kitchen.I would need to do that if I wanted new orders.I wanted the catering business to sustain me while the bakery was closed, so I needed to market myself, something I hadn't had to do since I opened.
Once people had known there was a bakery in town, the word had traveled.The storefront and the sign brought them in, and then the baked goods kept them coming back.But no one knew I was here.
I pulled out my list of orders and got to work on the first one.When I was finished with each order, I placed it in the refrigerator, grateful that I had the space to store the items.Then I sent an email to the customers telling them their order was ready with instructions on where to pick them up.
I was humming, mixing ingredients for an order of four dozen cupcakes for a baby shower, when there was a knock on the door."Come in."
I hadn't expected any visitors, and almost no one knew I was even here.
The door swung open.
"Mrs.Sweeney, you found me."I came around the counter to give her a hug.She was one of my daily customers.She went to Meg's for a coffee and then to the bakery for a pastry every morning.
She pulled back and smacked my arm lightly."You didn't tell me you'd moved down the street."
