The Christmas Bakery: Describe a love story that unfolds in a small-town bakery during the bustling Christmas season.
Baker's Divinity
Maddie Rawlins had retired and had taken over her family's bakery. She was busy due to it being the holiday season and was trying to perfect her grandmother's divinity recipe so they could sell it. She hadn't taken into account how hard divinity was to make. Her gram made it look easy.
"Lieutenant Rawlins?" A deep, somewhat familiar voice asked from the other side of the counter. Maddie looked up and smiled.
"Admiral Slattery? What a surprise. You're in Heber Springs?" Maddie questioned.
"Yes. Your recruiter has a higher-than-normal recruitment rate. The Navy wants to figure out how." Admiral Slattery explained.
"Well, most high school students want to escape the real-life Hallmark movie. That contributes to it." Maddie remarked.
"Yet, you came back here?" Admiral Slattery asked.
"Yeah." Maddie said. She looked at the divinity and noticed that it was another fail. "Can I get you something?" Maddie asked.
"A cup of coffee and one of these apple fritters, please." Admiral Slattery requested.
"What sort of coffee?" Maddie asked. Somehow, she couldn't see Admiral Slattery drinking a latte.
"Black and bitter." He answered as he looked around.
"That doesn't shock me." Maddie remarked.
"So, otherwise; how's retirement treating you? My wife would have described this town as quaint. She would have loved it." Admiral Slattery asked.
"Good. And it is quaint. Do you mind how quiet it is?" Maddie asked.
"No, but I'm only here for a few days. Do you mind it?" He asked.
"I'm…a little bored." Maddie said as she handed him the fritter and coffee.
"But you don't leave?" Admiral Slattery asked.
"I took this over from my mom and grandma. Mom wants to travel, and Gram is in her eighties. So, it's my turn." Maddie said.
"Never took you for a baker." Admiral Slattery remarked.
"Can't say that I'm a good one." Maddie replied.
"The fritter is good, and the coffee is not bad at all. What were you making over there? The white mess?" Admiral Slattery asked.
"It's supposed to be divinity. My grandmother's recipe but it's not going well. It used to be this bakery's best seller this time of year." Maddie said.
"Maybe she would help you?" Admiral Slattery suggested.
"It would mean I had to admit I couldn't do it." Maddie remarked.
"So, it's better to struggle?" Admiral Slattery asked.
"I probably should ask. Her and my mother are leaving for Florence next month. Florence, Rome, Paris, London. Can you imagine that kind of traveling?" Maddie remarked.
"I would love to travel like that. See things, eat all the food. My wife and I had a plan to buy an RV and travel all over the United States, parking in our kids' driveways, spoiling the grandbabies and driving our kids crazy." Admiral Slattery said with a happy smile.
"I…I'm sorry. I didn't think when I said that." Maddie apologized.
"It's okay. I find myself doing that sometimes." Admiral Slattery said.
"It must be hard, especially this time of year." Maddie remarked. He had just gestured for her to sit down across from him, and she poured herself a cup of coffee.
"Yeah. Christmas is hard, but so is Easter, and Fourth of July, their birthdays and random Tuesdays. Last week: I could have sworn I saw my oldest daughter. Even called out her name, but the girl looked at me like I was nuts." He explained.
"I read that you never got confirmation." Maddie commented.
"Yeah. I think had I seen their bodies, planned for a funeral, had a headstone and all that…I wouldn't think random young women were my daughter. It certainly causes the wound to reopen. But, some people didn't get those luxuries." He continued.
"You are instrumental in raising money for foster children and funds for people that are having relocate and set themselves up because of the Red Flu and its aftereffects." Maddie remarked.
"Makes sense if you think about it." Admiral Slattery said.
"I suppose so. So, how long are you going to be in town? Over Christmas, Admiral Slattery?" Maddie asked.
"Please; just Mike. You're not in the Navy now, so no need for formalities. I'm not required to stay over the holidays, but I have nowhere else to be." He explained.
"You'd want to stay in a quaint, little down like Heber Springs?" Maddie asked.
"It's not bad. I like these little shops." Mike answered.
"We have caroling and a live nativity on the square Christmas Eve. There's also a cookie contest. I am supposed to put it on, but I need a judge." Maddie remarked.
"I do like cookies." Mike said with a smile.
"Could you judge it in uniform? It would lend to the importance." Maddie asked.
"Sure. I'd love to." Mike answered.
"I appreciate it. My gram is making her famous hot chocolate cookies. Most people choose them, but Mrs. Maguire's apple pie cookies are amazing too." Maddie explained.
"I can't wait to try them both." Mike said.
"So, the cookie contest is tonight at six; just outside. Caroling and the live nativity is Christmas Eve. Seven. Then there is a midnight mass Christmas Eve as well at…" Maddie started.
"Midnight?" Mike asked with a laugh.
"Yes, midnight; at the church at the end of the street." Maddie answered.
"Will you be there?" Mike asked.
"Yes." Maddie said.
"We…could go together?" Mike suggested.
"You mean…oh?" Maddie asked. She was a bit shocked. Mike seemed like he still loved his wife deeply.
"Yes, oh." Mike said with a laugh.
"That wouldn't be against the rules?" Maddie asked.
"You aren't in the Navy now." Mike answered.
"Are you sure? You seem like you really adore your wife." Maddie asked.
"I am. Christine was special, but she has died. And I know she would want me to be happy again. I am tired of being unhappy. I don't know if it's with you, but you make me laugh. That's a start." Mike explained.
"I'm good like that." Maddie remarked.
"So, what do you say?" Mike asked.
"Let's give it a shot." Maddie agreed.
"Perfect. I'll pick you up?" Mike asked.
"I live upstairs. Just ring the bell on the door over there. The shop will be closed. Get here early enough and you can help me set up." Maddie said.
"Sounds like a plan. Should be fun." Mike remarked.
"Oh, just wait. Nothing like small-town gossip." Maddie replied as they both stood up.
"Well, we may just have to give them something to talk about." Mike answered. He threw some money on the table, winked at Maddie and left. After he was gone, she wondered if he had intentionally visited the town she had settled in, knowing he'd find her?
He was at her door at five pm and helped her get the tables set up for the cookie contest. Social media was buzzing when Maddie announced who the judge was. It seemed like people were baking cookies just for the contest to have it judged by the legendary Admiral Mike Slattery. Her grandma had texted asking how she had found him.
He settled at the judge's table and people gathered, watching him eat one cookie after another. The hot chocolate was a definite like, but he also liked a peppermint cookie baked by the owner of the hardware store. Mike was also a huge fan of a chocolate crinkle cookie. He finally choose it as the first place winner, with the second place winner being the peppermint cookie and Maddie's grandma took third place.
Once the judging was done; everyone visited over shared cookies, recipes and hot chocolate provided by the high school students. The mayor lit the Christmas tree in the town square. Maddie was afraid Mike might be bored but he was smiling and laughing.
"If you want to escape; I'll cover you?" Maddie offered.
"Not a chance. I'm enjoying this." Mike said.
"Really? I'm sure the bigger cities have more appealing traditions?" Maddie asked.
"Perhaps but not many people I know are there." Mike answered.
"Same goes for here?" Maddie retorted.
"Well, you're here? You aren't there." Mike said with a laugh. They were waiting on the mayor to light the tree.
"I think people are really wondering about you." Maddie said.
"Lets give them something else to wonder about?" Mike suggested. Maddie nodded, knowing what he was suggesting. He put an arm around her waist and gave her a sweet but passionate kiss. When he finally pulled away, Maddie's mom and grandma were staring.
"I think that did the job." Maddie said.
"Glad to be of service." Mike remarked.
Once the crowd dissipated, Mike helped Maddie put the tables back into her shop and carried leftover cookies upstairs to her apartment. He was looking around at the apartment and smiled at Maddie.
"Please make yourself comfortable. I have coffee, hot tea, and red wine." Maddie offered.
"Just some water would be good." Mike answered.
"Your blood sugar is probably elevated." Maddie teased.
"It was a lot of cookies." Mike admitted.
"You seemed to enjoy it though?" Maddie asked.
"I did. Loved every moment. Thank you." Mike answered. She handed him a bottle of water and he looked around for a moment.
"Its not a BOQ but I like it." Maddie remarked.
"It is homey. I like the brick." Mike said.
"Me too. So, what are your plans now?" Maddie asked.
"Well; I can tell you would I would like my plans to be but you would have to concur." Mike remarked as he pulled her in and sat the water down.
"And if I did?" Maddie asked.
"Well, I would not go back to my hotel room tonight?" Mike started.
"And?" Maddie encouraged.
"And we'd both have a Merry Christmas?" Mike continued with a devilish grin.
"And it wouldn't cause you any issues?" Maddie asked.
"No. Its why I waited until you were out of the Navy for awhile." Mike answered.
"Good." Maddie said before giving him a long kiss, communicating what her answer was.
"Merry Christmas to us." Mike answered.
"Merry Christmas." Maddie said before giving him another kiss. It was the craziest thing she had done in a long time, but she suspected, she would be safe with Mike. He had that vibe.