Page 21 of The Sweetest Ingredient

The timer dinged, and I stood up.

“Ready to try the first batch, Mochi?” I took the tray from the oven and inspected the baked goodies. “These don’t look half-bad.”

Mochi wagged her tail and circled around my legs. Once the biscuits had cooled, I let her take it from my fingers, watching her closely as she took a bite.

“If you like it, then others might, too.”

Mochi devoured the biscuit in seconds and looked up at me.

“Yes! Okay, one more,” I said, giving her another biscuit.

While she crunched on her second treat, a surge of accomplishment flowed through me.

“Who knows, Mochi? I might have a knack for baking, after all.”

I packed the remaining biscuits into an airtight container and placed them on the kitchen counter. Snapping the lid shut, my thoughts drifted to Bishop. He was closeminded about trying new things, but maybe this small success could pave the way for me to tell him the truth and continue working alongside him.

Although being a master baker at pet treats wasn’t only about impressing him professionally. Every stolen glance, every brief touch, had sown seeds of hope that our relationship could blossom into something deeper than friendship. And that meant, someday, I’d have to tell him the whole truth.

With a pat on Mochi’s fluffy head, I turned off the kitchen lights and went into the living room. “Bree! Mochi loved them.”

“That’s cool.” Bree placed her violin into its case and took a seat on the sofa.

“To celebrate, wanna watch a baking show?” I sank down beside her and snuggled up with my sister.

She switched on the TV and as we lost ourselves in the drama unfolding on the screen, I kept stealing glances at the container of pet treats on the counter. A curious sort of satisfaction bubbled in my chest. I wasn’t such a bad baker after all. Not only had I not burned down the kitchen, but I’d also made biscuits that were yummy, at least by Mochi’s standards. I wondered if my culinary aptitude had found its secret ingredient—determination.

I glanced at Bree, engrossed in another episode of a reality baking competition that we’d become obsessed with.

“Kenzi?” she said tentatively. “I know money is tight, so I was thinking I could try performing on a street corner or giving other kids violin lessons.”

Considering it, I hesitated—she was only thirteen. Even with the relative safety of Serenity Falls, the idea made me uneasy. Not to mention, without a car, transportation would be a hurdle. And while hosting the lessons at our place was a possibility, I wasn’t sure our neighbors would appreciate the sound of beginner violinists.

I squeezed her hand. “I love that you want to help, but it’s my responsibility to take care of you. Besides, I’ve got a job now, so we’re going to be fine, and I’ll keep looking for design opportunities.”

We went back to watching the screen.

Mochi pranced into the room with an eager yap. She took a flying leap onto the sofa, narrowly missing my lap in her quest for the perfect snuggle spot.

“Someone’s feeling left out.”

“Can you blame her?” Bree cooed, reaching out to pet Mochi’s silky fur. “She just wants to be part of the love.”

Mochi nestled between us and fixed her dark stare on the TV.

I petted my dog. “Looks like we’ve got ourselves a pint-sized judge.”

“You should pay attention to the show,” Bree teased, nudging me with her elbow. “You might learn a thing or two, sis.”

“Hey!” I protested, feigning offense. “I’ll be an expert baker in no time and I won’t need to read the directions from a box anymore.” I gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

“I have something to tell you…” Bree pulled out a crisp white envelope from her pocket and held it out to me. “I got an acceptance letter from the music conservatory.”

“That’s amazing!” I gasped, taking the letter to inspect it closer. No denying the official seal and neatly typed words that confirmed her acceptance. Pride welled up within me, but at the same time, a heaviness spread from my chest to my stomach.

Her face shone with happy eagerness. “Isn’t it great?” Bree gushed, fidgeting in her seat as if she couldn’t contain her joy.

I forced a smile. “Absolutely.”

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