Page 19 of Batter Up!

I would find her, but I would concentrate on baseball, too. We had six weeks until Opening Day for this brand-new team. I wanted to do well, so I could get called up sooner rather than later. But hopefully, after I saw my Red again. There was something special about her. I just knew somehow she would understand baseball would come first.

One interesting fact about any job interview is that the interviewers decide if they want you working for them in the first few minutes itself.

The next few weeks were very busy. It was probably a good thing because I didn’t have much time to dwell on Stone. I hardly knew him, but I already missed him. I missed his deep chuckle, his smile, and especially those dimples. I was still kicking myself for not giving him my number, but especially for leaving in the first place. You weren’t supposed to miss one night stands, were you?

Autumn’s fiancé, Nathan, and a bunch of his friends helped me change a butcher’s kitchen into my baker’s kitchen without too much work. They didn’t seem to mind doing work as long as I had baked goods for them to sample and give me their opinions on. They seemed to really like the mocha scones I made. Nate’s friend, Ayden, even said he didn’t like anything coffee flavored but he liked those. I found the oatmeal AF cookies still on the plate, and it let me know that I needed to work on that recipe some more. The construction guys seemed to work harder if I promised anything chocolate. They said my chocolate croissants and mini chocolate peanut butter cakes were to die for. Autumn loved my vanilla honey bread the most, and I told her whenever she came in, I’d save her a loaf.

Slowly, my bakery was becoming what I had dreamed it would be. I still had a few more things on my to do list. I had to add decorations to the walls and get small signs to show what each item was, but the main thing was to hire a part-time worker. I wasn’t sure how the bakery would do in this small town and decided to hire one person now and possibly another part-time associate after a few weeks. I put an ad in the local newspaper and on the board in the library advertising for jobs, and I had four interviews lined up.

I sat at the cafe table and waited for the first interviewer to arrive. I looked down at my purple watch and noticed they were already twelve minutes late. Not a good sign when the job required early hours and punctuality. I sat there for a few more minutes when the door was flung open. A boy, obviously a teenager, came barreling through.

“Hi. I’m Cash Wehmeier! When do I start?”

I looked him up and down. He was wearing a shirt that was sleeveless with no sides that showed off his chest and his ribs. I was shocked for two reasons. One - it was definitely a shirt to wear to a gym or beach, not something for a job interview. Two - it was March in the midwest, and it was cold outside. I didn’t want to come off as judgy, so I motioned for him to sit down and gave him a chance.

“Hi, Cash, I’m Molly. What can you tell me about your job experiences?”

Cash pulled the cafe chair around and sat on it backwards, “Uh, I mow my neighbors lawn. Oh! And I dog sat for my aunt last summer.” He looked like an excited puppy himself with how he couldn’t sit still in the chair and kept grinning at me.

I nodded. Everyone had to start off somewhere.

“Okay. What assets could you bring to a bakery?” I looked around at my white walls with blue and purple accents all around.

Cash looked around, too. “Well, I do have a nice ass. That’s what all the girls tell me.”

I had to just blink at him. Did he really say that in a job interview? “Um, do you know what an asset is?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t mind hitting your ass. I don’t know why you keep saying ass hit, though. Hitting ass sounds so much better. I don’t even mind that you’re older.”

“Oh my gosh!” I had to cover my face with my hands. “Come back after you’ve looked up what asset means as well as basic job interview etiquette.”

“So, when do I start?” he asked.

“I have your number here.” I held up the info he’d given when he called about the interview. “I’ll be in touch if you get the job.” I made sure to emphasize “if” so hopefully, he would understand he was not guaranteed the job.

“See you later, babe,” he said and put his thumb and pinky fingers to his ear in the universal “call me” gesture.

I pulled out my phone and had to text Meadow about what just happened. While I was waiting for her response, I looked over the information about my next candidate. I really hoped it would go better. I felt my phone vibrate and picked it up with a smile on my face.

Meadow: OMG! Was he hot? Hire him! You need to get laid!

Me: EW! He was like 17. I am NOT hiring him

Meadow: Hmmm. Not legal. No fun. And I know my bestie. You’re holding out hope for STONE!

I wasn’t sure how to respond. He was always in the back of my mind, and I just didn’t understand it. I had only known him one night. Yes, it was an amazing night, but I felt like I had known him for so much longer. I was still mad that I couldn’t remember where he lived. While walking to his place, we had both been so drunk I hadn’t paid attention. In the morning, I was so nervous about leaving that I hurried out of there. I found my way back to the stadium after walking around in circles and then found my apartment from there. I decided to change the subject.

Me: Do you think you might be able to come out here sometime soonish? I have a favor to ask…

Meadow: Girl! You know I make my own schedule. When do you need me and what for?

Me: I just love you! My walls are a little bare & I was wondering if you could take some pictures of my creations to hang on the wall. I’d pay you, of course.

Meadow: 1. Hell yeah! 2. You are NOT paying me! 3. I’ll check my schedule & see you soon!

Meadow had gone to culinary school with me and majored in food photography. She did freelance photography for restaurants and grocery stores in New York and had a successful portfolio already. She was very talented! I was so excited for her to photograph my bakery items, and I knew they would be perfect to hang on my walls as decorations.

I heard a knock on the door and looked down at my watch. This next interviewee was early. That was a great sign. I quickly texted Meadow that I would talk to her later and that I would be paying her. I opened the door to a young woman with long blonde hair that was curled around her shoulders. She seemed a little younger than me but not by much.

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