Page 4 of Sweet Dreams

Two

The pre-dawn chill nipped at Beth's nose as she fumbled with the bakery keys. The glow of the streetlights made Stanford's main street look like a fairytale winter landscape. On any other day, she might have admired it. Today, she just wanted to lose herself in work.

The bell above the door chimed as she entered Sweet Dreams. She flicked on the lights, illuminating the cozy space she'd poured her heart and soul into for the past five years. The familiar scent of sugar and vanilla enveloped her like a warm hug.

"Okay, ladies,"Beth muttered to herself, eyeing the industrial mixers."Let's dance."

She cranked up the radio, letting the upbeat Christmas tunes wash over her as she tied on her favorite polka-dot apron. Soon, the kitchen was a whirlwind of activity. Flour dusted her cheeks, and butter smeared her forearms as she kneaded, rolled, and shaped with a feverish intensity.

By the time the sun peeked over the horizon, trays of cookies lined every available surface. Gingerbread men posed jauntily next to delicate snowflake sugar cookies. Chewy chocolate chip cookies nestled against crisp almond biscotti. The air was thick with the aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, and freshly brewed coffee.

The bell chimed again. Beth looked up to see Reese, her assistant manager, frozen in the doorway, her eyes wide open.

"Holy sugar rush, Batman!" Reese exclaimed, taking in the cookie explosion. "Did Santa's elves break in overnight?"

Beth managed a weak smile. "Couldn't sleep. Thought I'd get a head start on the day."

Reese's expression softened as she hung up her coat. "Rough night?"

"You could say that" Beth sighed, brushing a stray curl from her forehead. "Keith and I... we're done."

"What?" Reese gasped. "But I thought... Oh, Beth, I'm so sorry."

Beth waved off her sympathy, not ready to rehash the details. "It's fine. I'm fine. Everything's fine."

Reese raised an eyebrow, gesturing at the cookie mountain. "Yeah, you look fine. Totally fine. This is exactly what 'fine' looks like."

Despite herself, Beth let out a small chuckle. "Okay, maybe I'm stress-baking a little."

"A little?" Reese snorted. "Honey, this isn't stress-baking. This is a full-on pastry panic attack."

Beth's shoulders slumped. "Is it that obvious?"

Reese draped her arm around Beth's tense shoulders. "You know," she began, a playful edge to her tone, "not everyone can whip up a perfect buttercream frosting while avoiding their own emotional turmoil."

Beth sighed; her gaze distant. Reese softened her voice further and inquired, "Care to share what's eating you?"

Beth hesitated before opening her mouth, intending to deflect with a curt 'no.' But instead of the dismissal she had planned, the words tumbled out of her in an unexpected confessional. "I... I found Keith in bed with Gina."

Reese blinked at this revelation, surprise etching lines on her face. "Wait...new Gina? Our Gina?"

Beth nodded miserably. "Yes, and she was... she was on all fours." The words hung heavy in the air.

A multitude of emotions played across Reese's face - shock giving way to indignation, then morphing into a fierce protective glare as she processed Beth's painful disclosure.

"That two-timing, bottom-feeding, scum-sucking--" Reese's creative string of insults was cut short by the tinkling of the bell.

Mayor Judy Winters bustled in, a whirlwind of tinsel-trimmed enthusiasm. "Good morning, my dears! Oh my, it smells divine in here!"

Beth hastily wiped her eyes, plastering on a smile. "Good morning, Mayor Winters. What brings you by so early?"

The mayor's eyes twinkled. "Why, the most exciting news! The town council has just approved my proposal for Stanford's first-ever Christmas Baking Spectacular!"

Reese and Beth exchanged glances. "Christmas Baking Spectacular?" Reese echoed.

"Yes, isn't it marvelous?" Mayor Winters clapped her hands together. "A grand competition to crown Stanford's best baker. The whole town will be there. And of course," she winked at Beth, "we're all expecting big things from our very own Sweet Dreams."

Beth's mind whirled. A baking competition was the last thing she needed right now. But as she opened her mouth to decline, she caught sight of Keith's favorite cinnamon rolls in the display case. Anger flared in her chest. She'd show him what he was missing.

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