Page 1 of Baking for His Omega

Chapter One

Gideon

Ever since I bought Bearly Baked—or, as it used to be called Pastry Heaven—my days began before dawn and flew by until before I knew it, the sun had set, our doors were closed, and it was time to go home to sleep for a while. Not nearly enough, but I didn’t mind. I’d always known that a baker’s life, any small business person’s really, would be hard work and long hours at first, but it was worth everything to have this opportunity. Oliver Creek was a foodie haven, and when I finished pastry school and researched good locations to open a bakery, it was on my short list of desirable spots.

The PBJ place, I learned on my first visit to town, supplied a good deal of bread to local restaurants, and Pastry Heaven picked up most of the rest of the baking needs of this town and its visitors. Meaning, I’d have to look elsewhere to live my dreams. The owners of both businesses were cordial and had so many nice things to say about the town, it was even harder to drive away.

But no sooner had I returned home to consider my next stop than I got a message from the owner of Pastry Heaven, with whom I had exchanged numbers on the off chance he might have an idea where I should look next.

Still interested in Oliver Creek?

Yes. Of course. But unless the town has grown, there’s no room for me.

He had to go home and take care of his dads who had been in a serious accident. I offered to fill in for him while he was gone, but he couldn’t predict how long it might be, and whether he’d even be able to return at all.

A rattle pulled me out of the memory and into the present of my beautiful bakery and the vanilla-scented pastry cream I was cooking for a special-order cake that would be picked up the next morning.

“Chef, we’re almost out of blackberry muffins.” My counter girl, Anisette, poked her head into the kitchen. “Will there be more today?”

“I hadn’t planned on it. Do you think we should?” I hadn’t realized they would be such a big hit.

“Well, they went pretty fast, and I just thought…maybe…” Dang, I was trying to encourage her.

“Very good idea. Did anyone say what they liked about them? Maybe it’s something we can apply to the other muffins.”

“The crumble on top,” she said. “I had a few people say how much they loved that.”

“Excellent.” I high-fived her. “That was your idea. I bet it would be good on some others too.”

Her smile was everything. This nineteen-year-old had been through more than most people in a lifetime, and this shop and the little apartment upstairs that I told her came with the job were the first security she’d seen in a long time. “Strawberry maybe?”

“Why don’t we hold off on more muffins today because we have plenty to do before closing, and then tomorrow we’ll try the strawberry or maybe peach something else. Honestly, it doesn’t make me mad that we ran out. If people ask, tell them we have another special tomorrow that we want to surprise them all with. Why don’t you do one of your posters for the front window that we can put up in the morning.”

My counter girl, who wanted to learn to bake, skipped back to the front to help the customers and make her sign, and I answered the phone.

“Bearly Baking, what can we tempt you with today?” I answered.

“Oh my gods, you’re still there.”

This was a stronger reaction than the typical customer call. “We’re open for another couple of hours if you want to come for anything. We are out of the blackberry muffins however.”

“I need a smash cake for a baby’s birthday. It’s his very first one, and he isn’t going to have anything because his…well, someone else was supposed to bring it.”

“Of course.” I picked up the tablet from the counter, prepared to fill out the order form in the app. “What day do you need the cake for?”

“I need it in three hours. Everyone will be here, and if he doesn’t have a smash cake, it’s bad luck.”

“Today?” We didn’t take orders this late for the same day, usually not the same day at all. Someone was counting on him for an important responsibility, but there wasn’t time. “I’m not sure…”

“Please, I’m at my wit’s end. I’ll be so grateful.”

How could I say no?

“What flavor would you like?” I’d have to rush and deliver it myself because it wouldn’t be ready until after closing, but smash cakes were my favorite thing to do and I always included a full-size for the adults as well. Lucky I hadn’t decided to do any more muffins. Between the cake I was working on now and the order I just took, I’d have my hands full.

Chapter Two

Kelly

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