The Amish Baker - Marie E. Bast Mills & Boon Love Inspired

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in line behind them. The buwe tapped Jacob on the shoulders, letting him know they were back there. They talked and laughed, trying to coax Jacob into a conversation.

      The woman in front paid, picked up her sack and left.

      “We’re next, Jacob.” Caleb stepped forward as the buwe joked and teased Jacob about a girl in school. He glanced back over his shoulder. “Jacob, it is our turn to order.”

      “Nein, I don’t like her.” Jacob spouted the words at his friend and gave Matthew a shove. Jacob whirled back around, stepped on a broken cookie or something on the floor and lunged forward. His arms flung out as he slid across the counter, hitting the walnut bears and sending them sailing through the air. They banged on a table, bounced off and smashed against the wall.

      Jacob’s eyes widened and his mouth gaped as he stumbled back away from the counter. Caleb caught him and steadied Jacob until he regained his balance.

      Everyone at the tables stopped talking and stared at the commotion. The men at the table where the broken bears lay shoved their chairs away from the pieces.

      Stunned, Caleb wasn’t sure what to do. He looked from the bears to Sarah. She shrieked and ran to retrieve the fragments. Tears clouded her eyes, threatening to spill over as she hugged the pieces to her chest and walked back to the counter.

      Caleb placed a hand on Jacob’s shoulder. “Jacob, you have broken them.”

      “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”

      Sarah laid the pieces behind the counter, straightened and looked at Jacob. “I know you didn’t. They shouldn’t have sat there. It’s my fault.”

      Caleb removed his wide-brimmed straw hat from his head. “Sarah, I can take the pieces and make you a new set. They won’t match exactly, but it’ll be close and most won’t tell the difference.”

      She swallowed hard and shook her head. “No, that’s not necessary. It wouldn’t be quite the same. These were the last things my husband made me before he passed away.” Her voice caught in her throat.

      Caleb glanced over his shoulder at every pair of eyes in the bakery boring a hole through his back. His cheeks burned, and he sucked in a deep breath. “Jacob must pay for the damage he caused.”

      “Nein, Caleb, it’s not necessary.” She placed an index finger at the corner of her eye and blotted a tear that had escaped.

      “Jacob will be here early Saturday morning to help you in the shop. He can clean the tables, the chairs and the floor, and help fetch supplies. Whatever you need him to do, for as long as you need him, until he pays off the debt. He must make amends.”

      * * *

      Sarah looked at Jacob, a small-framed bu, maybe six or seven years old, with a tuft of blond hair poking out from under his hat. “Do you want to help me?” she asked, softening her voice.

      He nodded. His sulking brown eyes resembled those of a scolded puppy and tugged at the edges of her heart.

      “Gut. I’d appreciate that.” She let a smile pluck at the corners of her mouth.

      “We’ll take three cinnamon rolls to go, please.” Caleb plopped his hat on his head. “Again, we are very sorry.” The red flush in his cheeks deepened, but Sarah pretended not to notice.

      Sarah handed the order to him over the counter. Caleb’s hand glided over hers as he grasped the sack, sending an unexpected rush through her. The warmth jabbed at her heart as though a tiny arrow had pierced it. She jerked back in response. She hadn’t felt the touch of a man’s hand in a long time.

      The sensation had startled her. Or maybe it was her reaction that had startled her.

      She’d enjoy getting to know Jacob and most assuredly his papa, too.

       Chapter Three

      The scent of lilacs and freshly cut grass saturated the morning breeze. Caleb inhaled a deep whiff and watched as Jacob climbed into the buggy and sat next to him. Jacob’s face looked like that of a shunned man. “Jacob, doing a little work to repay a debt can’t be as bad as all that.”

      Jacob shrugged.

      Caleb shook the reins. “Giddyap, Snowball.” The horse trotted down the drive, past the vegetable garden and out the gate between the white picket fences surrounding the barnyard. Snowball turned right toward Kalona without any coaxing.

      “Please be helpful to Sarah.” Caleb flashed his warning face at Jacob.

      He nodded. “I will. How long do I have to stay and help her?”

      Jacob looked deep in thought, worrying his bottom lip. Caleb regretted his prior words. He knew the bu wanted to make amends.

      At times Jacob seemed to have a rebellious nature, but Caleb had to trust his sohn. “We’ll see how much work she has for you to do. Maybe a couple of hours. You can let me know if you get tired.”

      “Okay.”

      “But you understand why you must help her, jah?”

      Jacob put a hand up to shade the sun from his eyes. “I’m working to pay for the cost of the bears I broke.”

      “Not just that, but the pain and suffering you have caused her. They were the last gift her ehemann had given her before he died. Now they’re broken. Your helping is just a respectful way of saying you’re sorry.”

      “I’m really sorry I did that.”

      “I know you are.”

      They rode in silence but Caleb sensed something different about Jacob. His voice wasn’t as cold and distant as it was when they had driven to Kalona last week. He had an obligation now to a very nice woman, and it appeared he accepted the responsibility.

      * * *

      Glancing at the chaos in the bakery’s kitchen—containers covering the table, sugar spilled on the counter and pans strewn about—Sarah felt daunted by the mess before her. She brushed the flour from her hands as she checked the time... Running late. Why had she given Hannah the day off? The special order, along with her regular baking, swamped her with work.

      Sarah made the last loaf of bread and set it to rise. She grabbed a wet cloth and tidied up her work area. After pushing the utensils to the side, she scooted to the pantry and lugged enough ingredients to the table for six dozen sugar cookies.

      Jacob would arrive soon, and she didn’t have time to talk or show him what to do. She barely had enough time to get ready to open.

      What had she gotten herself into by accepting Caleb’s offer for the small bu to help...and on a Saturday? Sarah hurried to the front and unlocked the door for Jacob but left the sign on the window turned to Closed.

      She’d dirtied almost every pan in the bakery, so maybe Jacob could wash dishes. When he finished with that, they’d figure it out. She’d been meaning to hire extra help but hadn’t had time to advertise or interview.

      She glanced at the dirty pans in the sink. It would save time if she had clean cookie sheets. She could fetch the spares she’d stored on the top shelf of the built-in cupboard. They were reserved for large orders, like a wedding, but an emergency should warrant the hassle it took to get them down.

      Sarah opened the cupboard doors, pulled the step stool over and climbed up. She wasn’t quite tall enough for her fingers to touch the shelf next to the ceiling. She stretched. Almost there...but not quite.

      Sarah braced a hand on the cupboard and rose to her tiptoes. The pans remained a couple of inches from her grasp. If she stood on the stool’s back support, it would give her the boost she needed. She stepped onto the vinyl-covered back and reached for the pans. The stool rocked

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