Natalie’s gaze popped up from his sheet of notes. She slowly straightened, assessing him, her stillness worrisome. Maybe he had pushed his luck a bit too far. He swallowed heavily, waiting for her response. She was honest, brutally so at times. But she always offered something constructive to soften any harshness in her critique.
She glanced back at his scribbled notes, then returned her attention to him. “Sometimes”—she began signing as she spoke—“it’s easy to lose sight of the basics.”
He had scratched out three of her fancy ingredients and substituted them for one simple item. Not everyone could relate to the flavor of something rare and exquisite. His palate was proof of that. He leaned more toward everyday ingredients, items people could find in their local store or pantry rather than imported on a seasonal basis. He would likely never be a fancy baker offering treats some people couldn’t spell. And he was totally fine with that. As long as people were happy, enjoying what he baked.
“I wouldn’t have thought of this change,” she signed. She shook her head and stacked his written notes with her recipe, then set them on the counter. “I want you to clear all this out.” She pointed to the dirty pans and mixing bowls he had used for the cake she had just tasted.
He nodded, hoping he hadn’t offended her with his recipe change.
“I want this baking area spotless so there’s no trace of what you just made,” she said as she signed.
He nodded again, wincing even though the request was common to ensure the ingredients of one dessert never mingled with that of the next.
She grabbed the two sheets of paper, and then walked over to the side table and pulled a pair of clear sleeves from a box, the ones she used to protect the paper from smears and splatter during the mixing process of new recipes she tested. She slid her recipe in one protective sleeve and his scribbled notes in the other. After pinning both sheets to the board running eye-level across the mixing table, she turned back toward him. “Then I want you to bake this with all the changes you noted.”
He stared at her.
“Why do you look so surprised?” she signed her question with a tilt of her head. “They’re really good suggestions.”
He shrugged, not wanting to reply…not sure how to.
She walked over to him. “I love pastries and anything made with dough. The tougher it is, the more I like it. That’s my specialty. Traditional cakes, however, are not my strength, and that’s probably why I don’t eat them. But this—” She stopped signing and pointed to her empty dish with only tiny cake crumbs remaining. “I could eat the entire cake.”
Without thinking, he launched forward and threw his arms around her.
He screwed his eyes shut as a flood of memories rushed in, snapshots of him standing on a stepstool, baking cakes with his mom. His sister looking at them from the corner of the kitchen, shaking her head as she held her doll against her chest, complaining of the mess they made and how ridiculous they looked covered in flour. Those baking snapshots were his most special memories, stored away in a sacred place in his mind. The mess, the smiles, the joy of those special moments shared with his mom were priceless. They were times where only happiness existed.
For him, baking was happiness and family. Beautiful creations he could share and give to others.
He wanted to learn, bake, and fill everyone’s bellies with sugary goodness. And Natalie was making it possible. He quickly pulled away, his cheeks heating. Crap. Hugging the boss wasn’t exactly on the acceptable list of employee behavior.
She hid a smile as she glanced over to the front of the store. “Sounds like the lunch rush is starting, so I’ve got to go up front. I want you to bake that cake today. And if it tastes as good as I think it will, I want you to try another recipe, then another.”
His vision blurred. Nodding, he ducked his head, hoping to hide his emotion.
She cared. She encouraged. She didn’t think it was a silly dream.
These del Toros were supportive, kind, and givers of hope.
Everything he dreamed a family would be.
= ♥ =
After spending too many hours reviewing expectations and ironing out plans for his replacements with various clients, Bull was ready for a break.
He pushed through the bakery door and immediately spotted his sister behind one of the display cases. “Hey there,