When their shift was over, Emmett headed back to Woody’s to open for the night and Maddie went by the bakery to check on things with Gertie. Her assistant was just finishing up the last batch of chocolate chip scone dough and all was well, so Maddie continued on to her house.
She hadn’t spent much time over the last few months sitting still. Gertie’s help had provided her some extra free time in her life and now, she wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. Looking around her kitchen, she got an idea.
The other day, Emmett had asked her if she would come by the bar and hang out with him. She couldn’t do it then, but there was no reason she couldn’t go by tonight.
She pulled a wicker basket from her pantry and started pulling together a picnic dinner. It wasn’t a romantic meal out by the lake, but with their schedule, she had to get whatever time she could with Emmett. If that meant hanging out at the bar every now and then, so be it.
Loaded up with goodies, she slipped on her red peacoat and walked across the street to the bar.
It was quiet tonight. There was only one car in the parking lot as she approached. Opening the heavy oak door, she went inside. Two men were sitting in one of the booths, talking over tall, frosty mugs of beer. They would occasionally stop talking to look up at the television and comment on the poker tournament playing overhead.
Emmett wasn’t behind the bar as she expected. She looked around and didn’t see him anywhere, actually. With the basket growing heavier by the minute, she hauled it over to the bar and hefted it onto the countertop. A moment later, Emmett came out of a door marked EMPLOYEES ONLY, his arms overflowing with bottles.
His eyes widened with surprise when he saw her, but it was followed by a warm grin. He gingerly settled the bottles on the back of the bar and then leaned across the wooden barrier to give her a kiss. “Little Red Riding Hood has shown up with a basket of goodies. To what do I owe this unexpected visit?” he asked.
Maddie shrugged coyly. “I just felt lonely at home, so I thought I’d bring dinner over and spend it with you.”
“Nice. I’m starving. I was thinking about calling in an order at Pizza Palace, so your timing is perfect.” Emmett lifted the lid of the picnic basket to examine what was inside. “Yum. Why don’t you unpack on that table over there while I restock a few things and I’ll join you in a minute?”
“Okay.” Maddie had brought her own plates, silverware, and cloth napkins, which she laid out before grabbing the food containers. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it’d be tasty.
She’d made two turkey-and-Swiss sandwiches using a homemade loaf of sourdough bread. Each sandwich was layered with ripe tomato, green-leaf lettuce, and a spicy German mustard. She also had a container of pasta salad, some chips, and a couple of leftover MoonPies from
today’s special.
Emmett made two tall glasses of sweet tea and carried them over to the table. “This all looks great.” Settling in, he immediately reached for the sandwich she’d laid out on his plate. He took a large bite followed by a loud “mmmm.” He chewed thoughtfully before he asked, “Did you bake this bread?”
“I did,” she said hesitantly, waiting for the verdict.
“If you sold this in the shop, I’d be in there every few days for a fresh loaf.”
Maddie breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, pleased that he liked it and also that he’d confirmed what she’d been considering. Rosewood Bakery had always focused on sweets. In opening her own shop, she’d followed that trend, but there were only so many goodies to sell. If she added a small selection of breads and rolls, she might bring in more customers, especially during the lean months after the New Year when everyone was dieting.
“I was thinking about doing just that,” she admitted. “Selling a few rolls, baguettes, maybe one or two types of breads a day. I thought it might bring in new customers. And if I open the tea room, I can use the breads for the little sandwiches I serve.”
Emmett swallowed his bite and nodded. “It’s excellent bread. But when do you have the time to add more things to bake?”
“I’ve actually cut back, having Gertie around. Really, getting arrested was one of the best things that ever happened to me, because it forced me to hire help. It’s made a world of difference. And if I did add some savory items, I’d balance that out by cutting back on some of the sweeter stuff.”
“You know what? You’re right,” Emmett said as he set down his sandwich. “Getting arrested was one of the best things that ever happened to me, too. It brought us closer together.” He leaned across the table and gave her a kiss.
“That it did,” she said with a smile. “Community service is an unconventional but effective way to get to know someone.”
“It also allowed me to sleep for the first time in a long time. I’m glad we stopped fighting.”
“You know, I haven’t been woken up by the bar in a while, either. Did you change something?”
“I toned back a little on the music volume, but the main difference is that I hired André Jones, the security guard at the high school, as a bouncer on the weekends. The guy is about six foot five and the size of a mountain. He sits outside and keeps people quiet. No one wants to mess with Dré. It’s made a pretty big difference, I think, and paying him was cheaper than paying all those fines.”
“Sorry about that,” Maddie said with a sheepish grin.
“I think we were both adding fuel to the fire. Getting arrested made all the difference. Surprise, surprise, we actually like to spend time together. Who would’ve thunk it?”
“I know. You might not believe this, but I’m actually starting to miss you when you’re not around.”
Emmett laughed, a low throaty sound that made her nerves hum. She loved his laugh, just as she enjoyed the carefree smile that made a home on his face.
“You just saw me an hour ago,” he noted. “We stuffed a scarecrow with hay if you don’t recall.”