The Trouble With Falling

TWENTY-FIVE

Hartley

Eli wokeme up at three a.m. with his head between my legs. I was still half asleep when I came with his name on my lips.

I wish that I could have snuggled with him for a little bit but it was already getting late. Eli got dressed while I took a quick shower and threw on some clothes. We both bundled up and stomped down the stairs and around to the bakery.

A thrill races through me when I step inside. Today is the day. I’m finally doing what Grams and I always dreamed of.

“Are you staying? Or sneaking back home?” I ask Eli as I toss my parka on the chair behind my desk and change out of my boots and into my sneakers.

“I thought I would stay for a bit. In case you need any help.”

“You just want to taste test everything,” I tease as I tie an apron around my waist and bustle into the kitchen.

“You caught me,” he says as he leans back against the counter.

All of the ingredients are lined up on the counter for me, and I grab the first bag of flour and start measuring it out. Everything gets mixed into the first mixer and I get lost in the process. The machines whir rhythmically as I preheat the ovens and get started on the next batch of dough.

Eli left to carry out all of the bread that I made last night and he passes by me on his way to grab the next batch. I had labeled the shelves the other day, so he knows where each type of bread should go.

I roll out the first balls of dough, lining them on a baking sheet and sliding them into the oven. Eli sets the timer for me and washes his hands so he can help me roll the next batch out.

We work together in comfortable silence, the mixers constantly moving in the background. By six a.m., we’ve made cookies, cupcakes, brownies, and six different kinds of donuts.

“I should get home and shower,” Eli says as I grab my piping bag and frost the last of the cupcakes.

“Okay, thanks for helping me,” I say as I follow Eli out into the bakery.

I slide the last tray into the display case and brush my hands off.

“It looks great, sweets,” Eli says and I wrap my arm around his waist, laying my head on his shoulder as I survey all of the treats laid out in the cases.

Pride fills me when I see how perfect everything came out.

“Did you want to take something home for you and your parents?”

“Yeah, but I’m paying. I want to be your first customer.”

“Eli, I can’t let you do that! Not after you’ve helped me out so much.”

“I insist. Besides, you should make sure that the credit card thing works anyway.”

I don’t want to, but I relent and go behind the counter. I grab a box, filling it up with a few donuts and some croissants. I ring him up and he inserts his credit card into the little white square. It pops up on the iPad screen and I let out a sigh of relief.

“It works!”

Eli grins as he slides his wallet back into his pocket and grabs the bakery box.

“I’ll see you soon,” Eli says, leaning over the counter and giving me a quick kiss.

I watch him walk out the door before I head over and flip the sign to Open. I make a list on my notepad of everything I made today. I want to analyze how everything sells so that I can make adjustments if I need to.

My first customer walks in a little after seven and I grin when I see that it’s Iris and her friends.

“Hey, Iris,” I greet her, moving around the counter to give her a quick hug.

“Hey, Hartley. Wow, this place looks great! I love the name, by the way.”