Match Made in Valley View (Valley View Book #2)

Chapter 18

I was decorating in the back of the bakery when my phone started ringing. I saw Tiff’s name on the screen so I quickly washed my hands and hit the green button to take her call.

“Yello!”

“Hey, girlie. I need your help.”

“Sure, what’s up?”

“I want to get Candy a new set of baking pans for Christmas, but I have zero ideas what to get her. I got her a mixer before, but she had told me exactly what she wanted. “

“Why do you think she needs new ones?”

“She keeps complaining that she doesn’t have enough variety in shapes and sizes.”

“Ahh, okay.” I lean up against the counter. “I can help with that. What’s your willingness to drive? There is a great restaurant store in Fargo if you’re willing to go there.”

“I don’t mind making a day trip out of it, what would your next day off be?”

“Tuesday would be best. Maddie can come in early on Tuesdays to help.”

Tiff sighs, “I have Annabelle on Tuesdays, is that going to be a problem?”

“For her to come with us? Of course not.”

“I guess it’s a date. She’ll be excited to hear that we’re taking a girl’s trip!”

“I’m looking forward to it. Talk to you later!”

“I’ll text you if I need anything, thank you for much, Holly!”

“You’re welcome, bye.”

I hang up the phone and go back to the batch of snowmen cupcakes that I’ve been working on all day. I took three cupcakes and put them together with a skewer and then topped them with big swirls of white frosting. Each of them varied in size a bit to make the three parts of a snowman.

Gio is working on his piping skills on Christmas cookies. He continues to express interest in becoming a baker. I even gave him information on the culinary school that I went to because he is going to need to look at colleges soon.

“What do you think of this, Holly?” He holds the cookie up that he’s been working on.

“Oh wow, those look like real poinsettias. Good job!”

“I used a tutorial on YouTube, is that weird?”

I laugh, “Pretty sure you told me before not to reinvent the wheel. Using your sources like YouTube is great for learning!”

“I guess you’re right. I just love seeing the new techniques that they use.” He slides the cookie onto a drying tray and picks up another blank one. “So I know the first week that I’m off for Winter Break I have a basketball tournament, but if you need anything that second week, I can work every day. Even the morning shift.”

“You’re really stepping up, Gio, I’m proud of you.” That was the truth. It seemed like anytime he wasn’t in school or doing something with basketball he wanted to be here. Sometimes he seems more dedicated than I do.

“I promise I won’t open a rival bakery after college,” he smirks at me.

“Haha. Thanks, I appreciate that.”

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Tuesday rolls around and I am packing up a special batch of donuts that I made last night to take on the trip to Fargo. I’m looking forward to spending girl time with Tiff, but also with Annabelle. She’s a sweet little girl and she deserves all the love and attention in the world. I know that she isn’t getting that from any mother figure, so any extra love and attention I can give her I want to.