The Sweet Spot

22

The buzz of the food fair's excitement still lingered in the air as we made our way back to the bakery later that afternoon. I felt lighter than I had in years. The win, of course, had been incredible, but it was what came after-Oliver's heartfelt confession, the realization that I wasn't alone in this journey anymore-that filled me with an indescribable sense of peace.

Elliot had barely stopped bouncing the entire way home, holding tightly to the gleaming trophy as if it were the greatest treasure in the world. His joy was contagious, and every time he flashed that wide grin of his, it reminded me of why I did any of this. For him. For us.

By the time we stepped through the doors of Sweet Dreams Bakery, my heart was still racing from the high of the day. The bakery felt different now, almost like it had taken on new life. It wasn't just mine anymore-it was ours. Oliver and I, together. The thought warmed me in a way I hadn't felt since starting the bakery all those years ago.

"I think this belongs to you," Oliver said with a smile, gently taking the trophy from Elliot's hands and setting it on the counter. The afternoon sunlight filtered through the windows, casting a soft glow on the prize. "You're the heart of this place, Charlotte."

I shook my head, my emotions too overwhelming to find the right words. "It's ours," I whispered, glancing around the bakery. "Sweet Dreams wouldn't be what it is without you."

Oliver's gaze softened, and for a moment, everything else faded away-the competition, the stress, the doubts. It was just us, standing in the bakery we had built together, and it felt like the beginning of something beautiful.

Elliot, still buzzing with excitement, tugged on Oliver's sleeve. "Can we make cinnamon rolls again tomorrow? Like the ones we made today?"

Oliver chuckled, glancing down at Elliot with affection in his eyes. "I think we can arrange that."

Elliot beamed, clearly thrilled with the idea of more baking lessons from his new best friend. It was heartwarming to see how much Oliver had become a part of his life, how naturally they fit together. I had been worried, at first, about letting someone into our lives-worried about how it might affect Elliot, or what it might mean for us. But now, standing here with both of them, I knew I had made the right choice.

Oliver met my gaze, a question lingering in his eyes. "So, what now?"

I took a deep breath, the weight of the day finally settling in. "Now, we keep going. We keep building Sweet Dreams. We take that prize money and expand-hire more staff, maybe renovate the kitchen so it's more efficient."

Oliver nodded, his expression thoughtful. "That sounds like a solid plan. But there's something else we need to do."

I raised an eyebrow, curious. "What's that?"

He smiled, a soft, genuine smile that made my heart flutter. "We need to celebrate."

I laughed, shaking my head. "We just won the biggest food fair in the region. How much more celebrating do we need?"

Oliver's smile widened, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "I'm thinking something a little more personal. Just the three of us. A proper celebration."

Elliot perked up, clearly intrigued by the idea. "Are we gonna have a party?"

"Something like that," Oliver said with a grin. "But first, we need cake."

I couldn't help but laugh at the simplicity of the suggestion. After all the stress of the past few weeks, a simple celebration with cake and family sounded like exactly what we needed.

"Cake sounds perfect," I said, my heart swelling with happiness.

The next few days were a blur of activity as we began putting the prize money to good use. With the win under our belt, Sweet Dreams had officially earned its place in the hearts of the people in Willow Creek, and business was booming more than ever. I knew that if we were going to keep up with the demand, we needed to make some changes.

First on the list was hiring more staff. For so long, it had just been me running the bakery, with the occasional help from Oliver and my part-time assistant, but that was no longer enough. We needed a proper team to help manage the growing workload.

Oliver, of course, was a huge help in making that happen. He had connections in the culinary world and knew how to find talented people who shared our passion for baking. Within a week, we had hired two new bakers and a couple of front-of-house staff to help with the growing demand.

The changes didn't stop there. With the prize money, we were able to renovate the kitchen-upgrading the equipment, expanding the workspace, and adding more ovens so we could produce more pastries and cakes at once. It was a big investment, but it was necessary, and it felt like the perfect next step for Sweet Dreams.

Every day, I woke up excited to come to work. Excited to see what we could create, what new ideas we could bring to life. And every day, I was reminded of how lucky I was to have Oliver by my side.

He wasn't just helping me run the business-he was helping me dream bigger than I ever had before. Together, we were taking Sweet Dreams to new heights, and it felt like nothing could stop us.

One afternoon, about a month after the food fair, I walked into the bakery to find Oliver teaching a small group of kids how to make cookies. The scene was so heartwarming that I stopped in my tracks, leaning against the doorway to watch for a moment.

Elliot was, of course, front and center, hanging on every word Oliver said as he showed them how to measure ingredients and mix the dough. The other kids were just as engaged, their little faces lighting up as they learned from one of the best chefs in the country.

"You want to make sure you mix it just enough to combine the ingredients," Oliver said, his voice patient and warm. "But don't overmix, or the cookies will be tough."

The kids nodded seriously, taking in every detail, and I couldn't help but smile. Oliver had a way of connecting with people-whether it was in the kitchen, with me, or with these kids-that made him special. He wasn't just a world-class chef anymore. He was a part of this community, a part of our lives.

As I stepped forward, Oliver glanced up and caught my eye, his smile widening as he saw me.

"Hey," he said softly, handing one of the kids a spoon to stir the dough. "How's it going?"

"Great," I said, my heart swelling as I looked at the happy faces of the kids. "What's going on here?"

"Just a little cooking class for the town's future chefs," Oliver said with a wink. "Thought it would be fun to teach them some basics."

I laughed, shaking my head. "You're amazing, you know that?"

Oliver shrugged, but his smile said it all. "Just doing what I love."

As I watched him work with the kids, showing them how to roll the dough into balls and place them on the baking sheet, I realized how much had changed in the past few months. Sweet Dreams was thriving, my relationship with Oliver was stronger than ever, and Elliot was happier than I had seen him in years.

This was the life I had dreamed of when I started the bakery. A life filled with love, laughter, and, of course, delicious food.

As the kids finished up their cookies, Elliot ran over to me, his face glowing with excitement. "Mommy! I made the best cookies ever!"

I laughed, pulling him into a hug. "I'm sure you did, sweetie."

He beamed up at me, then glanced over at Oliver, who was still guiding the other kids. "Mr. Steele is the best, Mommy. I want to be just like him when I grow up."

My heart swelled with emotion, and I glanced at Oliver, who had heard Elliot's words and was now looking at me with a soft, tender expression. It was a look that said more than words ever could.

In that moment, I knew that this-this life we had built together-was exactly where I was meant to be. Oliver, Elliot, and I had found something special, something real, and it was only going to get better from here.

As the bakery filled with the sweet smell of cookies and the laughter of children, I knew that Sweet Dreams was no longer just my bakery.

It was our home.