Loaves of Love Read online

  “Isn’t your boyfriend the sweetest?” It was a fishing expedition, but Katie couldn’t resist the urge to find out for sure where things stood with Henry and Clara.

  Clara’s normally happy expression fell as her face turned as white as the new oven. “Ach, we, uh . . . we just had our first date today. So, we’re not really, um . . . like that.”

  Katie’s heart sang. “Oh.” She tried not to smile as she looked back at Henry.

  “Every relationship has to start somewhere.” Henry looked past Katie at Clara, who smiled now.

  Henry was smitten. They’d just started out, but Katie could tell by his flirty grin and her reaction that this wouldn’t be their last date.

  Henry was going to need to pray extra hard tonight about the deceptions he was tossing around so carelessly. A better man would tell Clara he had strong feelings for Katie, even though Katie had never wanted to be more than friends. A better man would be happy for his dear friend, who had found someone who made her happy, even if Henry thought David was kind of a jerk. Maybe Henry’s feelings for Clara would grow once he got to know her better. Then the sting of David and Katie might not hurt so much.

  Katie and Clara hurried to the new oven when the timer buzzed. Henry carted the suitcase filled with decorations toward the glass plate windows and door. A screech almost caused him to drop everything. He spun around. “What?”

  Clara covered her mouth with her hands as Katie pulled out one of the pies, and Henry smelled the problem before the women said anything. He set the suitcase on the floor by the window, then hurried toward them.

  “Burnt!” Katie set the first pie on top of the oven, then retrieved the other three, each in the same condition. “I didn’t smell anything burning? Did you?” She turned to Clara as she felt the color draining from her face, and Clara shook her head.

  “Not until you opened the oven door.”

  Putting her hands on either side of her face, Katie’s eyes rounded. “I should have been checking on them, but I thought opening the door might interfere with them cooking. And the interior light isn’t working.”

  “Well, the other two that we baked in the wood oven came out nicely.” Clara offered a smile, but it wasn’t like the one that usually spread across her face.

  Henry’s heart hurt for Katie, and he wished he could hug her, then begged God to allow Katie to feel the love he carried for her.

  The front door opened, and the six women from earlier came in smiling and talking about what they’d bought. They began to sniff the air, and their expressions fell. The leader of the group frowned as she approached Katie, the others following.

  “Oh, dear.” The Englisch lady shook her head, but when she looked at Katie and saw that she was about to cry, she took a deep breath. “I think we can make these work.” Her friends nodded and smiled. None of the expressions were genuine, but Henry was ready to hug all of them for not making a big stink about the four burnt pies.

  “Nee.” Katie sniffled but raised her chin. “These pies are unacceptable, and I cannot sell them to you. My deepest apologies.” She waved an arm toward the table with all the fried pies and other pastries laid out. “Please help yourself to anything you’d like, to hopefully make up for mei blunder.”

  The speaker for the ladies’ group took a couple steps closer to Katie. “Hon, these things happen.” She turned over her shoulder and smiled at her friends. “Ladies, will your husbands eat these, even if they are a tiny bit overcooked?” The women all nodded, then the lady turned back to Katie. “Just box these up for us along with the other two, which look absolutely perfect.”

  Henry knew Katie prided herself on making the best pastries in town, and this was a blow, but she boxed the pies with Clara’s help. He walked back to the window and started on the decorations, thinking this day hadn’t gone anything like he’d planned. This was supposed to be a quick visit, but they’d been here for hours now. And Katie and Clara had become instant friends.

  As Henry kept looking back at Katie, he knew there wasn’t anywhere he’d rather be. He wouldn’t be doing right by Clara if he went out with her again.

  He’d just hung the wreath on the inside of the door when David pulled up in his buggy.

  Henry opened the door for him and nodded as David stepped over the threshold. The guy went straight to Katie, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her passionately in front of everyone. Katie began to blush before the kiss was even over. Henry clenched his fists at his sides, wishing he could use them to pound David’s face in. Clara looked away from the couple, her face turning a shade of pink too. David looked at Clara over Katie’s shoulder, after he’d kissed Katie and still held her in his arms. He smiled at Clara in a way that made Henry want to smack him even more.

  Does David want Clara too?

  Henry wished he could start this day over again and do things differently, but he dutifully hung the Christmas decorations and tried to keep his thoughts on the task.

  It was early evening by the time Henry and Clara left the bakery, but the sun hadn’t quite set completely. Henry turned up the battery-operated heaters as high as they would go and wrapped a wool blanket around Clara. She was quiet for the first few minutes of the trip to her house. Finally, Henry asked if something was wrong.

  She turned to him and smiled. “Henry Hershberger, you are a very nice man.” Pausing, she held his gaze. “And a handsome one.”

  Henry prepared his ego for a giant blow. Maybe it was for the best since he already regretted placing Clara as runner-up to the emotions he felt for Katie. He’d never given her a chance.

  “Hmm . . . I hear a ‘but’ coming.” Henry took a deep breath. Perhaps he would feel relieved, but rejection tended to sting no matter the circumstances.

  “A person would have to be blind not to see the way you look at Katie. There’s more than a childhood history and friendship going on, whether you care to admit it or not.”

  Henry slowed the horse before he hung his head.

  Clara stretched her arm out from underneath the blanket and placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay. I think Katie is lovely. Tell me if I’m right, Henry. Or did I misjudge?” She smiled. “Because I think I’m right.”

  Now it was out there. “I’m so sorry, Clara . . .”

  “Don’t be.” She eased her arm back under the blanket, and when Henry looked her way, she smiled. He wondered if someone else had captured her interest. David, most likely. But what about Katie? “I’m right, aren’t I, about Katie?”

  Henry nodded. “Ya.” He turned to face her. “Clara, I like you, and I hoped that maybe we could grow into more than friends over time. But now it doesn’t seem fair.” He paused, a niggling feeling surfacing that there was more to this than just Henry and Katie. “Is there someone else you’re wanting to go out with?”

  Clara sneezed, then she sneezed again. When she was done, she looked at Henry. “I think Katie has deep feelings for you too. And I think you are both cheating yourselves if you don’t explore what’s happening.” She tossed her head from side to side, avoiding his question. “I don’t feel like David is right for her.”

  Ah, she does want to go out with David.

  “Tell her how you feel, Henry.”

  “Right now, I feel like a louse.” Henry picked up speed, anxious to get home and disappointed in himself. Clara giggled.

  “Don’t feel that way.” She put a finger to her chin. “Besides, I have something I’d like you to do for me. Then you will have redeemed yourself.”

  Henry’s jaw fell a little. This day just kept getting more bizarre.

  “Relax, Henry. I’m teasing. No redemption necessary. But I would like to ask you to do this one thing for me.”

  “Ya, sure.”

  Then Clara confided in him about her request.

  “Easy enough,” he said as he nodded. What a whirlwind of a day it had been.

  8

  KATIE SKIPPED WORSHIP SERVICE, WHICH SHE NEVER DID, after confessing to her mot
her that she needed to work at the bakery today or she’d never get caught up on all the orders. She tried to downplay the situation so it wouldn’t upset her mother.

  By noon, she’d finally gotten the new oven figured out. Even though she’d been baking pies at 425 degrees Fahrenheit before, all the opening and closing of the firebox, combined with constantly checking on the pies by opening the door, had caused her to assume they were baking at a lesser temperature. When she baked a pie in the new propane oven at 350°F for an hour, they cooked properly.

  But they didn’t taste the same, and that was a huge disappointment after everything she and her friends had been through to make the propane oven functional. It was a fear Katie had all along. Henry and David had gotten rid of the dangling vent, moved both wood ovens to the back, and positioned the new appliance against the wall.

  She’d been sure she could convince her mother to keep the new oven, but only if the quality of the baked goods was the same. And it wasn’t. Whatever hint of smoke or magical power the wood ovens possessed had been a key factor that made their bakery a step above the rest. Katie had never been outwardly prideful about it, but there wasn’t a woman in their community who didn’t have a bit of competitiveness when it came to cooking and baking.

  Now, it was the holidays, and Katie’s food would be just like everyone else’s. Even so, speed trumped quality right now, so she put three loaves of bread in the oven and set the timer, knowing she’d have to check them often until she became comfortable with the appliance.

  She turned when she heard the door open.

  “Mamm said you were here.” Jonas closed the space between them, stopped, then shook his head as he eyed the new oven. “Did you tell her yet?”

  “Nee. I thought it would be okay, that I could show her how much more efficient we could be.” She turned to her brother and put a hand to her forehead. “But nothing tastes the same. I’m not sure why. Maybe wood ovens are like a cast-iron skillet—the more you use them, the more seasoned they become.”

  Katie wrapped her arm across her stomach when it started to knot with panic. “I wish I’d never accepted this new oven as a gift from David and his family.”

  “Give it back.” Jonas shrugged. “Put the old ones back like they were. You might have to keep putting in long hours until Mamm is back to work, but at least you’d be putting out the quality of food folks have come to expect.”

  “I’d feel horrible returning such a nice, expensive gift. I thought it would save time and I’d be more productive, but with the learning curve, I’ve stayed backed up on orders.”

  “You’ll feel even worse if Mamm comes back to a bakery that’s been in our family for generations, and you’ve messed things up.” Jonas stared at her. “That’s something bigger at stake here than hurting your boyfriend’s feelings by returning the oven.”

  “He’s not mei boyfriend.” Katie rolled her eyes. “He’s someone I’m dating.”

  Her brother grinned as he shed his coat and laid it on the counter. “Does he know that?”

  Katie recalled the few times she’d let David kiss her, but it had happened so fast there wasn’t much time to react. It was much too soon, and she was going to have to talk to him about it, especially the public displays. It might be fine for some women, but Katie needed things to slow down. “We haven’t been going out for long.”

  “He’s from a more liberal community, Katie. If it got serious, you’d be expected to convert to his ways.” Jonas walked around the cabinet, opened it, and took out one of the cupcakes. “Can you see yourself with a mobile phone, a house lit up by solar panels, and fancy appliances?”

  That lifestyle certainly allured sometimes, but Katie didn’t want to live like that. Her brother was thinking way too far in advance.

  “And . . .” He swallowed the chunk of chocolate cupcake in his mouth. “I saw the way David looked at your friend Clara. That doesn’t seem right since he’s dating you.”

  Katie wanted to tell her brother that everyone looked at Clara that way because she radiated beauty inside and out. Katie still felt no sense of jealousy where Clara was concerned, when it came to Henry or David.

  “How’d you meet her, anyway? Clara.” He picked up his coat and put it back on. “Is she Henry’s girlfriend?”

  “I thought so, but apparently they’ve only been out to lunch once, and that was yesterday.”

  Jonas buttoned his coat. “Lucky guy.” His teeth started to chatter. “You better get some heaters now that you can’t warm the place by opening the wood ovens.” He shrugged, chuckling. “Might as well get propane ones so that when the bishop—and Mamm—gets hold of you at least you’ll be warm during the scolding.”

  “Ha, ha.” Katie folded her arms across her chest. Jonas was a good man, but he was still her brother and knew how to get under her skin when he wanted to.

  After he left, Katie tried to peek at the loaves of bread cooking in the oven, but she couldn’t see much with the oven light not working. She sat on the stool behind the counter and covered her face with her hands, determined not to cry.

  Gott, what should I do? I can’t tell Henry how I feel about him, because I like Clara too much to do that to her. I want to stop seeing David because I feel like I’m leading him on, even though he’s been good to me. Gott, I don’t think that’s the best reason to stay in a relationship with someone. Please help me sort out my feelings and hear Your voice in my mind. I wish I hadn’t made changes to the bakery. Please send me guidance about how to make it right.

  She looked up when the door opened again, and just seeing Henry caused her to let the tears flow.

  Henry’s breathing quickened as he hurried to Katie. He rounded the counter until he was standing right beside her. “What’s wrong?”

  She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head against his chest. They’d hugged lots of times as kids, but rarely as adults. He slowly eased his arms around her, cupping the back of her neck with one hand, and holding her close around the waist with the other.

  He held her until she slowly eased away, then he gently pushed away loose strands of hair from her face and kissed her on the forehead. It came as naturally as breathing. “Whatever it is, we’ll fix it.”

  As she gazed into his eyes, a tear trailed down her cheek, and Henry wanted to will away whatever was causing her pain. Instead, he prayed for God to give her comfort as he brushed away her tears with his thumbs.

  She lifted her face, her mouth close enough to kiss, but Henry held back, moving only slightly away, still close enough to have an arm around her waist. She is seeing someone else. He wondered if Clara’s advice to be honest would be the right thing to do while David was still in the picture.

  “Can you just keep hugging me?” she asked as she laid her head against his chest again.

  There’s nothing I’d like more. “Ya, of course.”

  “Why are you here?” She was still crying, but she didn’t lift her head again.

  “You weren’t at worship service today, so I went by your haus. Your mamm said you were here. I thought you might need help with something.”

  Sniffling, she looked up at him again. Henry was sure she wanted him to kiss her, and the temptation was overwhelming. He might have given in if the door hadn’t swung open. Henry and Katie hastily stepped away from each other, as if they’d been caught committing a crime. By the look on David’s face, maybe they had.

  David didn’t say anything until he got right up to the counter. “Am I interrupting something?” A bridled tension filled his voice as his nostrils flared a little.

  Henry thought he should be asking Katie what was wrong. It seemed like that should be the priority.

  “Nee, nee.” Katie walked around the counter and put a hand on David’s arm, still sniffling. “I’ve had a hard day, and I started to cry . . .” She hung her head and shook it before she looked back up at him. “Henry and I have been friends since we were children, so he was just giving me a hug.”

>   David reached for Katie’s hand and eased her toward him until he had an arm around her, then he leaned down and kissed her. Henry had to look away. He was sure he and Katie had a moment, but maybe it was lost forever. He’d just happened to be there to comfort her.

  “I’ve got this now, Henry.” David peered at him over Katie’s shoulder.

  Henry knew when he was being dismissed, but he wasn’t going anywhere until he was sure Katie was all right.

  “Danki, Henry, for stopping by to check on me. I’m just overwhelmed with orders, and I let it get the best of me.” Katie gave him a quick smile as David kept her close to his side.

  “Ya, okay.” Henry tried to capture her gaze, but David was boring a hole through him, and Katie’s head was down. He took a few steps toward the door but turned around. “I’ll check on you tomorrow, Katie.”

  “She’ll be all right.” David spoke with an authority Henry hadn’t heard before—a possessiveness that caused his chest to tighten. But Katie was a grown woman.

  As Henry untethered his horse and readied his buggy, he replayed the few minutes Katie was in his arms and pondered whether he’d made more of it than it was. Would she have fallen into anyone’s arms the way she had his?

  He thought about Clara, how honest she’d been, encouraging him to tell Katie how he felt.

  Henry wasn’t sure there was any point, especially when he looked back one last time and saw David kiss Katie. Again.

  9

  IT TOOK A WEEK AND A DAY, BUT KATIE FINALLY FELT LIKE she’d mastered the propane oven. Pies baked for thirty minutes at 350 degrees. Whoopie pies baked at the same temperature for eight minutes, and bread needed forty minutes. Maybe she would adapt to this new system after all.

  Still, one element was missing—that special something the wood ovens had added to the flavor. She recalled her comparison to a cast-iron skillet, but she also wondered if the difference in taste had something to do with the process. With propane, she turned a knob, set the timer, and waited. When she used the wood oven, she had to tend the fire and monitor the temperature. It was a nurturing process. Whatever the reasons for the dissimilarity, her mother was going to be disappointed.