Even the cupcakes reminded me of Christopher.
Bethany, the owner and head baker, emerged from the back room. “Elizabeth. Hi, hello. Sorry. I was just, uh, busy in the back.”
The reason for her pink cheeks and flustered appearance sauntered out next. Brandon, her boyfriend. He moved to stand next to her, leaning one hand on the glass display case as he lovingly rubbed the back of her neck with the other.
I fought a stab of envy. That’s what I wanted. What they had. I knew Brandon lived and worked in the city, just like Christopher. But he was here in Mudville at least as much as he was gone.
He didn’t disappear for decades. He came back. For her.
I drew in a breath against the tightness in my chest and forced a smile. “Are you working here now?” I asked him, joking.
“No, he’s not,” she answered with conviction, shooting him a sideways glance.
“Only because she won’t hire me.”
Bethany rolled her eyes. “Like you’d really leave your company to work for me.”
Brandon lifted a brow. “You never know. I might want to try swapping my job for yours for six months or so.”
He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead as renewed envy cut another slice across my heart.
“Hey, that’s a good idea. Job Swap. Is that already a reality show? Maybe I should pitch it to a network.” He grinned.
I let out a breathy laugh as he voiced the exact plan I had. “If only it were that easy swapping jobs. That’s pretty much what I want to do. Leave my teaching job for a semester and try something else.”
Bethany nodded. “I hear you. I consider that every morning when the alarm goes off at five a.m. and I have to come to the shop and start the day’s baking.”
Brandon let out a snort. “Believe me, every time your alarm goes off at five, I wish you would change jobs too.”
Bethany turned to frown at him.
“Just teasing, baby. You can stop glaring at me.” Brandon pressed a kiss to her forehead and then turned his attention to me. “So tell me, what would you want to do instead in your job swap? Any ideas?”
I nodded. “I went to school for design. That’s what I want to do. Not interior design, but more commercial design. Retail spaces. Hotel lobbies maybe. Restaurants or bars. Though I don’t suppose they redo those all that often.”
“Elizabeth is responsible for the Winter Wonderland over at the farm stand. And she did all the decorations for the fall festival there in September,” Bethany told Brandon.
“I’ve been satisfying my creative side volunteering to design the Rotary events in town.”
Brandon bobbed his head. “Slim pickings for design jobs in Mudville, I suppose.”
“Sadly, yes.”
“You know what? I might have a lead for you. One of my clients is expanding. I’m pretty sure she’s looking for someone to merchandise the new stores. You wouldn’t consider relocating to the city, would you?” Brandon asked.
Was this man reading my mind? Or was Bethany’s boyfriend really some kind of guardian angel sent down to be my Christmas miracle, just when I needed one the most?
Trying to wrap my head around this Bedford Falls moment, right here in Mudville, I nodded. “I definitely would consider relocating.”
He reached for his phone. “I’ll give her a call right now and connect you two.”
I could barely breathe as I said, “Thank you.”
Brandon glanced up from his cell. “Oh, and I’m planning on being here through the beginning of January, so if you wanted to stay at my place down there while you’re interviewing, you’re welcome to. It’s just sitting empty.”
Now I was in danger of hyperventilating. “That’s really generous. Thank you. So much. I might do just that. If she’s interested in talking to me, that is. I don’t have much experience.”
He pressed his lips together and lifted his brows. “You have plenty. All she has to do is take a look at the Morgan Farm Market Instagram where they posted pics of the Fall Fest and Winter Wonderland and she’ll see that. But since you are actively looking for a job, you might want to download some of those shots and put together a portfolio.”
I nodded. He was right. I needed to do that and so much more. I didn’t even have a recent resume. I was completely unprepared for this and yet there was a warm glow of hope in my chest. I couldn’t beat it down no matter how much I tried. Instead, it flared to life, blazing brighter.
Hope was the quickest path to disappointment but I couldn’t fight it this time.
From what I’d heard, Brandon was important. So was his company. He had huge clients, including the state governor. With his backing maybe—just maybe—I’d have a chance.
Then there was that other hope. The one that had nothing to do with my career.
The hope for something more with Christopher.
If I could get a job in the city, and then get an apartment down there somewhere, I’d be near him. I wouldn’t have to count on him coming to visit Mudville.
The feminist in me bristled that an independent woman didn’t move to follow a man. Didn’t depend on him for her own self-fulfillment. But I wasn’t doing that. I was following a decades’ old dream for a career that I’d all but given up on. And if one of the side benefits was that I’d be nearer to Christopher, I wasn’t going to feel bad about it.
Brandon had wandered to the back of the bakery for the phone conversation. When he emerged again shortly after it was with a smile. “You available for an interview this week?” he asked.
The air whooshed out of my lungs as I glanced from him, to Bethany, and then back to Brandon. “Really?”
“Yes. The position is still open and she’d love to meet with you. What’s your number? I’ll text you her contact info.” Brandon watched me expectantly as my phone number, the one I’d had for years, eluded me.
“I think she’s in shock.” Bethany laughed and reached for her cell phone on the counter. I heard her recite my number for Brandon from her contacts list.
“Thank you. So much.” I looked from her to him again. “I don’t even know how to thank you enough.”
He shook his head. “All I did was get you an interview. The rest is up to you.”
“And you’re gonna nail it. I know it.” Bethany smiled. “And since you look like you might pass out, I’m going to insist you sit down and eat a cupcake. Today’s special?”
“Yes. Perfect.” I nodded, still in shock as my cell phone dinged with Brandon’s message containing the contact for the woman who might change my entire life.
I sat heavily in a chair and laid my phone on the table just as Bethany slid a laden plate in front of me.
“Thanks.” I managed the single word with my mind spinning with everything that had happened, and everything I had yet to do.
My cell dinged again. I glanced at the display and saw Christopher’s number. He’d programmed it into my phone, and my number in his, sometime after our kitchen sex last night.
Christopher: Hey. Are you at the farm stand? Santa’s up for another day of work if you need me. And personally I’m up for anything else that you are. I took tomorrow off.
He’d ended the text with a winking emoji, followed by a Santa emoji, followed by a devil emoji, followed by a laughing emoji.