Chapter 403

Olivia

The next morning, I found myself standing outside the front door to the bakery. It was still early in the morning, and with the twins in their stroller and my filled-out application in hand, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was making the right decision.

The application had clearly stated that they were searching for a baker with a culinary arts degree; and considering the fact that I hadn’t even been able to go to college due to my father’s and my financial situation, I had a pretty good feeling that my application would wind up in the trash for the second time.

But, then again, Nathan’s words echoed in my mind.

“The worst they can say is no, right?”

His words had truly bolstered my confidence, and besides, he was right; the worst they could say was no. And maybe it would be a little embarrassing, but I wouldn’t know until I tried. I had had plenty of rejections before in my life, anyway. What was one more?

As I approached the bakery’s entrance, I hesitated for a moment, my heart pounding in my chest. The help wanted sign still hung proudly in the window, a beacon of opportunity. Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door, the familiar bell chiming pleasantly.

Ms. Abernathy, who was positioned behind the counter as usual, looked up and smiled. She recognized me and greeted me warmly, her apron dusted with flour.

“Oh, Luna!” she exclaimed. “You’re back so early. Is that the job application I see in your hand?”

Despite her friendly gaze, I felt my nerves creeping back in. I almost considered telling her that she was mistaken, but it was too late; she had already seen the application. Which would be more embarrassing, I wondered? Saying that I changed my mind and leaving, or handing over my obviously-unqualified application?

But, it seemed as though my wolf made that decision for me, because I felt her presence pushing me to just hand her the application.

“Well, I thought I would give it a try,” I replied, trying to hide the shake in my hand as I held the envelope out to her. “I do enjoy baking at home…”

She nodded in understanding and extended her hand to take the envelope containing my application. “That’s wonderful to hear,” she said with an encouraging smile. “I’ll make sure to pass it along to our head baker. He’ll review all the applications.”

I thanked her and, after ordering a cup of coffee, turned to leave—but just as I was about to step out of the bakery, a voice called out to me.

“Wait a minute!”

I froze and turned to see one of the bakers emerging from the kitchen area. He was a stocky older man, maybe a little younger than Clint, with flour-dusted hands and a friendly grin on his face. His eyes locked onto mine, then onto my application.

“Are you really interested in working here, Luna?” he asked, a hint of curiosity in his tone as he approached.

I shifted uncomfortably, not sure how I wanted to respond. The disturbance had seemingly alerted some of the other patrons, who were now looking my way. I could feel my face turning a shade of red that I was certain to be akin to the ripest tomato.

“She applied, didn’t she?” the woman behind the counter said in a teasing tone before I could respond. She held the application up, and the baker took it from her hands.

“Ah, I see,” the baker said with a gravelly chuckle as he opened the envelope. “Let me just take a look…”

As the baker’s flour-covered fingers pulled the crumpled application out of the envelope, I felt my heart beginning to pound.

God, this was the worst outcome! It would have been one thing for them to view my application in private and discover that I had no formal experience—but opening it in front of nosy patrons was another beast entirely.

The baker approached me, taking a closer look at my application. “Hmm,” he mused, tapping his chin thoughtfully as he read. He paused then, quirking an eyebrow as he looked up at me. “I think you forgot to fill out the education section.”

It was then that I felt my heart drop into my stomach.

“Yeah, um…” I stammered, clearing my throat. “I… I didn’t forget. I never went to culinary school. Or college in general.”

As I spoke, I could feel the eyes of the other patrons boring into the side of my head. I was certain that they were judging me—their Luna—for being uneducated. And honestly, I couldn’t blame them.

“Oh?” the baker said, cocking his head to the side. “That’s a shame. We were looking for someone with a degree in the culinary arts, I’m afraid.”

I felt a twinge of disappointment, realizing that I never should have applied to begin with. “I’m sorry for wasting your time,” I apologized, my shoulders slumping ever so slightly.

But to my surprise, the baker looked back down at my application and his expression shifted from disappointment to something more thoughtful. “You know,” he said, looking back at me, “we’re always on the lookout for talented individuals who are passionate about baking. Qualifications are important, but sometimes skills and dedication matter just as much.”

I blinked, not entirely sure what he was getting at. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you’ve got experience in the food industry,” he explained, “so how about this? If you’re truly interested in pursuing a career in baking, I could offer you some informal training. You can come here once a week for a while, and I’ll teach you the basics. If you show promise and a passion for it, maybe we’ll consider hiring you down the line.”

“Oh, and besides,” Ms. Abernathy said, “we could always use some extra help in the kitchen. Even if you’re not a professional baker, there’s always something to do. That’s how I learned!”

I was taken aback by this unexpected offer. It was more than generous, and suddenly, the discerning gazes of the other patrons didn’t feel so significant after all. “You would do that for me?” I asked, my voice low.

The baker nodded. “Absolutely. We value dedication and a genuine love for baking. You might not have the formal qualifications, but sometimes, all it takes is a willingness to learn and a passion to succeed.”

I couldn’t contain my excitement any longer, and a smile spread across my face. “That’s very kind of you,” I replied. “Thank you. I’d love to try it out.”

He chuckled warmly. “It’s our pleasure, Luna. I look forward to teaching you the ropes. We’ll start next week. How does that sound?”

“That sounds perfect. Thank you so much, Mr.…?”

“You can just call me James,” the baker said with a chuckle. “And the nuisance behind the counter is Petunia.”

“I’m his sister,” Petunia said with a roll of her eyes. “Sometimes I wish I was an only child.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at their banter. “Well, thank you both so much,” I said with a smile. “I’m looking forward to getting started.”

“So are we,” James replied with a warm smile. “See you soon, Luna.”