Holding Out for a Hero (Baytown Heroes #9)

Chapter 15

15

Bess walked from the kitchen into the front of the shop, where several tables were set up for customers to enjoy coffee and treats before heading out. Most of her orders were for carry-out, both because they were on their way somewhere or because the seating in the shop was very limited. She wondered how much her business might increase if she had more room for customers to sit down. She’d talked to Jillian Wilder, a friend who owned a coffee house in Baytown, and Jillian advised that the longer a customer could sit to enjoy their treat, the more likely they were to order more before they left.

The way business was going, Bess had taken notice of the empty storefront space next door and considered setting it up for more seating. Sighing, she was both excited about how well the business was doing and concerned about what it would take to make that kind of expansion. As it was, she could barely handle the flow of traffic now.

Just then, the bell over the door jingled, and a middle-aged woman walked in with a younger woman next to her, so alike in looks it was easy to assume they were related. Both were dressed comfortably, and their hair was slightly wind-blown from the fall breeze that swept over the Eastern Shore. The older woman’s hair was strawberry blond with gentle streaks of gray blending in perfectly. Her shoulder-length bob framed her face, and her blue eyes sparkled. The younger woman’s hair was also strawberry blond and hung just below her shoulders. Her blue eyes were as bright as her mother’s.

As they walked forward, Bess noticed the younger woman presented some muscle spasticity, making her movements slightly jerky. With smiling faces and bright eyes, they stood near the counter, looking upward at the simple menu board on the wall.

She greeted them warmly with her usual smile. “Hello. Welcome to Bess's Bakery. I’m Bess.”

The young woman’s slightly wonky grin widened. “Hi! I’m Carol.”

“Carol, it’s nice to meet you. Is this your first time in my bakery?”

“Yes. This is my mom. She’s been here be-fore.”

“Wonderful,” Bess enthused. “A return customer and a newcomer.” She turned to the older women. “Welcome back.”

“Hello. I’m Allison. I couldn’t wait to bring my daughter in. Carol’s been job hunting today, and we needed a pick-me-up treat.”

“Mom says I have a sweet tooth.”

Bess nodded with enthusiasm. “I do, too. That’s why I had to open a bakery. It keeps me from eating everything I bake.”

Carol’s laughter rang out again, her face filled with delight. Then Carol surprised Bess by saying, “I bake, too.”

“You do? That’s great.”

“She finished her bookkeeping classes at a community college, but her passion is baking,” Allison said. “After I told her about your creations, she was excited to come in and try them.”

Bess's eyes widened as she turned back to Carol. Having thought she was an older teenager, she realized the young woman was in her twenties. And it didn’t miss her notice that she was a bookkeeper. “Really? Wow, you’re like a carbon copy of me,” Bess said. “You know what? You two choose any item you want, and it’s on the house. My treat!”

“Oh no,” Allison protested.

“Hey, it’s a special today. We’ll call them feel-better treats.”

Once she’d prepared their coffee and plated their chosen apple and caramel crumble muffins, she carried them to the small table where the two women had settled. Looking at Carol, she asked, “What kind of job are you looking for?”

“Any-thing,” Carol said, her words less animated than earlier. “I hope to do book-kee-ping one day, but I like peo-ple and can do sales.” Her gaze cut over to her mother and then back to her plate. Her hands held the fork, and while it took a moment for her to slice off a piece and then spear it to bring to her mouth, she was soon moaning in delight. “This is so good.”

“I would think there would be jobs available out here. Lots of places are advertising,” Bess said, thinking about all the stores and restaurants looking for holiday help.

“Not for me,” Carol said. “I have cere-bral pal-sy. It takes me lon-ger to say or do some-things.”

Allison reached across the table and patted her daughter’s hand. “Something will turn up, sweetheart. You just have to be patient.”

Bess's heart ached for the young woman who just wanted a chance, and an idea began to form. “Have you worked in food services before?”

“In high school, I worked at Bur-gers and Dogs. It was a hambur-ger and hot dog place. I gree-ted and then moved to bag-ging the food. Then in col-lege, I did the books for the owner. That way, I did not have to move so fast,” Carol said, lifting one shoulder.

Bess nibbled on the bottom of her lip, her thoughts moving quickly through her brain. She glanced around, for once glad to see no other customers were in line. “May I join you?”

“Oh, yes, please do,” Allison said as Carol nodded with enthusiasm.

Bess grabbed a chair from the next table and settled so she could face Carol and Allison fully. “What would you think about working in a bakery like this one?”

Carol blinked, and Bess noticed Allison’s fingers jerk as she held her cup.

Plunging ahead, Bess continued, “The work would only be part-time bookkeeping, and I would have to see how you do before I would be comfortable turning it all over to you. But if you wanted to spend some time helping in the kitchen and out here in the serving area, we could add some of those hours in as well.”

Carol’s and Allison’s eyes widened, and Bess held back a grin at their almost identical faces.

“Are you for real?” Carol asked, her gaze moving between her mom and Bess.

Bess nodded and placed her forearms on the table, leaning closer. “I would treat you like any other employee. We could start with a two-week trial to see if we’re both satisfied. You’d have to complete the paperwork and send me your transcript for proof since I’d let you see the shop’s records and books. Does that sound like it would be acceptable?” Bess tried to keep her voice steady, but it was hard in the face of Carol’s obvious excitement.

Carol’s face glowed, and as Bess looked at Allison, she could see gratitude in her eyes. Shaking her head quickly, she added, “I’m not offering this job because I’m just being nice. I really need someone, especially as we’re growing. I have an associate’s degree in business and a local woman as my annual tax accountant, but I have little patience for bookkeeping. My love is being in the kitchen and with the customers.”

“There is so much I can learn from you,” Carol said enthusiastically.

Allison nodded. “This is an amazing opportunity you are offering. We really are thankful, Bess. I work from home as a book editor and proofer, so transportation for Carol will never be a problem.”

“Well, alright then, let me get you the paperwork.” Bess started to the back, then stopped and looked over her shoulder. “Would you prefer filling out the forms with pen and paper or on the computer?”

“I can do either, but a com-pu-ter is best.”

Allison leaned over and opened her bag. “I have a laptop in here.”

Bess laughed and nodded. “Perfect.” She watched as Carol handled the laptop, her fingers slightly slower as she carefully typed out the responses, several times having to correct the words when her fingers missed the keys. Afraid she might make Carol self-conscious, she walked to the back and stepped into her office. Looking around, she knew it was mostly neat, but piles of things still needed to be dealt with. Butterflies hit her stomach at the idea of giving someone else access to her finances, but she was getting to the desperate point if she wanted to focus on the baking.

Opening a file drawer, she pulled out a simple employment handbook she had created that covered basic time/attendance, dress code, and kitchen safety. She hesitated, pressing her lips together. Hiring someone with cerebral palsy might require certain workplace accommodations, and she wondered if she had offered too quickly. After all, I just met the woman. But then I hired Lottie the day I met her. Shaking her head, she knew Carol would be a good fit, and Bess was rarely wrong when she went with her gut in business.

By the time she arrived at the table again, Carol looked up and smiled.

“All finished.”

“Wonderful. We can make whatever accommodations you need. After I check out your references and your community college transcript, I’ll call you. If everything is in order, we’ll come up with your start date. And believe me, I’m so desperate, it’ll be soon!”

“I have a sealed co-py of my tran-scripts with me,” Carol offered.

“Fabulous!” Bess reached out as Carol took the envelope from her mom and handed it to Bess. Opening the seal, she pulled out the transcripts from a community college in Delaware, and her gaze swiftly moved down the page, which proved Carol had finished her associate’s degree in business with exceptional grades and a bookkeeping certification. She tried to hide her surprise at her age— twenty-six ! Bess smiled widely and nodded, anxious to have Carol work at the bakery. Her gaze then moved to the top, spying Carol’s full name.

Carol Marie Stowe

Bess's stomach flip-flopped at seeing the name she hoped was common. She and Brad had barely declared friendship before it was tested during the argument after he’d pulled her off the woman who’d dared to point a gun at Belinda. “Stowe. Wow… um… I have a… friend whose last name is Stowe.”

“My brother is a de-tec-tive here. Brad Stowe.”