The Baseball Card Boyfriend (Starrycard Creek Bachelors #3)

Chapter 22

Chapter

Twenty-Two

MAGGIE

“Hey, TBD,” Christian purred, striding toward her in jeans, a Starrycard Creek Paper Company T-shirt, and a pair of aviators. The man was like something out of a dream—her dreams.

“Hey, Number Eleven. Are you allowed to park your helicopter in the middle of the road?” she teased through happy tears.

“Normally, no. But today, the city made an exception.” He glanced at the police presence. “It turns out I’ve still got a lot of friends here in Rocky Mountain City.”

“Is this some stunt?” Bobby grumbled.

Christian eyed the man. “Hey there, Bobby Junior. We’ll get to you in a second. I’m here for my girl,” he said, holding her gaze and using that commanding tone that sent a delicious shiver down her spine. “Are you going somewhere, TBD?”

“We’re leaving for—” Bobby began, but she stopped him.

“No, I’m leaving him ,” she corrected.

Bobby scoffed. “She’s confused.”

Christian took a step toward her ex. “Maggie knows her heart. I doubt she’s confused.”

“What are you doing here?” Bobby demanded, but the shake to his voice revealed his unease.

Christian took off his aviators and pegged Bobby with his gaze. “I’m here to support Maggie, and I brought back up—people she met right after she left Rocky Mountain City and just before she lost her memory.”

“Just before?” Bobby’s voice cracked, his smug grin faltering.

“Yes, Bob, right before,” he repeated, his gaze softening as it settled back on her. “But before that, Maggie’s got a special delivery from a certain pup, a little girl, and a retired papermaker,” he added, gesturing toward the helicopter. In the fading twilight, the figures inside were barely visible, but her heart knew who was coming her way.

“McKenzie, Rex, Lucky!” she called as the trio approached.

McKenzie held up a box—one of the plain pink ones she’d used for her pies during Donnelly Days. But this one was different. It had an image and something written on it.

“It says ‘My Blushing Baker,’” McKenzie read, presenting it like a gift.

“It does, indeed,” she replied, studying the box. My and Blushing were printed in a jovial cursive font above a darling illustration of a pie with stars dotting its surface. The pie plate featured a little face with rosy, pink cheeks and the word Baker was printed in the same whimsical cursive below it.

She accepted the box and then knelt to pet an excited Lucky. The animal licked her face, then sniffed Bobby and growled.

“Come on, now, Lucky,” Rex coaxed, reining in the dog’s leash. The patriarch of the Starrycard family winked at her, then patted Lucky’s head. “Don’t worry, boy. We’ll get to him.”

We’ll get to him? What was that all about?

“What’s inside the box is yours, Maggie, and Miss Sapphire Sags says that you should sit down before you open it,” McKenzie instructed.

“Sapphire who?” she asked.

The child beamed. “Your Gemstone friend.”

“I’m sorry. I’m a little confused.”

“Hopefully, we’re about to change that,” Christian said as he jogged to the porch and retrieved one of the patio chairs. “Here, TBD, have a seat.”

She settled in the chair and peered at the box. “What’s in here?”

“Something we think will trigger your memories. Something your grandfather gave to your grandmother,” Christian explained.

She held his gaze as a lump formed in her throat. “You know this for sure.”

“We do,” Christian confirmed. “You shared the history of this object with the people you met on a bus. One of them happens to be a retired mental health professional. I explained your memory loss to her. She believes the traumas you’ve endured over the last handful of years caused your mind to forget because it hasn’t been ready to absorb your current reality.”

“What?” she asked, searching his face for answers.

He knelt in front of her. “Your brain’s been…sitting on the pitch, waiting for the right moment to unlock your memories.”

“Sitting on the pitch,” she repeated, emotion building in her chest.

He brushed a tear from her cheek. “Yes, and I’m here because I love you, and I want you to feel safe and secure when you open that box.”

“We love you, Maggie,” McKenzie chimed. “Isn’t that right, Great Grandpa Rex?”

“We do. The entire town of Starrycard Creek cares about you,” the man said gently.

Maggie exhaled a shaky breath. “I’m nervous,” she whispered, staring into Christian eyes and drinking in the soothing shade of sage green.

He took her hands in his and rested them on top of the pie box. “The storm always passes. And if this doesn’t work and your memories don’t return, we’ll figure it out. I’ve got you. We’re a team,” he said, giving her hands one last squeeze before releasing them.

She concentrated on the pie box and traced the darling My Blushing Baker logo with her index finger. Slowly, she lifted the lid and was met with an object in the same shade of pink as the box. “It’s a pie plate,” she noted. “It looks vintage, like an antique.”

“That’s right,” Christian said gently.

Her fingers trembled as she reached inside, carefully lifting the pie plate from its bed of white tissue paper. The cool ceramic against her skin felt familiar. The soft pink glaze shimmered in the low, dusky light. The faint imperfections etched into its surface spoke of countless years filled with love and use. The edge was intricately scalloped, each curve adorned with a delicate pink ceramic star that seemed to sparkle with its own light. In the center, a sea of smaller stars spiraled around a larger center star, creating a pattern as mesmerizing as the night sky in Starrycard Creek.

She closed her eyes and traced the rim of the pie plate, feeling the little bumps and points of each ceramic star. Blurry images and sensations rose to the forefront of her mind. It was as if she were tuning an old hand-held radio, searching through static until the music came through at top volume. And she recognized that little radio she’d imagined. She saw it on the counter next to a pie plate. This pie plate—the one in her hands. She gasped as the scent of cinnamon and freshly brewed coffee enveloped her senses. She was in the kitchen tucked inside her grandparents’ house—her house. She could hear Grandma Connie humming along to the radio as she baked. She could see her grandpa Fred seated at the table, his name printed on his overalls above the words RMU Maintenance Staff. He held a mug and grinned tenderly as he watched her grandmother place tiny stars atop a pumpkin pie.

“Talk to me, TBD,” Christian said softly.

She opened her eyes, and tears streamed down her cheeks. “My grandfather bought this pie plate for my grandmother for eleven dollars at a flea market.”

Tears welled in his eyes as he cupped her face in his hands. “Do you remember them?”

“I do,” she whispered, the blank pages of her life suddenly filled with warmth and love. “I remember everything—the kitchen, my swing hanging off the old oak tree in the backyard. I remember my room with lace curtains my grandmother and I made together. I remember how my grandfather would roll my socks into little tubes when he helped me put away my laundry. I remember trips to the park and walks through the farmer’s market. And baking. I remember my grandmother teaching me to carefully line the pie plate with the rolled-out crust, making sure it was centered and gently pressing it into the pan. I was loved, Christian, so very loved by my grandparents,” she sobbed, holding the pie plate to her chest.

“You are so very loved,” he said tenderly, brushing the tears from her cheeks.

“Just breathe, Maggie. Let the memories return at their own pace. It’s okay to feel whatever comes up. You’re safe, and you don’t have to face this alone.” The voice wasn’t Christian’s, but she recognized it. She looked over his shoulder as three drag queens accompanied by Judge Ironside approached.

“Who the hell are you people?” Bobby balked.

“Watch your tone, kid. I’m Maggie’s honorary uncle, the Honorable Judge Morris T. Ironside.”

“And we’re—” the woman in sparkling red began.

“The Geriatric Gemstones—Ruby Wrinkles, Diamond Dentures, and Sapphire Sags,” Maggie supplied, smiling through her tears.

“Who?” Bobby barked.

“We’re her family,” Diamond Dentures announced in all her sparkling grandeur.

“Maggie doesn’t have any family,” Bobby shot back.

“Oh, how wrong you are. We’re her glamazon grandmothers,” Diamond replied with a theatrical wave of her ring-adorned hand.

“A helicopter in my street and drag queens? This is too much. I’m done,” Bobby mumbled, irritation thick in his tone, but his gaze lingered on the group, his eyes darting around like a cornered rabbit.

“You’re not going anywhere yet ,” Diamond seethed. She reached into her glittery bag and produced a spork. “This sad excuse for cutlery might just be teeming with Coxsackievirus. Make another move, and I’ll jam it into your mouth. If anyone deserves raging diarrhea, it’s you,” the drag queen roared.

And holy moly, her drag queen glamazon grandmas came onto the scene guns blazing, or in their fabulous cases, rhinestones shining.

Maggie rose to her feet with the pie plate carefully cradled in her arms. “Ruby, Diamond, Sapphire, it’s so good to see you again.”

The queens embraced her in a bedazzled group hug.

“Our Little Miss Cry-In-Her-Pie,” Diamond cooed, beaming.

Maggie looked from Christian to Ruby. “You’re Christian’s old baseball coach from RMU, aren’t you?” she asked, connecting the dots.

“I don’t know how I feel about the word old , but yes, Christian and I go way back to when I coached him in college.”

She wiped away fresh, happy tears. “Christian, I’m sure they told you we met on the bus I was taking to Starrycard Creek because that morning…” Maggie froze, then zeroed in on Bobby—her cheating creep of an ex -boyfriend. Her memories of their relationship had also returned. She glared at the man. “You don’t love me. You’ve made me doubt myself and my value for years. You must have only wanted me because you saw me with Christian in Starrycard Creek or noticed me at my pie stand and couldn’t bear to see me happy and making something of myself. And you cheated on me. I walked in on you on the day I left for Starrycard Creek. I saw it with my own eyes.”

“Mags, that was a hiccup,” he answered with a dismissive wave, his lips curling into a smug smile. “We’ve been together for five years. You’ve forgiven me before.”

“Not this time,” she said sharply, as the extent of his deception materialized. “And you didn’t even take me to my grandparents’ place. We drove by some random house, and I’ve never been to any of the restaurants you said were my favorites. And I’ve never even been to Fiji. You told me you loved me over the phone during a break in your weekly squash match with your dad. And you only did it to get me back after dumping me. You never wanted to help me get my memories back because it benefited you to keep me in the dark. You must have seen me at Donnelly Days, didn’t you?”

“You’re right. He saw you. Kieran noticed him,” Christian confirmed.

“So what!” the man exclaimed like a sullen toddler.

“And when you’d learned I’d lost my memory, even then, you couldn’t show an ounce of kindness or concern for my welfare,” she pressed, laying into the man.

“Are we done?” he huffed. “Unless you’re going to give me the recipe for ricotta pumpkin pie, I should be on my way. I deserve a vacation for putting up with this bullshit.”

“You’re a terrible person, Bobby Driscoll,” she said, strength surging through her veins.

He scoffed. “That’s where you’re wrong. By virtue of my work, I can’t be a terrible person. I’m an orthopedic surgeon—a bone doctor,” he answered and gestured to the license plate on his Corvette parked in the driveway.

“Speaking of bone doctors ,” Judge Ironside began, a sly twist to his lips, “would this happen to be your car?” the man asked, pointing to Bobby’s restored vehicle.

“A real Sherlock here. Yeah, she’s mine,” Bobby replied, his voice dripping with arrogance.

“Thank you for confirming that piece of evidence,” the judge said smoothly.

Evidence?

“Maggie, bella ,” came a booming voice as Nico exited the helicopter.

She glanced at Christian. “How many people fit in that thing? Anyone else hidden in there?”

He wrapped his arm around her. “Nobody else is inside, but you’ll want to pay attention to what’s about to happen.”

She turned back to Nico. “It’s good to see you. What are you doing here?”

Nico’s vibrant mood shifted, and his expression grew somber. “I’m here to identify a suspect.”

“A suspect?” she repeated.

Judge Ironside motioned toward the officers stationed at the end of the road. Three vehicles rolled forward, then halted. Six men in blue emerged, arms folded tightly across their chests, eyes locked on Bobby.

“Are they here for me?” Bobby stammered. “Because you can’t arrest me for cheating on my girlfriend. And I didn’t kidnap her either. I might have stretched the truth a smidge, but she came with me willingly,” the man continued, but the shake to his voice couldn’t be denied.

The judge nodded to an officer—a man who looked rather familiar.

“Robert Driscoll, Junior, I’m from the Creek County Sheriff’s Department. You’re being charged with animal cruelty, animal abandonment, and reckless endangerment.”

What was happening?

Maggie’s jaw dropped.

“That first charge alone comes with three years behind bars,” Ironside announced.

“What?” Bobby eked out.

“We know what you did to Lucky. I saw it happen. I took a video. Your license plate was visible,” Nico stated, and immediately, she knew what this was about.

If she loathed Bobby before, now she utterly despised him.

“Lucky is the dog I was supposed to foster. You promised me you’d pick him up while I was meeting with the estate people. Why would you get him and then push him out of a moving car? Why didn’t you return him to the rescue?”

Bobby shrugged. “It would have been…inconvenient.”

“Inconvenient?” she shot back.

“Yeah, after I got him in the car, I got a text about the New York opportunity. We couldn’t foster a dog when there was a chance we’d be moving, and I didn’t want to drive all the way back to the rescue. Plus, it’s just a dog.”

“Did you get that, Officer?” the judge asked.

“Yes, sir, my body cam is recording.”

Judge Ironside crossed his arms. “I see an open and shut case with a confession like that. Good luck getting a job anywhere, Mr. Driscoll. Take him away, Officer Gandy.”

“Officer Gandy!” Maggie exclaimed, now recalling how she knew the man. He was their arresting officer.

“Good to see you, ma’am,” the man said with a nod. “I’ll be transporting Mr. Driscoll back to Creek County to face charges.”

“It’s Doctor Driscoll,” Bobby whined as the cuffs clicked around his wrists.

“Whatever, man. Let’s go,” the officer ordered as a tow truck pulled up next to the vintage Corvette.

“What’s happening to my car?” Bobby cried.

“It was used in the commission of a crime. Naturally, we’re hauling it in,” the judge supplied.

“No,” Bobby wailed, bawling like a spoiled brat.

“Hey, Doctor Bad News,” McKenzie called. “I’m not supposed to say this till I’m twelve, but I’m gonna say it anyway. You’re a super-big TURD BURGER !” The little girl glanced around. “Am I in trouble?”

“No, Kenz. You’re exactly right, kid,” Rex replied, patting McKenzie on her shoulder.

“That was for you and Lucky, Maggie,” McKenzie said, smiling from ear to ear.

“Thanks,” Maggie replied, looking on as Officer Gandy put Bobby into the back of the squad car.

Christian gazed down at her. “How are you holding up, TBD?”

“I’m…” she said as her gaze moved from the police cars to the helicopter to the pie plate and then to Christian, the man who had captured her heart so completely. She stared up at him.

“Don’t worry, Maggie,” Rex teased with a twitch of a grin. “We Starrycard men often render the women we love speechless.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she replied, still reeling from the whirlwind of events that had unfolded.

“Is that your stuff?” Christian asked and nodded to her suitcase and purse.

“Yes.”

“We’ll take care of loading it onto the helicopter,” Nico said, collecting her things.

“You two might want to take a breather. I’ll get everyone on the chopper,” Rex added before leading the others toward the waiting aircraft.

She rested her forehead against Christian’s chest and sighed, grateful to be alone with him. “Thank you for coming for me,” she whispered, her voice catching as another wave of emotion washed over her.

He tilted her chin and placed a feather-light kiss at the corner of her lips. “I will always come for you, no matter what. I will always fight for you, and I’ll always be there to support you. I promise you this with my whole heart.”

This man.

This good, kind, loving man.

She wanted to forget about her time with Bobby and immerse herself in his love. But one question wouldn’t leave her mind. How could she have let Bobby mistreat her for so long?

“I can’t understand what I ever saw in Bobby. I can’t believe I dated him for five years. Maybe I was too weak to walk away,” she said, her voice tinged with regret.

Christian’s eyes blazed with intensity. “Maggie, the last thing you are is weak. The Gemstones shared what you’d told them with me. Here’s what I know. You met Bobby after your grandmother had surgery. You cared for her. She passed, and then your grandfather got sick. Bobby took advantage of a young, vulnerable woman who had to be strong for the people she loved. And then you woke up with no memories, and in a matter of days, you won over a town, and you stole my heart. You’re remarkable. I am in love with a remarkable, strong, caring woman.” Christian’s voice softened as he took her hand, squeezing it gently. “And I’d like to take this remarkable, strong, and caring woman home, where she belongs—with me.”

“I want that, too,” she whispered. She glanced back at Bobby’s house, and a phrase came to her.

Every storm passes.

Her grandfather’s wise words echoed in her mind, and she felt a sense of closure. Her stormy relationship with Bobby was over—it had passed. She’d endured and had come out stronger.

“And one other thing,” Christian said, a coy grin curling the corners of his mouth.

“What’s that?”

His grin widened as the last rays of light highlighted his beautiful face. “Fuck Bob.”

She laughed, a weight lifting from her shoulders. “Fuck Bob,” she repeated, then sighed, allowing the lightness to take over. “I knew there had to be a reason that felt so good to say.”

He reached out and stroked her cheek. “Are you ready to head home, TBD?”

“I’d like that more than anything. But I do have one question,” she added with a sly smirk.

He matched her expression. “Let’s hear it.”

“Are we really going back to Starrycard Creek in a helicopter?”

He chuckled and picked up the pink pie box. “We could walk to the bus station and buy a one-way ticket home, but I’m not sure Rocky Mountain City or the neighbors would appreciate a helicopter sitting idle in the middle of the road—and then there’s the matter of the five senior citizens, one dog, one muscle-bound Italian, and one seven-year-old. I promised them pie once we got back to Starrycard Creek, and these people take the promise of dessert seriously. And they certainly don’t want to wait.”

“Who’s making the pies?”

“Wolcott and Haynes. They wanted to test out the new ovens.”

“In the senior center?” she asked, surprised the renovation had moved so quickly.

“Not exactly. You ready?”

She watched him for a beat, her heart swelling with affection. “What do you have planned?” she asked as they headed to the chopper, her curiosity piqued.

“Starrycard stuff,” he replied with a mischievous grin.

“That’s my favorite kind of stuff. But before we go, I need to say something.” She tightened her hold on his hand and the pie plate. “I need to speak the words.”

“I’m listening.”

“I love you, Christian Starrycard. I never doubted your love for me, not for a second. And…” she continued, feeling her cheeks heat.

“And?” he echoed, a curious lilt to his voice.

“Having my awful ex hauled off to jail was not a bad way to sweep a girl off her feet.”

“I’m glad you approve because I love you, and I won’t let anyone hurt you. Anyone who tries will have to go through me.”

“That’s pretty fierce and determined, Number Eleven.”

“You bring that out in me,” he responded, a smile tugging at his lips as he tapped the door of the helicopter’s cockpit. “You’re riding up front with me, TBD,” he said, guiding her inside with a gentle hand on her back. “Let me adjust this for you,” he whispered, carefully fitting the headset over her ears before closing the door. He took his place in the pilot’s seat and secured his own headset. “All set back there?”

Maggie looked over her shoulder as their headset-wearing companions each offered a thumbs-up, and Lucky released a spirited woof .

“All right, folks, we’re taking a little detour before we head back home,” he said, his words clear and steady through the headphones.

Christian gripped the controls, and the helicopter roared to life, its rotors whipping the air as it lifted off the street. The ground fell away in seconds, and the city shrank beneath them as they soared into the sky. Darkness had fallen, and the lights from Rocky Mountain City twinkled below. Maggie relaxed, observing the city like a bird in flight. But just as she was about to be lulled into a meditative state, she edged forward, peering at a familiar bend in the road below.

“Does that place look familiar?” Christian asked.

She touched the glass. “That’s my old house. How did you know where it was?”

“The Geriatric Gemstones have our ways,” Diamond said, her voice purring through the headset. “We retrieved the pie plate along with the things you left on the bus—including your ID.”

Maggie squinted. “There’s a car parked in the driveway.”

“We learned your house sold quickly to a young family,” Christian explained. “We were told they were ecstatic to be starting their life there.”

Her heart swelled with a serene contentment. “I’m glad. That little house holds lots of love. It’ll be good to them.” She peered ahead. “What about the contents of the house? Did the family buy them, too?”

“No, the contents were purchased by another buyer.”

She nodded. “I’m glad someone will get some use out of them. They might be old, but they’re sturdy, tried and true,” she replied, grateful her grandparents’ things hadn’t ended up in a landfill.

“I still have an apartment here. We can come back whenever we want,” Christian said, then pointed at a building below. “We’re coming to the Rocky Mountain City Rec Center. I’m told that’s where you learned to swim when you were in preschool.”

She reared back and gawked at the man. “Yes, it is. How would you know that?”

“Ruby here on the headset. I made a few calls to people I used to work with in the Athletics Department at RMU. They connected me with a few of your grandfather’s colleagues. They say he always had stories about his precocious granddaughter.”

“Oh, no,” Maggie said, chuckling as she recalled the man’s talkative ways and rich, rolling laughter.

“Yeah, Maggie,” McKenzie added, her little voice sounding so cute through the headset. “This one lady said that your grandpa told a story about when you were a little girl. You didn’t want to wait to change into your swimsuit before swimming lessons, so you ran out of the locker room totally naked, and your grandma had to bribe you with pie to get you out of the pool.”

“Terrorizing community centers at a young age? That explains a lot,” Ironside said dryly, but Maggie could hear the smile in the judge’s voice.

She laughed, her eyes filling with tears of pure joy.

“Now, we’re coming up on the diner where your grandparents met. I’m told it’s a little coffee shop now,” Christian said.

She pressed her hand to her heart. “That’s right. That’s it,” she said, peering down at the top of the building on a sleepy corner of the city.

Christian reached over and squeezed her hand. “Are you okay?” he mouthed, keeping the exchange private.

She gave his hand a squeeze. “I’ve never been better.”

“Look, everyone, it’s the RMU baseball fields and locker room facility,” Ruby exclaimed.

“That is where I had that chance encounter with your grandfather, and…” Christian continued, veering east. “Here’s where we met, where we first locked eyes, and you became the light in my life and the girl of my dreams.”

“Aw,” came a chorus of voices over the headset as they passed over The Rattlers’ ballpark.

“And now, folks, sit back and relax,” Christian said, checking the instruments on the console, “we’ll follow the train tracks and head home.”

“Don’t get any ideas, Lucky. No train adventures for you, poochie-poo,” Diamond crooned, garnering a round of laughter.

“We’ve got about half an hour. You all know what to do,” Christian added with a subtle curl to his lips.

Maggie watched the man. “What do they have to do?”

“Just more Starrycard stuff.”

He really was planning something, but she was content to let the Starrycard surprises reveal themselves in their own time. As she looked down at the pie plate resting in her lap, her fingers traced the scalloped edge, and a wave of déjà vu stirred a mix of emotions. This treasured item had been with her at the beginning of her journey to Christian’s hometown, a journey that began with a pie plate in her lap and tears in her eyes. But now, the tears welling up weren’t born from sorrow, loss, or desperation. These tears were different. They were tears of joy, renewal, and hope. They fell because she’d never imagined she could experience such deep acceptance again, and yet here she was, surrounded by that very love.

She released a slow, steady breath and relaxed into the seat. The bright city lights faded, and no one spoke as pockets of light from the small towns below dotted the darkened terrain like stars scattered across the night sky.

After twenty-five minutes, McKenzie’s voice bubbled with pure excitement, ending the stretch of silence. “I see my house, and there’s the creek. I see the paper shop next to the creek, and there’s town hall and my school.”

“Good eyes,” Christian remarked and headed for the center of town.

Maggie surveyed the scene. “You’re landing the helicopter in the square?”

“Yeah, I am. I have a little more pull with the mayor in this town. No one will mind if I leave the chopper parked there for a bit.”

He deftly set the helicopter down in the middle of the square, the blades slowing as they came to a gentle stop.

“I’ll take Lucky. See you there,” McKenzie called as the passengers disembarked and headed down Main Street, clearly sure of their destination.

“Aren’t we going with them?” Maggie asked.

Christian placed his headphones on a hook. “We are. But I wanted some time alone with you before…”

“Before…” she repeated.

“Let me help you out,” he said, grabbing the empty pie box and then exited the cockpit.

“What kind of Starrycard stuff awaits us, Number Eleven?” she asked, stepping out of the aircraft.

They walked down the street, and he held out the box. “What do you think of the name, My Blushing Baker, and the logo?” he asked, stopping beneath a streetlight so she could get a good view.

She touched one of the stars. “I love it. My grandfather liked it when he made my grandmother blush—like you do to me. It’s something I loved about them, and I love about us.”

He nodded, and that boyish grin appeared. “I love that we share that with your grandparents.”

“Did you make the logo?”

“No, Caroline designed it,” he replied, his voice warm and steady as he gently guided her down the sidewalk.

She relied on him to lead the way, her fingers lightly clutching his arm as she kept her gaze trained on the image. “It’s perfect, Christian. It’s exactly what I’d want if I had my own…” Her voice trailed off, her breath catching in her throat as she froze, her eyes widening in disbelief as she peered ahead. “What am I looking at? What is this?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“Margaret Kathleen Michaels,” Christian said, his eyes sparkling with a blend of pride and affection, “this is your bakery.”