Read Online Missing Your Smile by Jerry S. Eicher - Free Book Online

to visit your folks. They sound like nice people.”
    â€œThey are,” Susan agreed as she reached to turn on the oven.
    â€œI’ll be right back,” Laura said, stepping out of the kitchen to service the now empty display cases. Moments later she returned carrying the empty trays, dumping them into the sink.
    Susan pulled the first batch of rolls from the oven and slid them onto the counter to cool.
    â€œWhat cookies are we offering today?” Susan asked. “I can get those started.”
    â€œI think peanut butter, Tollhouse, gingersnaps, and macaroons,” Laura said.
    Moments later Laura left for the front again to start filling the urns of coffee so they’d be ready to turn on just before the bakery opened. Susan began the gingersnaps, stopping only to take the finished sweet rolls from the oven.
    She drew in a long breath over them. These did smell
gut
.
Perhaps this morning is special? A day of new beginnings? But then perhaps I’m imagining things. Perhaps turning on electric lights for the first time could do strange things to a person
.
    Laura returned. They worked together in silence, rushing at the last minute to finish filling the display cases before the first customer walked through the door. Susan pulled on a freshly washed white apron a few minutes before six. A quick glance in Laura’s direction brought a smile of encouragement.
    â€œI’ll get cleaned up myself,” Laura said. “We’ve done really well this morning.”
    Laura walked over to the coffee urns lined up on the counter, throwing the switches before disappearing into the back office.
    â€œYou look dreamy this morning,” Laura said, returning in a few minutes with a fresh apron on.
    â€œI think today I shall buy a purse!” Susan announced with a laugh.
    Laura smiled. “That’s right. I don’t think I noticed you don’t own one. You might find some nice ones in the local stores, but the better buys are at the mall. If you like, we can go tonight. My evening is free.”
    Susan’s face brightened. “That would be wonderful. Thank you!” She pulled open the front door and set the doorstop. She turned to face a tall young man who walked in with a smile on his face.
    â€œGood morning,” he said in a chipper voice.
    Susan felt a flush spread up her neck. He was
gut
looking and even more. She guessed he could almost have been raised on a farm. She could even picture him in Amish clothing. But she shouldn’t be thinking about such things. She hardly knew him, and he might even be married. How could she think such worldly thoughts?
    Susan made her way behind the cases where the man was surveying the rolls. “I think,” he said, slowly, “I’ll have a bear claw and an apple fritter. Oh, and coffee—black—please.”
    Susan used metal tongs to put the bear claw and apple fritter onto a plate. She grabbed a paper cup and drew his cup of coffee.
    At the register she said, “That’ll be four seventy-five.”
    As he paid, he noticed Laura, nodded to her, took his change, and made his way to a table where he settled with a newspaper.
    The front door opened again, and two more people came in, followed by an older couple and then another single man. Quickly a line was formed. Susan and Laura were kept busy.
    Busy as she was, Susan stole an occasional glance at the man with his newspaper. Why was she thinking about men so much this morning? She really wasn’t interested, even in light of her bold words to Robby on the beach. Had she actually said she would keep her heart open? Well, it wasn’t going to be taken on Monday morning by an
Englisha
man in Laura’s shop. That was for sure.
    The newspaper truck went by the window, and a paper banged against the front window. Laura liked the paper brought in right away since footprints on the headlines didn’t make for easy reading.
    â€œExcuse me,” she