Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Noah has been told by plenty of people that he scowls too much, or that he's flat-out rude. He doesn't mean to be, but he also doesn't soften his words to play nice. He's direct and to the point, and that can come across as him being a jerk. It's not until the town's baker drops a cake on his porch that he realizes he's made a huge mistake. One look at Molly and he's ready to do anything to get in her good graces.
Welcome to Cheerful, a town that loves Christmas almost as much as it loves Happily Ever Afters. This is the place to be if you need a hefty dose of holiday cheer, or you're looking to have your stocking stuffed. Grab your coziest pajamas and hot chocolate because it's about to get festive
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Chapter One
MOLLY
It might be hard to believe, but I know it to be true. I don’t care what anyone says; when you make food for people, you put your energy and emotions into it. Yes, food can be made with love, but it can be made with a lot of other things too.
Today’s recipe calls for happiness and a bit of laughter. Which translates to Christmas music and dancing. I do a spin as I swipe the piping bag off the counter. I’m using the red frosting to put the final touches on the cake.
“Oh-oh, all the lights are shining so brightly everywhere (so brightly, baby), and the sound of children's laughter fills the air,” I sing as I move around the space.
It doesn't matter how many times I listen to Mariah Carey's Christmas songs, they never get old. Thank goodness, because living in the town of Cheerful, it's practically Christmas year-round.
I take my time on the border of the cake since it was a special order called in. I want to get this exactly right, perfect really. I've been pretty slammed, and there’s a baking competition coming up I’m a part of. That paired with Christmas fast approaching and the bakery is chaos. It’s a lot, but I’m catching up.
Not to brag or anything, but people travel to Cheerful for my frosting alone. I tell everyone the recipe because there’s no need for gatekeeping. I’m happy to share it with anyone that wants to go home and whip up a cake themselves.
I'll get calls that I must have given them the wrong steps or ingredients, and most don't believe me when I insist that it's simply happiness while baking that truly makes all the difference.
The locals believe it, though. We all know that the town of Cheerful has magic in the air with a good dose of love. In fact, it seems like everyone is finding love lately. I’ve never been lucky in that department. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. Heartbreak sounds terrible, and I have no desire to experience it. I have enough of that in other areas of my life.
I stayed later today than usual because of a special request that came from none other than Marley Jacobs himself. He’s a fancy author who I’m told is a big deal. His books look too spooky and scary for me, so I take everyone's word for how good they are.
Marley moved here years back, and he’s been standoffish from the beginning. Mostly he stuck to his cabin, and we respected his need for space. I think we all knew that it was only a matter of time before the spirit of Cheerful would wrap around him. We were right, of course. There really is no escaping it if you move here. It just takes longer for some than others.
Now he’s calling in an order for a friend of his that’s in town. He told me that the guy named Noah really needs one of my cakes. Marley has never asked for anything, so I was quick to agree, even if it meant staying extra late.
I stand back when I'm done and admire my work. I hope this is exactly what Noah needs. He must be fancy too if he’s friends with Marley. I'm sure he has a fast-paced, busy life in the city.
I snap a few pictures of the cake to post on social media later before I grab one of the cake boxes and gently set it inside. I doodle on the outside of the box to give it an extra touch, then carefully carry it out to my SUV.
Once it’s safely in the passenger seat, I hurry back inside and lock up my bakery for the night. I always get excited when a new person gets to try one of my creations. It’s fun to see their reactions.
Pulling my coat tighter around me, I look up at the flakes of snow falling. It’s always snowing here. As excited as I am to deliver this cake, I’m equally as excited to get back home to my e-reader and start a little fire. I’ll cuddle in for the night with a cup of hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows.
I’ve lived alone since my aunt passed away a few years ago. She was the one that raised me for the most part. We moved to Cheerful when I was little, shortly after my parents' passing. It was a really hard time in my life, but I taught myself that if you smile, you really can fake it till you make it. It’s how I was able to push through my aunt's funeral and power on.
I’m not sure a therapist would agree, but I don’t go see one, so I don’t have to hear that. That’s kind of my thing. When anything might rock my emotional boat, I avoid it altogether. I mean, I’m a spoiler queen and what bookish people call an "end reader." I want to know what I’m getting myself into and if it will make me smile. These are things you can control. Why enter into anything that might break your heart? I find the world does a bang-up job of doing that on its own. I’m not stepping into any of it willingly.