How To Bake The Perfect Christmas Cake. Gina Calanni

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      “Unfortunately, yes.” Jack scoops up a bite of his pancakes and take a bite.

      I’m on my fourth mouthful. I should slow down, I don’t want him to think I’m a pig. I place my fork down on my plate and pick up my coffee which is almost gone.

      “Remember how I said Sherry had taken out a loan against Vintage Estates?” Jack takes another bite of his fluffy pancakes.

      I nod my head.

      “Well, apparently the loan Sherry signed for has a balloon payment due by the 28^th of this month.” He grabs his coffee and takes a sip. He eyes the waitress and motions for her to come to our table.

      “The food is great, but could we please have another round of coffee?” He points at our cups.

      “Sure thing.”

      “Okay, so you have to pay a large amount on the 28^th or what?”

      “Or, the bank owns Vintage Estates.”

      My eyes practically drop on the floor. They are hurting from straining. “Are you serious?” I immediately wish I hadn’t said this as I know this is serious and Jack wouldn’t make this up.

      Jack nods and takes another bite of his pancakes. The waitress returns with a pitcher of coffee and fills up our cups. We both thank her.

      “What are you going to do? Do you have to leave?” My shoulders tense up.

      “No, I’ll leave tomorrow as planned. I have a few options. I’ll meet with the bank and my lawyer on Monday. Let’s not talk about it anymore. I just want to enjoy my time with you.” Jack reaches for my hand and brushes his thumb over it.

      “Okay, so other than that, how have things been?” I smile.

      “Things are really good right now. I’m sitting across the table from a gorgeous woman and I’m eating the best pancakes I’ve ever had.” Jack squeezes my hand.

      I inspect my almost empty plate and then beam back at Jack. “You’re quite the looker yourself, the hostess practically slipped in her drool.” I roll my eyes.

      Jack laughs and motions for the server.

      “More coffee?” She holds up a pitcher.

      “Not for me, but the check please.”

      She pats her apron and pulls out a white lined card. Jack reaches for his wallet and gives her his credit card.

      “I’ll be right back.” She turns and walks away.

      “Are you up for an adventure?” Jack flashes a grin at me.

      “An adventure?” I crinkle my eyebrows and inspect my feet. I am wearing my boots and not heels. “Yes, I have the proper footwear.”

      “Lauren, Lauren, Lauren, I told you don’t need proper footwear just a good partner.”

      The waitress returns with a small black folder and hands it to Jack. He opens it up and signs his name.

      “We’re not going dancing, are we?”

      “Maybe, I’m always up for dancing.” Jack winks at me and stands up. He takes my hand and we wander out of the restaurant.

Chapter Four

      “Are you ready?” Jack’s eyes flicker like a child on Christmas morning. I inspect our location, he refused to tell me where we were headed. The sign in front of the parking lot reads “Calandrino Christmas Tree Farm”.

      “I’m ready, but for what?” I wrinkle my eyebrows at him.

      “For our adventure in finding you a Christmas tree, I noticed your house was missing one.” Jack takes the key out of the ignition.

      “You want to chop down a tree for my house?” I know I must sound like a dunce, but I’m trying to figure out exactly what Jack is wanting to do.

      “Bingo! Smart and pretty, you’re the whole package, Lauren.” He taps my nose.

      I stick my tongue out at him. He leans in and pulls my chin up and our lips meet. He kisses me softly and then hops out of the car. I grab my purse from the floor and Jack is already at my door. He opens it and I step out. The gravel crunches underneath my boot.

      In front of us is a large wooden building with a white sign attached above the doorway with the farm’s name. There are several green and blue colored tractors and wagons lined up outside of the store. Jack leads us to the painted red door and opens it.

      Inside the building is a winter wonderland of activity. There is a train circling on a shelf running along the tops of the walls, large candy canes hang from the ceiling, at least twenty different decorated Christmas trees are scattered throughout the place. In the back of the store is what appears to be a cookie shop with a sign reading “Decorate Your Own Cookie”, next to the cookie station is a hot cocoa motion machine. I blink my eyes several times, this place is like stimulation overload.

      I can’t even imagine my niece and nephew Winter and River being in here, they would probably faint out of pure excitement.

      Jack navigates our way through all of the displays and finds the register being operated by a teenager dressed as an elf. Behind him is a sign listing the types of trees and prices along with tree transportation options.

      “Hi there, I’d like to rent a wagon.” He glances back at me and cocks his head. “Scratch that, let’s get a tractor.” Jack digs in his pocket and takes out his wallet.

      “Do you want to be in a group or your own?” The elf asks.

      “Our own.” Jack does not hesitate on this answer. He hands his card to the elf. I feel like maybe I should offer to pay since it’s a tree for my house, but this isn’t my idea so I stand like I’m frozen on ice.

      The elf gives Jack his card back and a key chain. “You’ve got tractor number three.”

      “Great, thanks.” Jack takes my hand. “How about some hot cocoa for our adventure?”

      “Ooh yeah, count me in.”

      Jack grins and we weave our way to the cocoa station. He selects two to-go cups and fills them up. “I don’t think we can pass up decorating our own cookies.” Jack cocks his head in the direction of the cookie station.

      I laugh. “You’re probably right.” I follow him as we eye the different cookie shapes. There are sleighs, Santas, elves, reindeers, candy canes, and Christmas tree cookies. I grab a Santa and Jack grabs an elf. We sit down at a decorating table. It’s over flowing with an assortment of sprinkles and glitter, and icings in every color imaginable.

      I select the red, white, blue, and black icing and begin to color in my Santa. I take a peek at Jack’s elf and notice he is using extra icing to create long brown hair and the eyes are green. Is Jack trying to make an elf version of me? I crinkle my eyebrows. Maybe I should make Santa into Jack? No, I don’t want him to think anything about the tubbiness of Santa’s belly and Jack looks nothing like Santa as a cookie or in pictures. I pick up my blue icing and squirt a drop on his hand.

      Jack inspects the icing and raises his eyebrow in my direction. He makes the elf’s shirt a deep V-neck and pens in a cleavage line.

      “That’s interesting, I’ve never seen such a voluptuous elf before.” I purse my lips to the side.

      “Hmm…this is the way I’ve always imagined elves to look like.” Jack winks at me.

      I roll my eyes and finish Santa’s white beard. Next to the trays of icing are plastic cookie holders. I put my Santa cookie in one and tap my fingers on the table.

      “Good things come to those who wait.” Jack squirts the last of the green icing onto the boots he has created for his sexy elf. He lifts the cookie