When Dreams Meet Reality

Paige Properzi

My First Month at Nelly's Baked Goods

by Paige Properzi

So I thought working at a bakery would be all sunshine and cinnamon rolls. Turns out, it's more complicated than I expected.

When Aunt Gemma offered me the job at Nelly's Baked Goods, I was beyond excited. I mean, who wouldn't want to be surrounded by amazing equipment like those huge stand mixers and perfect ovens all day? Plus, I've been thinking seriously about pursuing a career in the business. Morgan keeps saying I need to focus on school, and trust me, I am. I'm on the honor roll, thank you very much, and this job is part of my schooling anyway. Real-world experience counts for something, right?

What I didn't expect was how awkward things would get when Anara took over.

Don't get me wrong—I genuinely enjoy the work. Aunt Gemma and Grumpy Gary are actually pretty agreeable to work with, even if Gary acts like he'd rather be anywhere else half the time. And the bakery itself? It's amazing. I'm learning so much about baking, and I'm dying to try making macarons. Have you seen those things? They're like little works of art.

But here's the thing that's been eating at me—I'm pretty sure Anara hates me.

She's always telling me what to do, being all bossy about how I arrange the squares in the display case or asking me to redo things that look perfectly fine to me. I mean, I get that presentation matters, but sometimes it feels like she's just looking for reasons to criticize me. And don't even get me started on how she calls herself "Ms. Kittering" instead of "Mrs. Briggs." Like, what's that about? Is she trying to pretend her marriage never happened?

Maybe that's unfair. Morgan says I overthink things, and he's probably right. But it's hard not to wonder what she's heard about our family, you know? Everyone in this town has opinions about the accident, and I can't help but think that affects how she sees me.

The weird part is, when I'm working with Aunt Gemma, everything feels right. She lets me take pictures for the Instagram account I want to start for the bakery (which could totally help bring in more customers), and she doesn't make me feel like I'm constantly messing up. With Anara, though, there's this tension I can't shake.

I know some people might think I'm just being a dramatic teenager, but this matters to me. This job isn't just about earning some spending money—it's about learning skills that could shape my future. When I watch Gary ice those perfect roses on wedding cakes or see how precise everything has to be for the bread to rise just right, I feel like I'm glimpsing something I could really be good at.

Maybe things will get easier as we all settle into our routines. I hope so, because despite the awkwardness with Anara, I really do love being there. There's something about the early morning smell of fresh bread and the satisfaction of seeing customers smile when they bite into something delicious that makes all the tension worth it.

And hey, at least I'm learning that even when your dreams come true, they come with their own set of challenges. I guess that's just part of growing up—figuring out how to make things work even when they're not perfect.

For now, I'm going to keep showing up, keep learning, and keep hoping that whatever's bothering Anara about me will eventually work itself out. Because at the end of the day, this is where I want to be, complicated or not.

Sometimes the sweetest things in life require a little patience to get right.

Paige shows up often in the book The Rancher's Heart. Lose yourself in this heartwarming story about love, faith and second chances by clicking on the cover below.

Hearts of Kitering Creek #2