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  Copyright

  ZONDERVAN

  Cookies and Cheer

  Copyright © 2019 by Amy Clipston

  Requests for information should be addressed to:

  Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

  ISBN: 978-0-310-35282-2 (e-book)

  Epub Edition September 2019 9780310352822

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication

  CIP data is available upon request.

  Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

  Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

  Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Printed in the United States of America

  19 20 21 22 23 / LSC / 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  With love and appreciation for Zac Weikal

  and the members of my Bakery Bunch

  CONTENTS

  Copyright

  Title Page

  Glossary

  Featured Characters

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Discussion Questions

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  GLOSSARY

  ab im kopp: addled in the head

  ach: oh

  aenti: aunt

  appeditlich: delicious

  boppli: baby

  bruders: brothers

  bu: boy

  daadi: grandfather

  daed/dat: dad

  danki: thank you

  dawdy haus/ daadi haus: grandparents’ house

  Deitsch: Dutch

  dochder: daughter

  dummkopf: foolish person

  Englisch/Englischer: English or Non-Amish

  fraa: wife

  Frehlicher Grischtdaag!: Merry Christmas!

  freind: friend

  freinden: friends

  froh: happy

  gegisch: silly

  geh: go

  gern gschehne: you’re welcome

  Gmay: church district

  Gott: God

  groossmammi: grandma

  gude mariye: good morning

  gut: good

  gut nacht/gute nacht: Good night

  haus: house

  hund: dog

  Ich liebe dich: I love you

  jah: yes

  kaffee/kaffi: coffee

  kapp: prayer cap or head covering worn by Amish women

  kichli: cookie

  kichlin: cookies

  kinn: child

  kinner: children

  krank: ill

  kuchen: cakes

  liewe: love, a term of endearment

  maed: young women, girls

  maedel: young woman

  mamm/mudder/mutter: mom

  mammi: grandmother

  mann: husband

  mei: my

  nee: no

  nix: nothing

  onkel: uncle

  Ordnung: written and unwritten rules in an Amish district

  rumspringa/rumschpringe: period of running around

  schee: pretty

  schtupp: family room

  schweschder: sister

  schweschders: sisters

  sohn/suh: son

  vatter: father

  Was iss letz?: What’s wrong?

  Wie bischt: How are you?

  Wie geht’s: How do you do? or Good day!

  wunderbaar: wonderful

  ya: yes

  yer: your

  yerself: yourself

  *The German dialect spoken by the Amish is not a written language and varies depending on the location and origin of the settlement. These spellings are approximations. Most Amish children learn English after they start school. They also learn high German, which is used in their Sunday services.

  FEATURED CHARACTERS

  LOUISE M. ROMAN BYLER

  Alyssa

  Jenne Lynn

  MARIETTA M. ABRAM SMOKER

  Kyle

  1

  “I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER already,” Jenne Lynn Byler said after a lone customer walked out of Ronks Bakery, finally giving the staff a break. They’d been busy all afternoon. “We have to start thinking about decorating the store for Christmas.”

  “You’re right.” Alyssa turned from arranging two pies fresh from the bakery ovens and looked at her younger sister. “We do need to talk about that—especially the window display.” She stepped over to the large window at the front of the store and took in the fall decorations she’d set up in early September. The design she’d created included orange donuts, several small pumpkins, two cakes and cookies all with orange icing, and orange whoopie pies, along with a flurry of paper leaves she’d cut out and painted before adding them to the background. This was one of her favorite window designs since coming to work for Denise Sherwood and her bakery five years ago, and she was grateful that Denise liked them.

  Now she tapped her finger against her chin, contemplating possibilities for a Christmas design. The rest of the store would have lovely greenery as usual, but the window display needed to be unique. Inviting.

  The bakery had originally been an Amish-owned business, and when Denise bought it nearly thirty years ago, she’d continued hiring young Amish women to preserve its theme. Now in her early sixties, and with graying dark-brown hair, Denise continued to enjoy a thriving business.

  Alyssa was nineteen when she started her part-time job there, and she still worked the same three days a week. That gave her plenty of time to keep up with family chores, and the work was a good fit since she’d always loved to bake. Jenne Lynn joined Alyssa three years ago, when she turned eighteen. One of the other employees left to get married, and Denise needed a replacement. Alyssa had always appreciated that Denise gave her younger sister a chance. Not all Amish siblings had the opportunity to work together, and she cherished being able to do that.

  Alyssa enjoyed baking and helping the customers, but her favorite part of the job was designing and decorating the display window.

  “Are you contemplating your Christmas theme for the window?” Denise appeared behind her, and Alyssa turned around to see her boss’s bright smile. Denise rested her hands on her hips and tilted her head as if eagerly awaiting Alyssa’s response.

  “Ya.” Alyssa twirled one ribbon from her prayer covering as she studied the window. “I think I have a good idea.”

  “What is it?” Jenne Lynn joined them.

  “What if I created a nativity scene with some of the elements represented with sugar cookies?” Alyssa’s lips spread into a wide smile as the idea
took shape in her mind. “That’s it! We’ll bake cookies shaped like angels, shepherds, animals, and stars. We already have figurines that represent Mary and Joseph, and one of baby Jesus in a manger. We can put the figurines in the middle and the cookies around it.” She held out her hands in front of her as if she were already creating the display. “I can see it coming together.” She met Denise’s gaze. “What do you think?”

  Denise nodded slowly. “It sounds good, but I’d like to know more before you start. Why don’t you draw out the design and show it to me?”

  “I can do that.” Alyssa’s heart did a little dance. Eager to get started, she rubbed her hands together and then looked up at her boss. “Are you going to hire one more baker to help us this season?”

  “No. Why?”

  “Last Christmas we had trouble keeping up with the baking, stocking inventory, running the cash register . . . Don’t you think we need more help before we get another influx of tourists and even local customers after Thanksgiving?”

  Denise seemed to consider this, but then she shook her head. “Even with the increase in sales, I can’t afford more help. We’ll just have to do the best we can.” With that she turned and headed into the kitchen at the back of the store.

  The front door opened, and the bell above it rang as three women dressed in jeans and winter coats came inside.

  “Oh my. It smells heavenly in here! We heard this is the best bakery to purchase local baked goods,” one of the women said.

  Alyssa smiled. “How may we help you?”

  As she stepped to the counter, Alyssa’s mind spun with more details for her idea. She could hardly wait to sit down at her desk tonight and sketch out the designs. She wanted to make this year’s Christmas display one of the best. After all, all the businesses on Lincoln Highway took their holiday decorating seriously.

  “How’s the drawing coming?”

  Alyssa looked up from her desk later that evening and found Jenne Lynn standing in her doorway. Alyssa had helped her sister and mother clean the kitchen after supper and then retreated to her bedroom to start sketching the window display.

  “I think it’s going pretty well.” Alyssa motioned for Jenne Lynn to join her at the desk. “This is the whole design.” She held up the drawing showing the entire nativity, and Jenne Lynn gasped.

  “This is really gut, Alyssa!” Jenne Lynn pointed to the page. “I love the angels and the animals.” Her fingers traced the different shapes, and then her brow furrowed. “Does Denise have all these kichli cutters?”

  Alyssa shook her head. “No. I’m working on designing them now.”

  “But how are you going to make kichli cutters? We can’t cut out those shapes with just paper or cardboard.” Jenne Lynn scrunched her nose, and Alyssa bit back a laugh. Her sister always reminded her of a younger version of their mother with her bright blue eyes and light-brown hair—unlike her own hair, which was a medium brown, and her darker-blue eyes, so like their father’s.

  “I’m going to design them and then find someone to make them for us.”

  “Oh.” Jenne Lynn continued to look confused. “Who would make them for you?”

  Alyssa chewed her lower lip as her thoughts turned to the only metalworker she knew—Kyle Smoker. He’d been in school and youth group with her. But would he have time to make the cookie cutters? And how much would he charge her?

  “Alyssa?” Jenne Lynn gave a little laugh. “Are you okay?”

  “Ya.” Alyssa waved off the question. “I was thinking of someone who might be able to make the kichli cutters.”

  “Who?”

  Alyssa looked down at the drawing of a cow cookie cutter. “Kyle Smoker.”

  “Ooh!” Jenne Lynne cooed. “He’s handsome.”

  Alyssa shrugged as her cheeks heated. Her sister was correct. Kyle was easily the most handsome young man she knew, but Alyssa could count their conversations on one hand even though he lived just a block away and they both attended their district’s church services. A few young men had asked her out over the years, but no relationship had developed from those dates. She wondered if Kyle had ever considered asking her out, but obviously he would have if he’d wanted to.

  Alyssa looked at her sister, who still wore a wide smile. “His father owns that metalworking business down the street, right next to their haus, and Kyle works with him. I hope he has the time and interest to make these for me. If not, I’ll ask him if he can recommend someone else.”

  “When are you going to ask him?”

  “If Denise approves of my sketches, I’ll walk over there tomorrow after work. Hopefully he’ll be home on a Saturday.”

  “I’m sure Denise will love this.” Jenne Lynn’s eyes skimmed back across the paper. “You’re so talented. I could never draw like this.”

  “You have your own talents.” Alyssa gave her arm a nudge.

  But talent or no, would Denise like the drawing as much as her sister did?

  “This is fantastic.” Denise flipped through the drawings of the nativity and the cookie cutter shapes the following morning as she and Alyssa stood in the bakery’s kitchen. “I love your creativity. I think this will be a hit with customers.”

  “Thank you.” Alyssa grinned. “And what if we sell the cookies in boxes and tape Scripture verses on them?”

  “I love that!” Jenne Lynn exclaimed. “I can help you write out the verses.”

  “That would be wunderbaar.” Alyssa smiled at her sister, who was always generous with her time.

  “Where do you think you can find the cookie cutters?” Denise asked.

  “Alyssa is going to ask Kyle Smoker to make custom cutters.” Jenne Lynn bumped her shoulder against Alyssa, who shot her a warning look. “He does metalworking for a living.”

  “And if he can’t, he might be able to recommend someone.” Alyssa worked to keep her tone even despite her frustration with her sister. “His father owns Smoker’s Iron Works.”

  “He sounds like a good choice.” Denise set the drawings on the counter.

  “That’s what I was thinking.” Alyssa folded her hands and rested them next to her sketches. “They live about a block from us, and I’ll go by there after work.” She turned to Jenne Lynn. “Please explain to Mamm and Dat that I’ll be home after I speak to him.”

  Jenne Lynn nodded. “Ya, I will.”

  Denise rubbed her chin. “I’ll have to set a limit on how much I can spend on the cookie cutters. Our budget for decorations is tight.”

  “I understand.” Alyssa held up her hands. “I don’t want this to cost you much money.”

  They discussed the budget, and then Denise looked at the clock. “I’d better unlock the front door. It’s time to open. We know how busy Saturdays can be.”

  As Alyssa started for the front of the store, excitement thrummed through her. Her fingers itched to get started on the window display, but she wouldn’t be able to do that until she found someone to make the cookie cutters.

  Alyssa’s hands trembled as she walked up the long rock driveway leading to the large workshop bearing the sign SMOKER’S IRON WORKS. When Kyle’s mother answered Alyssa’s knock on the back door of the house, she said Kyle was still working in the shop even though business hours were over.

  What if Kyle thought asking him to make the cookie cutters was trivial—beneath his abilities and not worth his time? What if he even laughed at the idea? She swallowed a groan. This was a terrible idea.

  From what little she knew of Kyle, though, he was a nice young man. She couldn’t recall a time when he’d teased another student like some of the other boys who attended her school had. He’d always appeared to be quiet and respectful. She hoped he was still the person she remembered.

  She reached the door and opened it, and a bell rang above her head, just like the one Denise had installed in her bakery. She scanned the shop. It was illuminated by skylights and propane lights, and she took in several workbenches cluttered with tools and a variety of metal projects. She gas
ped when she saw a metal coffee table sitting next to a metal propane lamp. It was beautiful! She also noticed a long railing she imagined would line porch steps, and then a metal shelving unit.

  Turning to her right, Alyssa bumped into a metal chair that sat with five matching chairs and a table. She ran her fingers over it and silently marveled at the expert craftsmanship. Kyle and his father were truly talented.

  “That’s one of our most popular items.”

  Alyssa jumped with a start and sucked in a breath as she spun toward the voice. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you walk over.”

  “No, I’m the one who should be sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Kyle towered over her by at least five inches, standing close to six feet tall. His light-brown hair held flecks of gold as they stood under the skylights, and his honey-brown eyes seemed to sparkle. He folded his arms over his wide chest, and when he smiled at her, she felt a strange quiver start in her chest and spread to her arms and legs. “It’s gut to see you, Alyssa. How are you?”

  “I’m fine.” She looked over at the table and chairs, hoping he wouldn’t notice the blush that suddenly heated her cheeks. “This is your most popular item, huh?”

  “Ya.” He gave a little laugh. “You’d be surprised how many stores want metal outdoor furniture. And they order it in fall and winter, so they’ll have it for spring sales—believe it or not, starting right after Christmas.”

  “Oh.” She nodded and cleared her throat. She glanced down at her sketches and again doubted coming to see Kyle. Why would he want to waste his time making cookie cutters if he had outdoor furniture to make?

  “So what can I do for you?”

  She looked up at him, and her words were trapped in her throat for a moment.

  He lifted his eyebrows as his lips twitched. “Are you looking for outdoor furniture? Or maybe a railing?”

  “No.” She felt a smile break free on her lips as well. “I’m wondering if you could help me with a much smaller project.”

  “Okay. What is it?”

  “I work at Ronks Bakery on Lincoln Highway,” she began. “I’m sort of in charge of our window display, and we try to do something special for Christmas.” She glanced down at the pile of papers in her hand. “I came up with an idea to do a sugar cookie nativity, but I need someone to make the kichli cutters for me.”