Fruitcake Nut Bars Dilemma

By Carol Henry

Jillian Mathews agrees to bake this year’s Christmas fruitcake for her family. But she’s not a baker. To add to her dilemma, Officer Will Jenkins, who stood her up on their first date last Christmas, finds her in front of a fruitcake display and encourages her to keep the family tradition alive.

Officer Will Jenkins has been infatuated with Jillian for longer than he cares to admit. His dreams of dating her came to an end at the Christmas social when he saw her in the arms of another man. When he learns she’s been offered baking lessons, he inadvertently becomes involved and ends up in a matchmaking quandary.

Will their dilemmas draw them closer together or farther apart?

• Language: Unknown
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Nov 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9781509243938

Carol Henry

Carol Henry is an author of Destination: Romance--Exotic Romantic Suspense Adventures, as well as contemporary romance, and historic women's fiction. She is an international traveler, and travel writer of exotic locations for major cruise lines' deluxe in-cabin books. Carol lives with her husband in the beautiful New York State Finger Lakes region where they are surrounded by family and friends.

Book preview

He grabbed a small cart and headed straight for the bakery section, his sweet tooth leading the way. He rounded an aisle filled to overflowing with poinsettias, Christmas cactuses, and flasks overflowing with cut flowers, and stopped in his tracks. Jillian stood next to a large display of fruitcakes with a frown on her lovely face as if the cakes were contemplating attacking her. Hands clenched at her sides, she stood rooted next to the display as if the delicacy were a death wish that had fallen upon her.

He drew closer, angled his cart out of the way, and placed his hand on her shoulder. Jillian. Is everything all right?

She jumped, knocking into him. He caught her before she tumbled into the display and knocked it over. The urge to wrap her in his arms, to comfort her, of course, had his entire body on notice.

Yes, yes, I’m fine. You startled me, is all. She stepped back and brushed the stray strands of hair that had come undone behind her ears. Her hands shook.

I’m sorry I startled you. Are you sure you’re okay? You looked more than a little anxious, and I can’t imagine it’s over a fruitcake. Is there a problem? She had the same pensive look on her face that she’d had at the winery.

Really, I’m fine. I was trying to decide if I wanted to buy a fruitcake to take to my mother’s for Christmas dinner or bake one.

Well, they do have a good selection here. But I can guarantee a freshly baked fruitcake would win the crowd over any day of the week.

I’m not a baker.

So buy one of these, then. Problem solved.

Praise for Carol Henry and…

"A story as savory as it is sweet, Carol Henry’s Fruitcake Nut Bars Dilemma is sure to delight!"

~Therese Walsh, author

~*~

CIARA’S HOMECOMING CHRISTMAS:

Author Carol Henry writes down-to-earth characters who struggle with realistic decisions. Her solid descriptions of setting and place pull the reader into the story and have the reader cheering for the couple. This novella is a quick, heartwarming, and enjoyable holiday read.

~ J.A. Davis, author

~*~

Other holiday titles by Carol Henry:

Breakfast with Santa

Ciara’s Homecoming Christmas

Linzer Tarts and Broken Hearts

Fruitcake Nut Bars Dilemma

by

Carol Henry

Christmas Cookies Series

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Fruitcake Nut Bars Dilemma

COPYRIGHT © 2022 by Carol Henry

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Art by Jennifer Greeff

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

Publishing History

First Edition, 2022

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-4393-8

Christmas Cookies Series

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

To all my children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and other family members who gathered around my kitchen table for our traditional Christmas Cookie Baking Day, and the dining room table for our special Tea Parties afterward. I dedicate this Christmas Cookie Novella in your honor, for giving me many wonderful memories over the years to cherish for a lifetime. May this novella hold many wonderful smiles, memories, and love beyond measure. And may it resonate with other families who share the joy of baking together.

With all my love, Mom (aka, Carol A. Henry).

Acknowledgments

IN APPRECIATION

To my husband for his constant support, my Goddess Critique Partners Teri Walsh and Thea McGinnis, my wonderful editor Josette Arthur and her magic wand, and cover artist Jennifer Greeff. Thanks for your friendship and support.

Chapter One

Jillian slumped in her chair, put her cell phone on speaker, and slid it across her desk. She closed her eyes as her mother’s voice became an irritating drone. How was she letting her mother rope her into baking a fruitcake? Never mind a fruitcake, how was she being roped into baking anything? Was her mother nuts? Okay, so no pun intended. Was her mother not aware she hated fruitcake? She couldn’t believe they liked the candied fruit cake. After all, her Polish grandmother had presented them with one every Christmas when she was growing up. And she wasn’t fond of the candied fruit bits but hadn’t had the heart to tell her. Her mother had been baking them since her grandmother passed five years ago. So why ask her to bake one now? And why her? Her kitchen didn’t boast a single baking pan.

Sweetheart, you’re on school break, so you’ll have time to whip one up, her mother insisted. I know you can bake one if you try.

Jillian groaned and rolled her eyes. But…

Your father and I are off to Buffalo tomorrow for a conference. His office insisted he attend, and he didn’t want to go without me, so we’ve planned a mini vacation. And I won’t have time to bake one before we leave. And you know how much your father loves his fruitcake at Christmas time. I’d hate to disappoint him.

But…

Listen, I’ve got to go and finish packing. Thanks. Love ya.

Jillian looked at her cell phone only to discover her mother had already hung up. She slid her chair back from her desk and sighed. Damn it. She had little more than two weeks to come up with some concoction that would resemble a fruitcake, please her mother, and delight her father. Hopefully.

How did one bake a fruitcake? What were the ingredients? Maybe Holly, at the winery restaurant where she worked, would know. Holly had a flair for creating great desserts she served to her customers.

She checked the time on the lower corner of her computer screen. She had another hour to work on her children’s manuscript before she had to go to work. She’d agonized over a way for her poor character Jenna, the