A Modern Day Fairy Tale Teaser

Jake drove us back to the condo, parking in the secured garage and we went upstairs. My mind was troubled, worried for Bella. Her watery eyes, her dejected demeanor and broken smile were ingrained in my memory. “Mase, you okay?”

“No, I’m not,” I said, sitting down and thrusting my hands into my hair. “That bakery, it’s owner is … Can you do me a favor?”

“Sure, Mase,” Jacob replied. “What’s going on?”

“I just met someone who was is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, Jake,” I sighed. “I need you to find out information about that bakery, its history, its owners and anything else you can find. I want to help.”

“Not every woman needs a knight in shining armor, Masen,” Jacob said, his face somber and concerned. “What happened?”

“She fell apart, Jake,” I frowned. “This girl, her sister, I believe, told Bella that she spent $400 for a homecoming dress, presumably stealing from her family.”

“That’s pretty steep,” Jake said, making a face. “But, in New York, that’s par for the course.”

“I think that money was needed for that bakery, Jake,” I sighed. I felt grimy from the work I’d done in the kitchen. “I’m going to shower and then I’m going to do my own research. She may not want a knight in shining armor, but I would like to be her friend.”

“Okay, Masen,” Jacob nodded. “You’ve got some flour in your hair and on your face.” I shrugged, leaving Jacob in the kitchen. He’d taken out his computer and was beginning his research. I slipped into the bathroom and looked up. My hair was covered in flour, mainly where my hands were thrust into my hair. I also had flour splashed on my cheek and some on my lips. I hated to wash evidence of my evening away. It was a reminder of her, of Bella. As weird as it sounded, I took out my phone and snapped a selfie. It seemed vain, but I saw something in my eyes that I hadn’t seen before.

Contentment.

Shaking my head, I stripped off my clothes and took a quick shower, rubbing one out in the shower, and changing into some sweatpants and a t-shirt. When I came out of my bedroom, Jake had a beer on the kitchen counter, his brow furrowed. “What is it, Jake?”

“You’re going to need this,” he said, handing me a bottle of beer. I took it from him, arching a brow. “Okay, so, Swan Family Bakery, Est. 1897 is on the verge of foreclosure. It would appear that they’re looking for investors to expand the bakery and make it competitive with other bakeries nearby, but so far, there are no takers.”

“That explains so much,” I breathed. “Why?”

“It would appear to be that Charlie Swan, Bella’s father? He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. He had numerous doctor’s appointments, physical therapy appointments and obviously, a never-ending pile of bills,” Jake explained. “Bella went to college, graduating with honors as a teacher. She had a position lined up in Greenwich, teaching at some private school, earning an amazing salary, but she backed out of her contract to return home to care for father. She gave up her dream to be a teacher to save her family’s bakery.”

I took a pull of my beer, my heart stammering and anger simmering underneath my skin. I clenched my hand into a fist. “Go on, Jake. How much is she in debt? Or the bakery?”