New Beginnings

Chapter 6

The next morning, my alarm went off at 4:30 in the morning and I grabbed a quick bowl of cereal and went on a quick run. I was home and in the shower by 5:30 and at the back door of the bakery by 6.

“Good Morning.” I said as soon as she got out of her car.

“Good Morning.”

We made our way into the bakery and we wasted no time getting to work. At 7:30 a young girl with curly blonde hair walked through the back door.

“Saralynn! This is Marie, our new employee.”

“Hi.” I said, waiving my hand.

“Hey! You’re new to town, right?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, we are going to be best of friends.”

I couldn’t help but smile. She was super pretty and bubbly. But Chantelle entered my head and all I could think of was the betrayal.

We opened at 8 and Saralynn showed me how to work the register. We were steady but not super busy.

Any little break in customer and Saralynn was telling all about the people that had stopped into the bakery.

In walked two guys whom I assume were close to mine and Saralynn’s age. They were both tall and built. They were wearing cut-off shirts showing off the muscles. One had dirty blond hair and amazing green eyes. I would say he was beyond hot.

The other had dark brown hair and big brown eyes. He was cute but not hot like the blond.

“Hey Saralynn, can you get my mom for me?” The blonde said.

Of course, he was Susan’s son. I bet this is the middle child, Hunter.

Saralynn walked to the back to get Susan.

“You must be Marie. The new girl.” Brown eyes said to me.

“That I am. But I’m sorry I’m not sure who you are.”

He laughed a little. “I’m Trent. I work for Charlie and happen to be Hunter’s best friend.”

“And I’m Hunter.” He said with a small smile.

“Nice to meet you both.”

“Your mom said to just come on back.” Saralynn said as she emerged from the back.

Hunter made his way to the back and Trent leaned against the counter to wait.

“So, Marie, do you have a boyfriend?”

I was a little taken back by his question. “No…No boyfriend.”

“Good to know.”

Thankfully, Hunter returned. “We are all set.”

Hunter said, making his way to the door. “Bye ladies. I’ll see you around Marie.”

As soon as he left, Saralynn looked at me. “Be careful with Trent.”

“I’m not really interested in anything right now.”

“Trent can be very charming but he is always off and on again with his current ex-girlfriend.”

“Oh ok.”

“He has been with Julie since they were freshmen in high school. They have a very toxic relationship. Her best friend Becca is sort of dating Hunter. I mean Hunter has been chasing her for years. Julie and Becca aren’t too bad when they are alone, but when they are with Abigail they become mean girls. Abigail is Becca’s older sister and has been dating Colton for the past 4 years.”

Colton is Charlie and Susan’s oldest son, whom I have yet to meet.

“Why are they so bad?”

“They are the mean girls. You want to stay away from them. They have the town wrapped around their little fingers and in a small town they get away with whatever they want.”

As Saralynn went on about the 3 amigos, I realized they sounded a lot like Chantelle but an entire group of them.

The rest of the day went fast and I could tell I was impressing Susan with my baking skills.

By 2 I was exhausted. “You did great today Marie.”

“Thank you Susan.”

The rest of the week went fast and I had Friday off, but I was going to work Saturday and we were closed on Sunday.

I spent most of Friday cleaning the apartment and getting everything set up the way I wanted it.

Saralynn and I went shopping. She wanted to go shopping and I wanted not to spend the day alone.

I didn’t want to have a wall up but I couldn’t help it with Saralynn. After Chantelle, it would be a long time before I trusted anybody again.

I did decide to get a few things for myself and the apartment. We got back to my place as the bakery was closing.

I saw Susan talking to a tall, tan, incredibly handsome young man. He had jet black hair and chiseled features. For the first time since Luca, I felt myself truly attracted to another man.

Susan waived me over. As I got closer, I saw he also had the most amazing blue eyes.

“Marie, this is my oldest son, Colton.”

“Hi Marie I have heard so much about you.” He said with a little smirk, putting his hand out to shake mine.

I shook his hand and was having a hard time formulating a sentence. “Nice to meet you.”

“Do you need any help with your bags?”

“Oh… No OK but thank you.”

“No problem.”

I needed to get away from him. The attraction to him was intense and, by the way he was looking at me, I couldn’t help but think he felt the same way.

“I should probably get going,” I said with a smile. Still unable to break eye contact with Colton.

“Oh, before you go Marie, would you like to come to dinner at my house on Sunday?” Susan asked.

“I would love too.”

“Great. Have a good night honey. I will see you in the morning.”

“It was nice to meet you, Marie.”

“It was nice to meet you too, Colton.”

I got to my door and turned to look at Colton, only to find him standing by his truck, watching me. I felt my cheeks blush and he waved at me and winked.

I quickly waved back and pushed open the door.

Saralynn was right behind me as we entered my apartment.

“Whole crap that was intense.”

“What?”

“Oh please tell me you couldn’t feel him eye Fu.”

“SARALYNN!” I said, cutting her off.

She started laughing and dropped herself onto my couch.

“It’s true. I have known Colton for years and I have never seen him look at a woman the way he just did with you.”

“Doesn’t he have a girlfriend?”

“Yeah, the queen B, Abigail.”

“So it doesn’t matter, does it?”

“Yeah I guess not. I mean he has been with Abigail for 4 years. It is weird he hasn’t asked her to move in with him or get engaged.”

“Maybe he isn’t ready yet. How old is he?”

“He is 23 and Hunter is 21. Colton lived here till a year ago, when he bought his first house outside of town just like his Dad. The entire town was shocked when Hunter moved in and not Abigail."

I shrugged my shoulders, not sure what to say. I was about to turn 20 soon and I couldn’t even imagine buying a house or trying to get engaged.

The rest of the evening went by fast and before I knew it, I was in bed and ready for the following morning.