1. Where There’s New Beginnings.
1
Where There’s New Beginnings...
Angel Savoie - April 7th, 2025
I stare up at the sky as tears slowly slip down my cheeks. I couldn’t tell you how long I’d been lying in this flower field, but I knew that it had to be at least two hours. It’s been about a month since I got the news of my grandma’s passing. I’ve just been coasting through the world, completely numb to any emotions. I planned a funeral with the help of my brothers, and we were able to lay her to rest. I didn’t shed any tears then, even though I wanted to.
But when I woke up this morning, it was as if all those emotions came crashing down at once. I sent my brothers a text in the group chat to tell them that I was going for a drive and then left before the sun rose. I wasn’t sure where I was going at first, but when my aunt and un cle’s vineyard came into view, my car seemed to gain a mind of its own.
I hopped out of my car and ran to the large field of wildflowers a couple of feet away. I kept running until I came to the middle of the field and dropped to my knees. I sobbed until I couldn’t anymore, and the only thing I could do was lie on my back and be one with the flowers around me. I didn’t care that there might be bugs or that the flowers might irritate my skin and trigger my allergies.
I couldn’t believe that my grandma was gone. She’d been the light of my life ever since I was young and the glue of our family. I always looked up to her and even trained to be a professional chef because of how much I enjoyed cooking with her when I was growing up. She taught me everything I know, if I’m being honest. I only went to culinary school to shape up the skills I learned from her.
When she moved to Tucker about two years ago to open her bakery, I was beyond excited for her. It was a lifelong dream of hers, and even though it took her sixty-seven years to achieve it, I would always be proud of her and how hard she always worked. She was truly my inspiration…and now she was gone.
I could feel my throat getting tight as I choked back another wave of tears. I knew that I was probably dehydrated from the amount of water I’d expelled from my eyes. My heart was heavy, and my head was pounding, but I wasn’t ready to go back to Tucker just yet. Everything there reminded me that my grandma was no longer with us.
My grandma was practically a mom to me and my brothers ever since that night our parents were taken from us when I was four. I don’t remember much about the night because I’ve spent years blocking it out, but I did know that a drunk driver was responsible for causing a wreck that took the lives of about eight people, including my parents. After that, my grandma moved us to New South, and we never looked back.
I hated everything about small towns for years, but when my grandma decided she wanted to move to Tucker to open her bakery, I decided to give it a chance. I knew it wasn’t the same one where my parents were taken from me, but it was still hard to be there at times. However, the town grew on me even though I never stayed long when I visited.
But that was about to change, seeing as I'd inherited her bakery.
After learning of her passing, I didn’t hesitate to pack up everything I owned and move to Tucker to be near my older brothers Chris and Orion, and Orion’s daughter Kennedy. They’d all relocated here along with my grandma, but I was the only one too scared to fully move until now. I spent most of the last two years being a pastry chef on a cruise ship because I hated living in the city alone, but I wasn't ready to commit to Tucker.
Now I wished I’d spent more time with my grandma before she left us. Honestly, I had a handful of regrets, but I pushed them to the back of my brain. I didn’t want to think about any of that right now. I just wanted to cry.
“Angel Savoie,” I hear someone call, and I turn my head to see a figure walking towards me. As they got closer, I realized that it was my cou sin, Avery. I turn my eyes back to the sky and sigh as she stands over me. “Angel, I know you’re sad but please get your low-immune system having ass up off the ground.”
This gets a small chuckle out of me as my eyes connect with hers. She flashes me a warm smile as she reaches her hands out to me. I allow her to help me up to my feet. She towered over me by half a foot, yet she exuded nothing but warmth and love. She was my favorite cousin for a reason.
“You got a death wish or something?” She jokes as she guides me back toward the guest house. “You’re allergic to nature, yet you were sprawled out like you wanted the heavens to open up and take you now. There are snakes out in the grass and…well…the grass. Aren’t you allergic to grass?”
“No, Avery, I’m not allergic to grass,” I chuckled, shaking my head. “I’m just sensitive to it and pollen, but I’m wearing a sweater.”
“Well, you’re breaking out, so come take this Benadryl.”
She leads me into the guest house, and I sniffle, my sinuses now congested. Maybe I shouldn’t have gone and laid my ass in the middle of a damn flower field. I glanced at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, and sure enough, Avery was right. Small welts laced my neck and were slowly taking residence on my face. My face had begun to flush, and I was as red as a fire truck right now. I sighed.
Good job, Angel…
“Angel, I know you miss Granny, but you can’t do this shit again,” Avery nags as she pours two pills into my hand. I quickly toss them back and chase them with some water. “Chris and Orion have been looking for you for hours. I had to track your phone to find you becaus e you weren’t answering. I know you’re grieving, but please don’t do this anymore.”
“I’m sorry,” I apologize as I take a seat on the sofa. “It’s just…a lot.”
“And we are here for you. I know how close you were with Granny, but the only way we’re gonna get through this is if we go through it together,” she says softly. “We’re stronger together, remember?”
I smile as I nod at the saying that our grandma would always say. She was a peaceful person, a kind spirit. She believed that even in the toughest times, we’d always make it through as long as we had each other. I felt a surge of guilt as I thought about how I’d been essentially running away these last two years. I’d been so scared of moving to this town that I missed out on being here for my family like I should’ve been.
We spent another hour at the guest house before we finally headed back into town. Avey then followed me to my brother’s house and stayed over for lunch before she left to go meet her wife, Tyler. I spent the rest of the day relaxing with my brother Orion. I’d moved in with him while I had the apartment above the bakery renovated. It came with the space when we purchased the building for our grandma, but she never did anything with it, so I decided to make it my own space now that I'm here. It was a two-bedroom, two-bath space, but that was plenty of room for me and occasionally Kennedy when I was watching her.
Orion and Chris both worked for Savoie’s Vineyard & Winery, which was owned and operated by our aunt, uncle, and Avery. They oversa w deliveries and often spent weeks at a time on the road delivering to different restaurants in the southern states. Orion never took Kennedy with him because he wanted her to grow up in a stable environment instead of always having to be on the road. So, she stayed with me or our grandma. Since our grandma was now gone, I would be her sole guardian whenever he was away.
I sigh as I walk up to my room. I’ll be busy again starting next week, but honestly, I welcome it. I needed to get out of the house, and opening the bakery back up would be the perfect pastime. I’d quit my cruise job as soon as I got the news of my grandma’s passing. I got off at the earliest stop I could and immediately flew back home, so I was pretty much unemployed this last month. Now, things would be different.
April 13th, 2025
I woke up at 4:00 a.m. to prepare for the day. I had a day of baking ahead of me, and I wanted to get to the bakery as early as possible. Although I wasn’t officially opening back up until tomorrow, I wanted to have a few things premade, mostly the desserts that had to stay chilled. For the first time in weeks, I was excited.
Baking was something I’d always loved, and I always found every opportunity to do so. I was slowly embracing being in this town, and although I was still a bit anxious about it, I could see myself enjoying being here. But I must admit, I still felt a little guilty that I hadn’t moved here with the rest of my family a couple of years ago.
“Everything happens the way it’s meant to, Angel,” I tell myself with a sigh. “It wasn’t time. Now it is.”
I nod to myself as I grab my bag before stuffing my phone, wallet, and notebook in it. I took that notebook everywhere I went because there was always downtime, and with downtime came time to workshop new recipes and flavor combinations I wanted to try. A recipe for lemon blueberry cupcakes with vanilla bean icing was something I was toying with recently. I was thinking about adding a bit of orange zest or a splash of fresh orange juice to the batter. It sounded delicious, but I had to taste it to make sure.
I exit my room and trot down the stairs. I stopped by Orion’s room to let him know that I was heading out. He groaned a response, and I left the house not long after. The streets were quiet as I drove the 10 minutes to the bakery. My stomach growled, and suddenly I was craving a breakfast sandwich. There weren’t many fast-food restaurants here, but I knew one place that would be open.
As I pulled up to Kiwi’s Coffee Cafe , I noticed that Maddox’s car was parked in the parking lot. He was always up this early, and I was thankful for that. So, I park and exit the vehicle before locking it and making my way inside the cafe. He looked up as I stepped over the threshold, and a bright smile graced his handsome face. I thought of him as a good friend of mine. Everyone in this town seemed to love him, and it wasn’t hard to see why. He was always kind and helpful to others. He made everyone feel welcome, whether he knew you or not.
“ Good morning, Angel,” he greets with a smile. “You’re up early today. Must be heading down to the bakery.”
“Yep, got to keep things running smoothly,” I replied with a smile. “Oh, and good morning to you as well.”
“Would you like your usual?” he asks as he fills a cup with ice.
“Yes, please,” I nod, taking a seat on one of the stools by the counter. “I can’t believe I’ve been here long enough to have a usual.”
“Well, if it means anything, we’re glad to have you here,” he smiles as he proceeds to make my favorite drink. A chocolate horchata frappe with chocolate drizzle and whipped cream. Yeah, it was probably a lot of calories and sugar, but I only drank them once…or twice a week. “Your grandma and her bakery were one of the brightest parts of this town. We’re all gonna miss her, but I know that you are gonna do the bakery justice.”
“Thanks,” I say as he sets my drink in front of me.
A week ago, I would’ve broken down at the mere thought of anything related to my grandma, but I’ve been feeling better lately. I knew she was in a better place and that she was watching over me. I knew that I could do the bakery justice, like Maddox said. I had so many people in my corner supporting me, and I refused to let any of them down.
“And your breakfast,” he says after handing me the warmed sandwich. I thank him. “No problem at all, and it’s on the house. Just as long as you promise to make that amazing strawberry shortcake that you made last year. My customers have been asking for it for months.”
“ I got you,” I chuckle before biting into the sandwich. I savored the salty flavor of sausage mixed with cheese and a fluffy egg, all layered on a croissant. It was exactly what I needed to start my day off right.
We chatted for a bit longer before a few more customers started to trickle in. I finished my breakfast and decided to leave before it got too crowded. So, I pick up my trash and tell Maddox that I’m leaving before tossing the items in a nearby trash can. As I’m exiting the cafe and walking back to my car, my eyes land on the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. We made eye contact, and they stopped walking – wait, did they know me?
I don’t think they said anything, but I wouldn’t have heard it even if they did. I was, not so subtly, checking them out, and well… wow. Even though we were a few feet away from each other, I could tell that they were at least six feet tall and buff as hell. Their muscles peeked through the black shirt they wore, and it took everything in me not to drool and make a damn fool of myself.
My eyes travel down to their lower half. Even in sweats, I could make out their thick, muscular thighs. My heart rate picked up as they started to walk closer to me. I tried to move out of the way, but they stepped into my path. My breath hitched as my eyes finally connected with theirs. Deep brown eyes that were so dark they mirrored strong coffee stared back at me, and it was almost intimidating. I took a step back, and my back hit the brick wall. I could see them smirk as they stepped closer.
This person was gorgeous beyond compare. Their face looked as if it was crafted by every god out there. A heart-shaped face, pretty smile, and oddly attractive nose adorned with a nose ring stared back at me. It was only then that I noticed that their hair was styled in beautiful, long locs that were dyed an orange-ish red color. It complemented their complexion so well. Fuck, and they smelled good.
“Now you the one staring,” the beautiful person before me states, a slight twang in their voice. For some reason, they looked familiar, but I couldn’t figure out why.
“What?” I managed to reply, still stuck in their trance.
They chuckle, crossing their deliciously muscular arms over their chest and stepping even closer into my space. I almost forgot how to breathe. Their fragrance was making me lightheaded in the best way. My eyes traveled to their lips and when they licked them, I almost lost my shit. What was happening right now?
“It’s nice to see you again, Angel Savoie,” they said as they not-so-subtly checked me out. “I heard you were opening the bakery soon, and I couldn’t help but get excited. Honestly, I’ve been waiting patiently for the day when I could taste…” They smirk, uncross their arms, and lean down until they’re at eye level with me. They place a hand against the wall on either side of my head. “That strawberry shortcake from last year.”
My heart was banging against my chest as every feeling traveled down between my legs. I had no idea who this person was and why they were flirting with me so boldly like this…but I liked it from the way my body was reacting. I shut my eyes to block out their intense stare and hear them chuckle again.
“Who, uh, do…do I know you?” I ask, my eyes still shut.
“ Angel, open your eyes, love,” they say softly, and I damn near swoon at the melodic sound that was proof that they were born and raised deep in the countryside. I open my eyes without hesitation. I see that they’ve backed up a bit. “I ain’t take you for the shy type, especially cause you cussed me out the first time we crossed paths.”
My eyebrows furrow as I try to remember where I’d met them before today. I would’ve remembered someone as attractive as them, but why couldn’t I? They see me confused and tell me that we met about a year ago. It was brief, but they said that the encounter stuck with them ever since. I still had no idea who they were.
“You’re beautiful, by the way,” they say, and it’s almost like the pieces click in my brain. I gasped, and they looked at me amused. “Seriously? That’s what made you remember?”
Suddenly, I remembered the very attractive person who couldn’t take their eyes off of me and realized that that was why they seemed so familiar. I’d cussed at them back then because I was having a shitty day. I thought about the interaction for weeks after and wanted to kick myself for being rude. I mean, they were staring, but still. I didn’t have to snap like I did. Especially because I’d just done the same thing to them.
“Oh my god, yes! I remember you!” I exclaim and nod. “I’m really sorry, by the way. I know I was a bit rude back then, but I promise it’s not how I usually am.”
“You’re good, love,” they assure me, and my breath hitches once again. They really had to stop with the terms of endearment. “How ‘bout we start over? I’m Phoenix Preston, but folks ‘round here call me Phee. Pronouns are she/they.”
“ Well, I mean, you know my name is Angel,” I reply. “But everyone calls me…Angel…”
“Well, I think I wanna call you, Sweets. Can I?” she asked. I don’t know why, but I nodded. There was just something about her giving me a nickname that did something to me. “Oh, bet. Well, I don’t want to take up too much more of your time, but I hope to see you ‘round town now that you’re here for good. Maybe I can come and stop by the bakery sometime. Get me one of those strawberry shortcakes.”
“Yes, please come on down,” I nod, a little more enthusiastically than intended. “I’m opening back up tomorrow, and that’s one of the things that everyone has been requesting, so I’ll definitely have plenty.”
“And if I can’t make it by tomorrow, you’ll save me a slice, right?” she asks with a smile. I nod.
“S-Sure.”
“Niceee,” she nods. She steps back into my space, and my heart rate picks up once again. She gently grips my chin and brings her face close to mine. I could feel my legs growing weak, and I instinctively placed a hand on her arm. Her smile gets wider as she uses her thumb to lightly brush my bottom lip. I damn near moan at the sensation, but I hold it together. What kind of spell was she putting on me? “Maybe I’m being a little straightforward, but you intrigue me, Sweets. I wanna know everything about you, and I intend to learn just that. Do I have your permission?”
All I can do is nod, but she shakes her head before lowering her lips to my ears and saying one sentence that had me about to pass the fuck out, “You gotta talk to me, mamas. I need to hear your voice.”
“Yes,” I simply say, unable to get any other words out.
“Yes, what?”
“Yes, you can get to know me.”
“I can’t wait,” she smiles before stepping away. “I’ll see you later, Sweets. Don’t work too hard.”
And with that, she walks off, leaving me alone to try to get my heart rate back down. I felt lightheaded and barely made it back to my car without collapsing. I didn’t know shit about this woman, yet she had me about to give in to her every command right there on the sidewalk. All I was sure of was that she was dangerous as hell, and I wasn’t sure if I could handle all of that.
But deep down, I didn’t care if I could or couldn’t.
I just wanted to be wherever she was.