FUTURE RISK

by MEGAN MATTHEWS

  “Right now.”

  Bennett opens the door and Liam jumps out not waiting for his father before he makes a mad dash across the sidewalk and barrels through my front door. The bell rumbles like it’s facing cardiac arrest.

  “Lessa,” he slaughters my name in his hurry, “can I eat all the sugar?”

  His excitement makes me excited. It’s impossible not to smile when a happy child is around. “Of course! You can eat all the sugar you want.”

  “He can?” Bennett asks, dropping a Lightning McQueen backpack on Pearl’s favorite table.

  Liam wastes no time, stepping right up to the display case and leaning in. His hands and fingers are pressed against the glass and his little nose is making smudges. I cringe internally but keep the smile on my face. When Liam steps away, there’s a perfect outline of all ten of his little fingers, but I shrug. There are worse things in life than a little dirty glass.

  “I brought his tablet and a coloring book with some crayons because we need to practice coloring in the lines, right, Liam?

  Liam tilts his head back. “Yeah. Can I have the chocolate donut?”

  “Only if you say please.” Bennett corrects him.

  Liam sighs. “Please.”

  “How about two chocolate donuts.” Tabitha reaches into the glass display and pulls out two of our oversized chocolate éclairs with cream filling, putting both on one dainty little plate. The ends hang off the edge.

  Bennett shakes his head stepping toward the door. “I’ll pay for whatever he eats at the end of the day. Just keep track and if you need me call me. I’ll check in after a couple of hours.”

  I wave his concern away. “Don’t worry about us. You go do your thing.”

  Tabitha walks the little plate to the table where Bennett dropped Liam’s backpack and sits down to help him get arranged into his chair. She pulls out a single napkin from the dispenser placed in the windowsill because Pearl doesn’t like it taking up her tabletop. It’s a good thought, but I’m pretty sure we’ll need a lot more napkins by the time he’s done. I have nightmares about the last time he ate chocolate around me and cleaning it off with sea water.

  It takes him longer than I expected to finish off both of his sweets. Twenty minutes later he finishes the second, his body pumped full of sugar as he scribbles frantically in his coloring book. Tabitha took him to the back to color on my prep table to contain the jitters when we worried he’d knock over his chair from all the bouncing. His lifetime supply of cookies may be regulated to one a day from here on out.

  I will forever look at doughnuts in a completely new way from this point on. They are no longer chocolatey goodness, but sugar death traps of erratic behavior.

  Two minutes after eleven, right on time to start a lunch rush, Katy walks in from the kitchen. Tabitha and Liam follow behind her. Tabitha’s eyes are wide and she shakes her head a tiny amount.

  “Okay, Anessa, I heard all about your adventure last night. Tabitha filled me in. I’ve got a plan to get us out of this mess.”

  “No!” Tabitha and I both yell the same time.

  Liam stops and looks back at us like he thinks we’ve lost our minds. Without asking, he turns and goes right back to the kitchen.

  Smart kid.

  “That is absolutely definitely most assuredly not happening.”

  “But you haven’t even heard my plan yet,” Katy says leaning up against the counter.

  “No. I don’t need to hear your plan. I know it is not going to happen. Not in a million years.”

  She has lost her mind if she thinks I’ll ever do something like that again. Bennett is right. It’s time to sit back and let him handle this one.

  Katy whines. “It was a good plan.”

  “You think all your plans are good plans.” Tabitha wipes down the front of the glass, finally getting rid of Liam’s fingerprints.

  “Well they are.” She stops, her eyes laser focused on something outside. “Well, crap. Look who’s here to brighten our day?”

  “Be nice,” I warn Katy. Pierce may not be her favorite person, but he is my landlord.

  I plaster a smile on my face before he walks through the door, but Katy scowls watching his every step. I’m half ready for her to throw a pastry at him.

  “Did you come to collect the rent?” Katy asks finally, wearing the biggest fake smile possible. Bold.

  Pierce stops in front of the deli case. “No, Anessa pays hers on time.”

  “I heard your family bought another boat. I’m sure you have to squeeze the pennies out of the town folk somehow,” she replies.

  “Yes, because I couldn’t be here on a social visit. I have to be your evil villain and walk around taking the last piece of coal for everyone’s fireplace. Right, Katy?”

  “Okay guys, that’s enough. What can I help you with, Pierce?” I busy myself with wiping down the counter making it easier to pretend I don’t see Katy shift her eyes in my direction.

  “Actually I came with a proposition for you, Miss Curtis. Every year the city council provides special treats for the people who attend our Christmas Eve parade. We’d like to pre-purchase a bulk order of your special sugar cookies.”

  “You’re making her part of the Christmas Eve tradition?” Katy asks, heavy with disbelief.

  Pierce shrugs.

  “Is that a good thing?” I ask.

  Katy nods, her lips still pressed together and her arms crossed in annoyance. “It is. I guess.”

  “What would she have to do?” Tabitha stands beside me picking up the cloth.

  Pierce smiles like he’s already talked me into it. “Participation is simple. Make up a bunch of cookies — the council will give you an estimated number a few weeks before so you can order enough supplies. And then the day of the Christmas Eve parade, you pass them out for free. The City Council will reimburse you for any costs on a per cookie basis.”

  “Really?” It sounds way too good to be true and an awesome way to bring a lot of business into the bakery not only that day but in the future. “Thank you. I’d love to.”

  There’s so much I’ll need to buy. More frosting for sure. I make it myself from a variation of a recipe my grandmother passed down the day I made my move here. Before that it had always been a well-kept family secret she didn’t share with anyone. Even my mother. Not that my mother baked much…or ever.

  The big question is whether I keep it simple with the generic Christmas trees, gingerbread men, and stockings. Or go all out and use some of my more fun cookie cutters. The elf shoe, or wrapped gift, or the moose. People in Maine would like moose cookies, right?

  “Great, I’ll let the council know today. You’ll get more information as you get closer to the event.” Pierce smiles and then turns his attention to Katy. “But don’t think it’s out of the goodness of my heart. Every month you’re here is another rent payment toward the boats.” His eyes narrow in Katy’s direction and then he turns around and walks out the door.

  “Payments?” Katy spits. “You’d think he’d be able to pay in cash.” Katy starts complaining about him before he gets the door closed behind him.

  “It sounds like a great opportunity, Katy.” Tabitha speaks the words I’m thinking.

  “Just wait long enough. There’s always a hidden clause if Pierce is involved. First you give him a free cookie and next he’ll try to buy your soul.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  “Do you need us to bring an extra lawn chair?” Tabitha asks, tapping her pencil on the piece of lined paper where she started a list for tonight’s festival.

  A group of us — me, Katy, Bennett, Tabitha and Ridge — are meeting up to watch the Fourth of July fireworks together down by the pier. Probably the place everyone is getting together to watch the Fourth of July fireworks.

  I’d planned to bring a beach towel and sit on the sand. It’s not like I packed a lawn chair in my car when I made the cross country drive to Pelican Bay, but I’m not one to refuse the offer of a seat. “Sure, if you don�
��t mind.”

  She waves a hand in the air. “Ridge has a garage full of them.”

  It’s hard to believe today’s the Fourth of July. Most days it feels like it was yesterday when I loaded up the last of my belongings in the back of my car and waved goodbye to my mom and dad. I’d been ready to set off on a great new adventure. Ever since landing here, the excitement hasn’t stopped.

  New friends, new boyfriend, new bakery — it’s basically an entirely new life. Everything I wanted.

  But it’s been busy. Between working nonstop and everything else that has happened, I didn’t even get the chance to decorate for the Fourth of July celebration. The bakery, while cute, is missing the holiday charm. I must try better in the future. This place will be unrecognizable come the Christmas holiday. I’ll buy some wreaths, mistletoe, and every other Christmas decoration out here.

  “Are you okay to close up by yourself?” Tabitha’s question breaks into my planning.

  I finish wiping the last bit of flour off the prep table. “Of course. You go get ready. There isn’t much left. A few last-minute things and then I’ll lock up.”

  It’s been a busy couple of days. I’d like to at least shave my legs before I put on a pair of shorts and sit on the beach with Bennett and Liam.

  She folds up her list of every possession under the sun she might need to pack in a beach bag for tonight, shoving it in her back pocket. “If you think of anything else, let me know.” She stops by the back door, hesitating. “Also, I left a new name suggestion by the phone.”

  I shake my head with force. I saw it ten minutes ago. “We are not naming this place Nessa’s Sea Treats.” I don’t even want to know where she came up with that one.

  She shrugs, opening the door. “Your loss.”

  The only thing I’m losing is a lot of jokes about my name resembling the Loch Ness monster. I spent a childhood being called Nessy by my cousins. I don’t need to start that here. At the front of the store, I turn off the lights inside the display cases and flip over the open sign to closed. It’s only five o’clock and I normally like to keep the shop open until at least six, but there’s a whole shaving leg issue I have to worry about. Closing an hour early doesn’t seem an issue. And even though the fireworks aren’t set to go off until after dark, we’ve only sold thirty dollars in the last hour. Everyone is prepping for the late night activities.

  Pelican Bay loves to celebrate. I lock the front door and turn off the panel of lights for the dining area. Enough brightness flows in from the front windows, so it doesn’t make a difference.

  Pearl, carrying a large canvas sack with two beach towels rolled up and sticking out over the top, hurries by the front window. She turns long enough to catch my attention and waves as she walks on.

  It’s such a simple gesture, one she probably won’t even stop and think about, but to me it’s so much more. I make a full circle, allowing my eyes to catch on the brightly painted chairs, the pink walls, and the cute little tea sets I set up on a shelf behind the counter. This entire place is mine. Well, I don’t actually own the building, but all the stuff is mine.

  I’m no longer working in someone else’s restaurant, taking orders, but I’m in my very own place. How many people under thirty can say the same?

  Not only am I in my own place, but I paid all my bills this month without breaking into my savings. I have customers who continue to come back day after day. I must be doing something right.

  And with the offer Pierce made from the City Council making me an official partner of the Christmas parade, I don’t know what more could go right. It’s enough to make me stand on a street corner, throw my hands in the air, and a yell, “You like me. You really like me!”

  Of course, that could be a way to make people really not like me. Rather than make a fool of myself by yelling on the side of the road, I just steal a chocolate chip cookie from the case. My own special reward. I take a bite and then steal five more cookies.

  Calm down. Don’t get all judgmental. They aren’t for me.

  But my boyfriend has the most adorable child ever. I plan to buy my way into his heart by feeding him copious amounts of cookies, cupcakes, and an assortment of small candy. I’ll do whatever it takes. Bribery is not beneath me. I never saw myself dating somebody who already had a child, but Bennett has to be the nicest, sweetest, most caring man ever. To Liam and me.

  He absolutely drives me insane. He’s bossy and way too overprotective, but knowing the stress he’s under from trying to keep Liam safe, and all of his clients, and whatever it is he does for Ridge makes you realize how large the man’s heart is.

  I sneak one more cookie. This one for Bennett. It won’t hurt to give him a little bribery too.

  “Screw it,” I say to the empty room and stick the last of the tray of cookies into a bag. I’ve also made some great friends in Pelican Bay. While there were a few ladies I’d grown close to back home, they’re nothing compared to the relationships I’ve made with Tabitha and Katy in a few short months. They deserve cookies too. I add a few for Ridge as well. He gets at least twenty-five thousand dollars in free food.

  With one last look at the front of the bakery I walk backward into the kitchen. There’s so much emotion surrounding everything it’s a tiny bit scary. Scary and wonderful. If business continues on this trend, soon I’ll be able to hire additional help. Maybe one day in the far future I’ll be able to buy a house somewhere in Pelican Bay. Put down roots. If I allow my mind to really wander, I picture Bennett in my future and giving Liam a little brother.

  If I bake enough cookies and bring people in the door.

  It’s everything I hoped for and yet nothing I actually thought I’d get. I’m just a small town college dropout from Washington. This all seems way too good to be true. I can’t help but question if some of it is fate. I help one nice guy find a place to stay for the night on his Christmas vacation with his girlfriend, which leads to an enormous tip. The money finishes off my savings and this place came on the market right as I began my search. It’s perfect.

  Without the help of that stranger’s money, it would’ve taken me years to get enough saved up. Pierce would’ve rented the place to a sandwich maker and the story would be completely different. They’d call it Sandwiches ‘R’ Us and no one would make suggestive innuendoes about their name.

  The back end of the bakery is clean. I finished wiping everything down while Tabitha made her mega list. All I have left to do is take out the trash and turn the lights off back here. The oversized trash can sits at the end of the prep table and I ease the black edge of the bag off from around the top. This bag always weighs a hundred and fifty pounds because it’s full of dough, old baked goods I couldn’t sell at a discount, and everything burned from the oven. If it’s a day Tabitha tried to cook, there’s usually a pan or two in there as well. I twist the top off, remove the bag from the can, and drop it by the back door.

  The alarm disarms quickly, but I need to gather my strength before I attempt to haul the beast of the bag down the back steps and then to the dumpster all the businesses share in the back alley. I gulp a few deep breaths and will my shoulders for the heavy lifting. Reaching down for the bag, I’m stopped halfway by a knock on the back door.

  That’s odd.

  The person knocks again, the sound overly loud since my ear is right next to it. Considering no one I know would take the time to knock it’s obviously not Katy, Tabitha, or Bennett. Possibly Pierce back to finalize the details for the Christmas parade. I wasn’t expecting more information until later this summer, but I’m not willing let the chance get away from me.

  I drop the trash bag the few inches I’d managed to lift it off the ground and open the back door.

  It’s definitely not Pierce.

  A man, maybe my height at five-five or so, wearing the kind of dark blue work shirt you find in mechanic shops or factories, stands at the base of my few small steps. The name tag, stitched above the left pocket with one corner coming loose read
s Kevin. His hair is slicked back with either grease or from not washing. He could be homeless.

  “Can I help you?”

  He smiles, revealing a missing tooth on one side of his mouth. “Are you Anessa?”

  I nod. “We’re closed right now, but if you come back tomorrow I might have something I could give you.”

  His smile grows and it freaks me out. I’m supposed to meet Bennett and Liam down by the dock, but my plans change in an instant. New plan: I get this door closed, lock it, and call Bennett to come over and take the trash out for me. There is no way I’m going to the parking lot now.

  I have experience with people and not much scares me, but there’s something off about this man. There is something wrong with his eyes. They’re too dark. Not that his pupils have dilated, but the coloring in his irises is too dark. Almost black. It’s the middle of the evening but a chill runs up my arms.

  He doesn’t talk, just stands there smiling. Like the scared person I am, I smile back and nod my head a few times, the solution to get anyone out of any awkward situation.

  “Okay, well thanks.” I have no idea what I’m thanking him for but use the opportunity to start shutting the door, no longer concerned with who he is or what he needs.

  “I used to be a baker, you know.” He steps up one step. Reaching his hand out before I slam the door, he stops it with his palm.

  I nod some more. “That’s nice, well thanks for stopping by. I have some place to be.”

  “We both have some place to be.”

  I push on the door with all my might, but even though he’s ragged and looks homeless, he’s stronger than I am. Even with one hand behind his back it doesn’t take him more than a second to push past my defenses. I back into the bakery, tripping over the trash bag and fall to the tile floor.

  “Look, I already cleaned out the cash register, but I’ll get you into the safe.” I put my hands up in front of me in an early defensive move.