Colorful Death by S. Y. Robins Read Free Book Online Page A

closer than ever and had a relationship that others seemed to envy. Hannah had finished university for the summer now, with only one year remaining. She had passed the year with perfect marks; top of her class. She was working full time, and still saving for her future. Her bakery section in the shop was thriving; so much so that Jay employed someone else to do Hannah’s old job so Hannah could focus solely on her cupcakes. Her replacement, Steph, was lovely and friendly; Hannah liked her very much. They often joked and laughed together, making the day go quicker. They had become close, sharing secrets and girly lunches. Work was so sociable with her boyfriend and her new best friend; Hannah loved every minute of it.
    Icing a particularly delicious carrot cake, Hannah thought about her new ideas for the bakery, wondering how Jay would respond. He was so supportive of her work, and she was desperate for that to continue. She had some samples in her bag; just in case he wanted to try them. He had begun to take her more seriously recently, especially now the bakery was taking off. She hoped he would be impressed with her new goodies; she was capitalizing on fads and fashions. She had noticed a new trend in Newark; nothing to do with clothes, but a trend to become bigger and more muscular. This was something she encountered regularly in her studies, but she could see it in school friends too. They all came in here to buy lottery tickets and the occasional cupcake. They were getting so muscular. It wasn’t just Alfie now; although he was huge.
    Without Hannah noticing, Jay snuck in the bakery.
    “Argh!” Hannah screamed, brandishing a wooden spoon, before realizing it was a chuckling Jay. “You scared me! Meanie,” Hannah half laughed, half sulked.
    “Sorry, Han. Out of interest, what were you going to do, ice me to death?” He asked, a small smile around his lips.
    “Death by buttercream, doesn’t sound like a bad way to go,” Hannah mused. “I’ll have to try that if you sneak up on me again.”
    “Well, hopefully it’ll be a long while before we die yet, buttercream or not,” Jay said. “I actually have a surprise for you. Are you ready?”
    “Ready for what?” Hannah asked, suspiciously. “You’ve already surprised me once today. I don’t know if I can handle anymore. My pulse is still racing like crazy!”
    “I’m sorry for scaring you. You’ll like this one; I promise.”
    “Well, you seem pretty sure… what is it?” Hannah asked, curiosity getting the better of her. She hated surprises if she knew she was getting one.
    “Well, I know the cake shop is going brilliantly. I can see you’re enjoying it and it’s bringing lots of people in. Instead of just calling it the bakery section, what do you think of branding it properly; having a proper menu online, and it almost being like your own business? You have more time now, over summer, to work on it. I can help you set everything up and instead of working for me; we’ll be business partners. When you go back to uni, Steph can sell the cakes and all you’d need to do would be to bake them. What do you say?”
    Hannah was speechless with delighted surprise. “Do you really mean that? It sounds amazing. How will it work? Are you sure we can do this?”
    “Well, I trust you to know what sells and what doesn’t; I’d just like to know if there’s anything new. You’ll have your own base here and I’ll invest in you. We need to fine-tune the idea, I just wanted to see what you thought. You’re a serious part of my life now, Han. I’d love to support you and help you do things you love.”
    “I think that’s a yes! Amazing! I’ve been working on something new actually, do you have time now?”
    Jay kissed Hannah on the nose. “For you, of course I have time. What’s your idea? And before I forget, what would you like to call the business?”
    “Well, you know everyone seems to be bulking up? I was thinking of making protein bars and