Page 26 of Always, For Love
"Your father? You found him?" Doris's eyebrows shot up in surprise, clearly taken aback by the news. She pursed her lips, hesitating for a moment before speaking again. "Ariel, there's something I need to tell you about your father and this town."
Ariel's heart skipped a beat, anxiety gnawing at her insides. "What is it?"
"Mayor Stanton..." Doris began her voice tight with anger and indignation. "He spread rumors years ago that your dad was cheating the town out of money. It caused quite an uproar."
Ariel's face paled, her breath caught in her throat as the shocking revelation sunk in. The frosty air around them seemed to grow colder, biting into her bones and chilling her to the core. A mix of anger and sadness surged through her veins, a storm brewing inside her chest. More secrets of the past, rearing their ugly heads.
"How... How could he?" She choked out, her voice trembling with emotion. The quaint charm of the small coastal town seemed to crumble before her eyes, replaced by a dark, sinister undercurrent.
Ariel's eyes, wide with disbelief, searched Doris's face for any sign of hesitation or uncertainty. The seagulls' shrill cries overhead punctuated the tense silence as Ariel found her voice again. "Doris, are you sure about this? Can there be any truth to these rumors?" she asked, her heart aching at the thought that her father could have been betrayed by the very town he had loved so deeply.
Doris sighed, her breath visible in the crisp winter air. She glanced around the snow-dusted cobblestone streets of Endless Harbor before meeting Ariel's gaze once more. "Things weren't easy for your dad, Ariel," she began, her voice gentle yet firm. "His business was struggling, and I know he had his fair share of disagreements with Mayor Stanton. But he was no thief. He couldn’t take the whispers, though."
Ariel's chest tightened, a knot forming in her stomach as she processed Doris's words. Her fingers twitched at her sides, itching to do something – anything – to make sense of this new information. She took a deep breath, the icy air filling her lungs and momentarily clearing her thoughts.
"Are you saying that my dad left because of these rumors?" Ariel questioned, her voice barely above a whisper. The crashing waves in the distance seemed to grow louder, mirroring the turmoil that churned within her.
Doris shook her head slowly. "I can't say for sure, dear. All I know is that things were rocky at home, and it seemed like Lee just needed a fresh start." She hesitated, her expression softening with sympathy. "I'm so sorry, Ariel."
Doris placed a comforting hand on Ariel's shoulder, her own expression a mirror of the hurt that Ariel felt. "Richard Stanton likes to get his way, no matter the method. But I thought you should know the truth."
As the frigid breeze swept over them, carrying the scent of saltwater and pine, Ariel's thoughts raced with memories of her father and the tarnished legacy he left behind. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, the weight of her newfound knowledge threatening to crush her.
"Thank you for telling me," Ariel whispered, her voice barely audible above the murmur of the waves in the distance.
Doris offered a small, encouraging smile as she nodded. "You're a strong woman, Ariel. I know you'll do right by him. Merry Christmas, dear."
As they parted ways, Ariel could feel the resolve hardening within her. Her steps grew more determined toward the bakery, each one fueled by her newfound purpose. Ariel's thoughts turned to her father as she walked, the memories of their time together both comforting and painful.
A gentle snowfall dusted the streets of Endless Harbor, painting the quaint coastal town in a soft wintry hue. As Ariel stood on the snow-covered sidewalk, her breath visible in the crisp air, she felt the weight of her father's absence like an icy embrace.
"I should confront Mayor Stanton," she muttered under her breath, her voice barely audible over the whispers of the wind. "But first, I need proof."
Ariel's eyes scanned the picturesque scenery of Endless Harbor, taking in the quaint shops adorned with twinkling lights, and the children building snowmen on the nearby town green. She felt a mix of love for this charming place and frustration at the thought that someone within its tight-knit community could have betrayed her father.
She had a few more errands to run, but then she needed to go home—after their talk last night, Ariel knew just who she needed to talk this through with.
Miles.
***
Ariel crossed the threshold of Leeside B&B, struggling out of her scarf and coat and bounding to the kitchen.
"Ah, there you are," Miles' voice echoed softly from the back kitchen door, his tall frame leaning against the frame as though he had been waiting for her all along. His steady gaze met hers, concern etched across his handsome face. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Almost," Ariel replied, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I just found out something about my dad, and I need your help."
"Of course," Miles said without hesitation, stepping forward and offering her a reassuring hand on her arm. "What do you need me to do?"
"First, we need to gather evidence..." Ariel began, her voice wavering as she relayed the information she had learned from Doris, her former neighbor. As she spoke, she noticed how Miles' eyes grew darker, narrowing with disdain at the mention of Mayor Stanton.
"Mayor Stanton," he muttered, his jaw clenching. "That guy is always bad news."
"I need to find the truth, Miles," Ariel confessed, her voice tinged with desperation. "I can't let my father's name be tarnished any longer. I owe it to him and to myself." She hesitated. “I, uh, I understand if you don’t want to. The wedding is—"
"Leave it to us," Miles assured her, his expression softening as he noticed the tears brimming in her eyes. "We'll get to the bottom of this together."
"Thank you," Ariel whispered, feeling an immense weight being lifted from her shoulders.