A New Beginning, Rapunzel Reimagined: Fairytales Reimagined- Contemporary retellings of classic tales

By Andrea Boyd

Who is she? Acacia Martin raised by an impostor mom serving a prison sentence for her sins, or Jasmine Callahan abducted at birth from a family she's yet to meet? Luckily, she has Drake to help her untangle the mess that is her life. Will he ensnare her heart in the process?
Jasmine Callahan was stolen away from her parents at birth and raised as Acacia (Cacie) Martin by her abductor, Emilia Martin. When the truth comes out, Cacie clings to the woman who raised her, rejecting her original family. As if having her life story plastered in the news wasn't bad enough, Cacie's hat slips off during the court proceedings revealing twelve feet of hair, earning her the title of 'the modern-day Rapunzel' and bringing more unwanted notoriety.
Now Emilia is serving time for her crimes and Cacie is warming up to the idea of getting to know her real family. In order to leave the past behind and embrace this new beginning, she'll need to make a few changes- starting with a haircut.
After his mother's death, Drake Derian is moved around to one foster home after another, adding his own brand of trouble along the way. His life changed with his last foster mom. Bonita Fuller introduced him to Jesus, sent him to college, and gave him a job in her salon. Life takes another turn the day Cacie shows up for her first haircut. Will Cacie accept him after finding out the gritty details of his troubled past?

A New Beginning is a sweet, Christian romance with a contemporary spin on the classic fairytale story of Rapunzel that was originally part of the Once Upon A Summer collection along with stories from Toni Shiloh, Teresa Tysinger, and Jaycee Weaver.

If you love this type of story, you may also be interested in the following books by Andrea Boyd.
Upon A Dream- Sleeping Beauty Reimagined
Heart's Desire
A Promise So Sweet
Mistletoe Kiss

• Language: English
• Publisher: Andrea Boyd
• Release date: May 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223179245

Book preview

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A New Beginning

Andrea Boyd

For Joshua and Brittany

One

B

reathe. You can do this. It'll make everything better. Just do it already!

Acacia Martin swiveled and paced ten feet in the opposite direction, her red Chuck Taylors slapping against the pavement with each step.

I can't do this. I just... can't.

She stopped long enough for another attempt at peering through the tinted window on the shop's door, but with the Florida sun out in all its glory, her own homely reflection was all she could see. So maybe the flowery, lavender dress didn’t go with the shoes, but no one would notice once she...

This is no big deal. People do it all the time. Right?

Do you mind having your mental breakdown somewhere else? I need to get inside.

Cacie whipped around to face the man behind her, and then scooted out of the way. Sorry! 

He reached for the door handle and her gaze followed his tattoo covered arm, up past the ink peeking out from his collar to his brown eyes lined in black. With a huff, he stomped his way inside. Okay, so he was no Southern gent, but the guy could work some eyeliner. Wonder if he’s open to giving lessons to a girl without a clue. Doubtful!

She seriously needed help in that area though. Her mom had never let her wear makeup and once she was old enough to decide for herself, she didn’t know how.

Except, she's not really your mom. 

Emilia Martin, the woman who raised her, was doing time in prison for stealing Acacia away from her real family when she was only hours old. 

Hailee Callahan was her real mom, who appeared to be happily married to Cacie’s real dad, Nate. She wasn’t the product of a one-night stand like she’d been told. And though she’d been raised as an only child, she even had siblings.

But the part she was having the most trouble wrapping her head around was the fact that Acacia Martin wasn’t her real name. The name she had been given at birth was Jasmine Marie Callahan. Did she even like that name?

None of it felt real. It was like being in an episode of The Twilight Zone. Emilia still felt like mom to her and the Callahans nothing more than strangers. Worse than that, they were the ones responsible for turning her life upside down. She’d had a hard time forgiving them for that even when she knew that technically, they had been the ones wronged.

Other than glimpses across the courtroom at what she’d dubbed The Originals, she hadn’t scrounged up the courage for an official meeting yet. That was about to change. It was the whole point of this appointment. She wanted to look nice, no, she wanted to look normal. AND it would make her less recognizable to the media, which would be an added bonus. With that in mind, she jerked the door open and stepped inside.

I TRIED TO MAKE MY appointment with you, Drake, but they said you were booked. The woman kept her vulture-like eyes trained on Drake even as she spoke to her hairdresser over her shoulder. No offense to you, Olive, but no one else has quite the touch as Drake Derian.

He smiled and then flipped another page of the magazine he was reading. "I was booked, but my appointment had to cancel last minute."

A shame. Getting an appointment with you is like winning the lottery. There’s not too much I wouldn’t toss aside just to get to sit in your chair. Whoever it was must be loco for passing up the opportunity.

I’m sure whatever kept them away was important.

Last time you did your magic on me, we danced around this flirtation between us.

Flirtation? What flirtation? Drake looked at the woman from over the edge of his magazine. How had they gotten from his missed appointment to whatever this was? A coy look flashed across her face like a warning sign telling him to look away, but it didn’t register fast enough.

This time I’m going to just come out with it. Will you go out on a date with me? It’ll be my treat and I promise to make it worth your while. Trust me, I know how to show a man a good time.

Define good time. Never mind. He was probably better off not knowing. A moot point anyway. A practiced smile lit his face as he dropped the magazine in his lap and placed his hand on his chest. Flattered. Really, I am, but I don’t date clients.

"But I’m not your client."

I meant of the salon. Company policy. He ignored the smirk on Olive’s face. The policy wasn’t exactly written in stone, but it had saved his hide from unwanted attention more times than he could count.

Olive patted the woman’s shoulder. Don’t feel bad. I’ve been working with Drake for the past two years and have never once known him to go on a date. The guy looks like he belongs in the Kardashian family and never dates. Such a waste.

He’d dated, but he’d learned after eight years of working around mostly women to keep it to himself.

A hand to his shoulder interrupted the awkward conversation. Bonita Fuller, the shop owner, leaned down to speak to him. Since you have a little free time before your next appointment, can you take my next client? The one I’m with now just saw her first gray hair and is still in meltdown mode.

Sure. What’s it for?

Just a simple haircut. Someone wanting to donate her hair.

His eyebrows shot up automatically. They didn’t do too many of those. This was a high-end salon connected to a luxurious hotel and spa. People didn’t pay their prices for a simple cut.

Bonita patted his shoulder. She’s a special client.

Of course she was. Bonita only handled the most elite of their clients.

Inside or outside? Meaning, was the customer coming from the spa or from the outside door?

Bonita pointed toward the outside door. I think that may be our girl pacing out there. Her name is Cacie. She must be a bundle of nerves, but I know you’ll take good care of her.

Oh, one of those special clients. Bonita sometimes took on clients that had a need, whether it be emotional or financial, as part of her Christian ministry. She felt all Christians had a purpose for being on this planet and this was hers. She’d tried to pass that belief on to Drake. He wasn’t so sure he was qualified for a mission from God, but he was happy to help with hers.

Should I go try to talk her inside?

No, she’ll come when she’s ready. Ah, there she is now. You take care of her and I’ll get back to this other one. Hopefully her tears have dried up by now.

Drake put the magazine away and headed to the front to greet the customer. He took in her appearance as he drew near. Her large blue eyes scanned all around like she’d never seen the inside of a hair salon before. The girly looking dress certainly didn’t go with the high-top sneakers, but the most noticeable thing about her was the oversized pink slouch hat she wore. What kind of whack job was she hiding under there?

Cacie?

Her blue-eyed gaze landed on him. Yes.

Her yes came out like it had a question mark attached to it. Like she wasn’t even sure who she was. Poor thing.

I’m Drake, and I’ll be taking care of you today. I hear you want to donate your hair. Do you know what style you want to end up with?

Um. Her gaze began wandering the salon again.

"No worries if you’re