A Hilarious and Charming Feel-Good Read

by Saranna Dewylde

  Just thinking of it, much like anything else these days, brought Lucky to the front of his mind.

  He wondered what it would take to get her out of his head?

  Self-induced amnesia? A concussion? Hypnotherapy?

  After he was thoroughly searched, scanned, and found safe, he was led to a private dining room, where a table waited for him covered with crisp white linen. He was instructed to sit down and the security forces stood at the entrance and exit.

  Serrano entered the room dressed in a white suit, with white heels that made a clipped sound with each step she took. Her white hair was swept up in a bun, and the only contrast was the brown of her sun-kissed skin. She was a force to be reckoned with that radiated power.

  Ransom adored her.

  He stood as she approached and they air-kissed cheeks.

  “Ransom, it’s very good to see you, but I am sorry that it’s under such circumstances,” Elizabeth said in a smooth voice with a rich accent.

  “Me as well, Elizabeth.”

  “Just to get it out of the way before dinner, I’m afraid we don’t have the answer you were hoping for.”

  Ransom refused to let his mind play out the worst scenarios he could imagine. She hadn’t spoken yet. He tried to keep an open mind.

  “Go on.”

  “The vote was taken to rebuild the dam and the resolution failed. New information came to us that the building of the dam harmed the ecosystem and this will set that area back to rights. The government, however, is prepared to buy those lands back from you at the price you paid.”

  No, this wasn’t the answer he wanted. He had no idea where he was going to rebuild, how long it would take. There were a lot of moving parts to consider.

  “Is it true that you are still paying your workers?” she asked.

  “Yes, I plan to keep paying them until I can get them back to work at new farms and at a new processing plant.”

  “We’ll need to see proof from your books, but if that’s true, we will allow you to purchase the same amount of land you lost on Cacao Ridge.”

  It was every chocolatier’s dream to get cacao from the Ridge. It was a mostly protected land, and few were ever allowed to purchase land there.

  “Also, of course, you must maintain your current environmental standards. Provide low carbon footprint transportation up and down from the Ridge, affordable green housing, and we want your operation to be plastic-free.”

  “None of that is a problem.”

  “Not even plastic-free?”

  “It was one of my goals for the company. Since I have to start from scratch, I can rebuild however I’d like. I’ll be applying for solar panel permits as well.”

  “This is exactly the response we were hoping for. Lawyers will draw up the contracts and we’ll get this pushed through. I anticipate we could have you on course to be operational in six months, if you’re willing to spend the money to update the village. While, of course, being mindful of local heritage.”

  “Choose my advisors and I’ll get them hired on right away.”

  Elizabeth flashed him a big smile. “This is a pet project of mine, Ransom. I’ve been watching your company very closely since you first opened your doors. I’ve wanted to bring modernization to these areas, but keep our footprint small. We needed corporate money to do that. Someone like you who doesn’t balk at the initial cash investment and who has the same ideas about stewardship that we do. So, your advisor will be me.”

  A thrill shot through him at the prospect. “Elizabeth, I can safely say that I’m overjoyed not to have gotten the news I’d hoped for. This is so much better.”

  “I’ll admit, at first I was a little skeptical of a man who takes business advice from his godmothers, but when they’re right, they’re right.”

  “They’re always right,” he admitted.

  “Have you told them this?”

  “Of course not. They know it.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “If you won’t be terribly insulted, I have another meeting I need to fit in today and don’t have time for an actual meal. I wanted to make sure I delivered this news in person, though.”

  “It was lovely to see you.” He stood as she did.

  She leaned over to air-kiss his cheek again. “I’ll be in touch soon. Stay and enjoy the food. I had them make your favorite.”

  Ransom sat back down as servers brought out a ridiculously large tray of llapingachos: potato omelets stuffed with cheese and fried crisp, served with various proteins, avocado, and peanut sauce.

  As he ate, he thought about his godmothers.

  First, he wanted to ask them to learn to make llapingachos with him, and second, the part where they were always right.

  If they were always right, what the hell was he doing in Ecuador while Lucky was in Ever After, thinking that he was afraid of her luck?

  When he thought about all the people he wanted to tell of his victory, the first person on the list wasn’t Roderick.

  It was Lucky.

  He wanted to share this moment with her.

  The win wasn’t as sweet without her.

  It was a double-edged sword because it had taken almost losing his company to realize how much he loved what he did. How much it still mattered to him. He was still passionate about this behemoth he’d built.

  Ransom wanted Lucky, too.

  Another realization slapped him in the face with all the force of a brick. Even if Lucky was bad luck, he could’ve withstood it, if only he’d been brave enough to do it.

  After they’d had the best sex of his life, the world had come crashing down around their ears. Instead of standing by her and rebuilding together, he’d run away to hold on to the ashes of a life that was no longer his.

  Even if Searle had succeeded in taking his company, the company would’ve failed and Ransom could’ve started again. Elizabeth wouldn’t have given this opportunity to Searle.

  Another epiphany slapped him in the face.

  This time, instead of a wrecking ball, it was a brick.

  Every single thing that had happened to him had been a blessing in disguise.

  When he kissed her under the cherry tree, it had given the godmothers more magic.

  When they’d fallen through the floor, it had been the catalyst for Lucky to learn about magic.

  When the dam had failed, it had been the answer to a problem.

  When his stocks tanked, he’d been able to regain control of his company.

  When Searle tried to take his company from him, it reminded him how much he loved what he built.

  When the government said they weren’t going to reconstruct the dam, he’d been given an opportunity to rebuild and expand his business in a way he’d never dreamed.

  If only he’d been a better man.

  He didn’t deserve her. He knew that. Only instead of sitting on that fact and trying to hatch it like a rotten egg, he was going to change it.

  He called Roderick first. He couldn’t eat and talk to his godmother at the same time and he was starving.

  “So it’s good news?” Ransom asked as soon as Roderick answered.

  “Almost unanimous buyout. We had to go top tier on all the offers, but we did it. Or rather Lucky did it.”

  “What?”

  “Lucky talked to the godmothers, and they decided together to tell the board about the fake wedding. Searle was brutal, but Lucky didn’t take any of his shit.”

  “Did she hug him? Oh no.”

  “Nothing like that at all. She may have flicked his ear like a little kid once or twice, and I’ll admit I found it highly satisfying.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “She gave this rousing speech like you were some general off to lead your troops to victory. She really does love you, Ransom. So do your godmothers.”

  “I didn’t want them to do that.”

  “They knew it. Which is why we didn’t tell you until it was done. Tell me there’s good news on your end.”

  “The
answer on the dam wasn’t what we wanted. It’s better.”

  “How can it be better? Did they find some secret Mayan spice or something no one’s known about for a hundred years or what?”

  “They’re giving us purchase rights on the Ridge.”

  “Say that again?”

  “The Ridge. I’ve got a proposal I need to show you once I get back stateside. Now that I know our ship isn’t the Titanic, draw up those papers for partner, my friend.”

  “This is fantastic news, Ransom. We did it. We won.”

  “You don’t sound as ecstatic as I would’ve expected.”

  “I am, I’m just dealing with a little more drama in Ever After.”

  “Tell me.”

  “Has Gwen tried to call you?”

  “I have a text from her.”

  “Jake is taking her to court for the kids.”

  That was the moment he knew that Gwen had found a champion in Roderick. “What do you need?”

  “Some time to bury him, and any legal team he’s hired, in paperwork and motions until shit sticks to the moon.”

  “Take it. Obviously.”

  “You’re going back to Ever After, aren’t you?”

  “My godmothers live there, so it’s a strong possibility.” Ransom took another bite.

  “You know what I mean. You’re going back for Lucky, aren’t you?”

  “I want to, but I have to figure out how to fix this. I left her when she was at her most vulnerable. She told me what happened between us in Grammy’s was her worst fear come to life. I can’t undo that.”

  “Ugh, now I feel like crap for being part of that. I was trying to protect you and the company.”

  “I know. She knows. It might be easier if she could be angry with me. If she didn’t understand, but she did. Every step of the way.”

  Roderick blew out a loud breath. “We’re going to have a real wedding, aren’t we?”

  “If she’ll have me. I want the rest of my life with her. When I got the news about the Ridge today, I hate to say that you weren’t the first one I wanted to call.”

  “Why didn’t you call her?”

  “The things I need to say to her deserve to be said in person.”

  “You better get on it, then, my friend.”

  He didn’t like the tone in Roderick’s voice. “What do you mean?”

  “She’s trying to give Gwen some distance while she fights this thing. The basis for Jake’s case is that Lucky is dangerous to the kids. So she’s on this tour of amends before she goes to Paris with her mother.”

  “You know what? Just when you think you’ve buried Jake Borders in enough paperwork and motions, you should do at least ten more. I hope he never, for the rest of his life, ever, catches a light interchange green again.”

  “And this, folks, is why Petty is your godmother.”

  “It could be worse. I could’ve wished him to get anal warts.”

  “Fair,” Roderick said.

  “I have to call Bluebonnet and Gwen. I’ll see you when I get back.”

  “I’ll meet you in Ever After. I can work from the mushroom cottage,” he said.

  Ransom found it mighty interesting that he hadn’t planned on getting a room at the castle. He wanted to stay close to Gwen.

  Yes, indeed, the godmothers were always right.

  When he realized that, that was when hope bloomed like a delicate flower. If the godmothers were always right, they’d said that he and Lucky would get their Happily Ever After.

  They’d get the fairy tale.

  He’d been through the dark night, and he failed. He’d been a coward. So Ransom had to own that now, and he had to run a different gauntlet.

  He’d surrender his pride and beg if he had to.

  Most importantly, he had to prove himself. He’d made her many promises he hadn’t been able to keep.

  Ransom would put his trust in love. In his godmothers.

  Most importantly, he’d put his faith in Lucky.

  Chapter 25

  With all of Ransom’s resources at her disposal, it hadn’t been hard to find Melvin James.

  Instead of surprising him like she had Nancy, she’d called him to see if he’d meet with her.

  He’d agreed, as long as it was in public and she didn’t touch him.

  They met at a small café in downtown Springfield.

  Lucky found him to be the same unpleasant man she’d met at the junket.

  “So what do you want? To tell your side of it?” he asked as soon as she sat down at the table with him.

  “In a sense.”

  “I’m not interested. I don’t know how you did it, but you did it on purpose.”

  “You’re right. I did.”

  He held up a finger and pointed it at her, but he didn’t say anything.

  “I also wanted to tell you that it was wrong, and I’m sorry.”

  “You almost ruined my life. Of course, it was wrong.”

  She wanted to tell him that maybe if he weren’t such a jerk, then maybe people wouldn’t want to destroy his life. Blaming him for her actions wasn’t what she’d come here for.

  “That’s all I wanted to say. If you don’t have anything else you’d like to say to me, I’ll be going and leave you in peace.” She started to stand up.

  “Sit down,” he demanded.

  “If you don’t care about my apology, and don’t have anything you’d like to say, what are we supposed to do? Sit here and stare at each other all day long?”

  “Questions, girl. I have questions. You’re going to answer them. If you’re actually sorry.”

  “I will answer to the best of my ability, if it’s my question to answer.”

  He nodded. “That’s fair. You don’t have the right to tell other people’s stories unless they give you that right.”

  “You told my story without my permission,” she couldn’t help but counter.

  “No, I told my own story. Are you going to let me ask my questions?”

  She signaled the server and ordered a coffee. “Now, I’m going to let you ask your questions,” she said to him.

  “When did you know you could do that?”

  She was tempted to ask if he meant order coffee, but she knew what he wanted to know. “I’ve always been what you would call clumsy. Things break around me. People sometimes catch my clumsy.” She shrugged. “With Nancy, it was a lark. I’d never done it before, but I was so angry at her I wanted to. I wanted to rub bad luck all over her.”

  “The same with me?”

  “Yes,” she admitted.

  “You and Ransom actually dated in college. Were all of those stories true?”

  Lucky nodded. “The Boy Who Missed thing was all my fault. We’d just been trying to get somewhere for so long, and I was so upset, I thought it was me. In those situations, no one wants to be the one who is at fault. It’s a self-esteem killer. The words got past my tongue before I could stop myself. It stuck.”

  “Was your wedding real?”

  “No, we just wanted to help our godmothers.”

  “That’s a noble pursuit, I reckon.”

  “Well, a lesson learned. Bad things done for a good reason are still bad. I’ve apologized to Nancy, I’ve done what I could to fix the damage to Ransom’s company, and I’ve said my apologies to you. I’m doing the best that I can.”

  “I’m afraid it’s my turn to confess something. Just like you got us to Ever After on false pretenses, I’m here with a secret of my own.”

  “Good grief. What could you possibly have to drop on me now?”

  “More of a question, really. Are you an only child?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you Fortune Fujiki’s natural-born child, or are you adopted?”

  The importance of what he asked her slammed into her.

  “Oh, please no,” she murmured.

  “I don’t like it either, honestly. But we should know.”

  “My mother said my father’s name was James.”<
br />
  “Melvin.” He pointed to himself. “James.”

  “No.”

  “Probably.”

  “Let’s not and say we didn’t?” Lucky offered.

  “Fine by me,” he said.

  Only, they both sat there for a long time in heavy silence until the server brought Lucky’s coffee.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “When I saw your mother at the junket, I got the shock of my life. I never expected to see her again.”

  “So I’ve been told.”

  “I tried to find her a few years after I got married and had other children.”

  “That’s all well and good, but if you thought I was your daughter, why did you write that story?”

  “I knew if we got to this part of the conversation, you’d ask me that. I still don’t have an answer. I think I was jealous that you grew up fine without me and you didn’t need me.”

  “You’re not supposed to be jealous of your children. You’re supposed to want good for them.”

  “I know that. I feel awful. It’s why I’ve been such a jackass. I hope you can forgive me.”

  “Words are easy. It’s actions that matter.”

  “I’d like to come back to Ever After and maybe have lunch with you and your mother and we could all talk about where to go from here.”

  “You’re mean when you get your feelings hurt,” Lucky blurted.

  “Runs in the family, it seems.”

  There was no way on earth that this man in front of her could be her father. Her father’s name was James, it wasn’t Melvin James.

  Melvin.

  No.

  Except the way he looked at her had changed. There was something in the tilt to his head.

  “How’s your mother been?”

  How would her mother feel about all of this? Lucky wondered briefly if this was a ploy to get revenge on her for the bad luck, but she didn’t think so.

  “If you really think you’re my father, let me hug you again.”

  He looked stricken, but he nodded. He stood up and held open his arms.

  Lucky hugged him and remembered her wish to her godmothers. She’d wanted all of her family at her wedding.

  She released him and he sat down again, looking around the room in a panic.

  “I think you’re fine, but I appreciate your willingness to face certain doom to prove you believe what you told me.”