1 The Ladybug Jinx

by Tonya Kappes

  “Stop, man.” Don put his arm straight out to stop Sam from walking to Celia. “Celia, he was drunk that night. He’s crazy.”

  Sam could read Celia’s eyes like a book. They were sparkling just like they always did when he talked to her. He could tell she was listening.

  “Only I didn’t sleep with her. She went into the other room and I saw the sketch book on her table. I picked it up and it was yours.” Sam pulled the book out from his coat.

  He had been carrying it around with him the entire night. He didn’t know when or how he would give it back to Celia, but the time was now.

  “I went off on her. She started talking and told me Don’s involvement.” He handed the book to Celia, ever so slightly brushing his fingers along her hand. The spark was still there. He felt it and he knew she felt it. “I fired her and Don. I told them tonight was their last night.”

  He walked over and stood so close, he was sure she could hear his heart pounding.

  “Please don’t leave with him.” His voice was calm, his gaze steady.

  Don rolled his eyes. “This is ridiculous. Why would I want your sketch book? I bet he had it the entire time.” Don jabbed Sam in the chest with his finger. “He can’t stand to see you happy with another man.”

  Sam backed up and glared at Don.

  “You lose, Sam.” Don walked over and put his arm around Celia. “Cee is mine.”

  Celia jerked her body from under Don’s arm. “You do not have permission to call me Cee. I think the evening is over, and so is your job. Security!” Celia yelled out.

  The big security guards came over. “Yes?”

  “Can you please escort this man out to the streets?” Sam grabbed Don’s arm and threw him toward the security guard.

  “I was about to say that.” Celia leaned over and put her head on Sam’s shoulders just in time for the paparazzi to get a good shot of the security guard escorting Don out.

  “Celia, let’s go back to the hotel and find your family.” Sam couldn’t wait to tell her the news. He wanted to make everything special for her. He knew tonight would be the night that would make or break their relationship.

  “Let your love be like the misty rains, coming softly, but flooding the river.”

  Malagasy Proverb

  30

  Celia felt like she already got her Christmas wish even though it wasn’t Christmas—yet. She had made the designs she had always dreamed about, her family was there and the man she was in love with got to share in it as well.

  “Thank you, Sam.” Celia whispered in the limo next to Sam. She was a little embarrassed how she’d acted over the past couple weeks. “I know I’d never have this opportunity if it weren’t for you.”

  Sam was playing with Celia’s hair. Intertwining it between his forefinger and thumb. She laid her head back on it. He rubbed her hair. She was aware of the silence. Their minds were going a mile a minute.

  “I don’t know what to say about Don.” Celia was upset she had used him to get at Sam. “My plan was to make you mad and not look back when I left.”

  “I know.”

  Celia loved the forgiveness in his eyes. He reached back underneath the limo seat and pulled out the boutique of white tulips. “Forgive me for bringing you into this mess.”

  *

  Celia accepted the flowers from Sam. She leaned into him and kissed him. She said the sweetest words he has ever heard. “I love you, Sam Barber.”

  “I love you, Cee.” Sam never thought this day would come. He figured his happiness was over. All the turmoil it took to get here was worth it for him. He wouldn’t change a part of his relationship with Celia for the world.

  He held her hand and gave a silent prayer to Bianca. He wanted to thank her for loving him enough to send him to Celia. Without her and her love of flowers, he would’ve never become a flower delivery boy or fallen in love with Celia.

  Sam felt it was the right time.

  “Why are we here?” Celia asked Sam as the gates to his mansion opened. “Do you need something?”

  “No. I got everything I need here.” Sam patted her hand.

  When the limo stopped in front of the mansion, Sam signaled the driver to stay in the car. He got out and walked around to open her door. He held his hand out for her to grab. Sam lost his breath with the moonlight shining on Celia causing her to be more beautiful than ever.

  With no words, he led her around the house to the English garden. It looked beautiful with the twinkling lights lit and a harpist playing softly next to the rose bushes. The moon was positioned behind Celia; he bent over to kiss her lips.

  “Celia, I found you at the lowest point in my life. You showed me what it is like to have a family and a true friend.” Sam bent down on one knee and pulled out a little blue box. He opened the box showing Celia the most gorgeous engagement ring. He searched her face for an answer before he asked. “We have only known each other a few months and I want to know you a lifetime. I couldn’t imagine what my life would be like if you weren’t in it. Every decision I have made in the last few months, I ask myself, what would Celia want me to do or how could it benefit our relationship?” He cleared his throat.

  Don’t cry, he repeated in his mind. When he looked up the moon cast a shadow that made her look like an angel.

  “Will you please give me the honor in becoming my wife?” He loved her. “Will you marry me?”

  Sam stood up face to face staring deep into her green eyes. He ran his hand along the side of her face and down her hair. Reaching her hands, he brought them to his lips and kissed them.

  “Yes, Sam. I will marry you.”

  Sam and Celia embraced. The popping champagne bottle startled them.

  “Congratulations!” Eli and Marty said in unison.

  Sam and Celia turned to find her family walking towards them with outstretched arms. They all embraced. Sam couldn’t believe how his life had changed.

  “We love you, Sam.” Eli squeezed Sam right after Marty hugged him.

  “I’ve always wanted a son.” Marty beamed.

  “Dad, don’t get to comfortable. I’m sure we’ll be living here.” Celia frowned.

  “I thought after we took our honeymoon touring the English gardens in England.” He pulled out two envelopes. “I would take a permanent leave from acting and get my old job back.”

  Celia’s eyes were exuberant. “You mean you are taking me to tour England? And you want to live in Grandberry Falls?”

  Sam nodded. He looked over at Marty and Eli. They nodded at her. “Yes. But I don’t want to live over the diner.”

  Celia laughed. “I must say this has turned out to be a very Merry Christmas.”

  Sam took out two more envelopes.

  “Let’s make it merrier. If Celia wants, I want to take the two of you with us.” He pulled out a brochure. “This is the castle I rented for us to stay. And they have agreed to marry us while we are in England.”

  “Yes!” Celia jumped into his arms. “Yes, Sam Barber I will marry you in England with my family by our side. We will live in our shop, technically you own it since you paid the debt and I will hire you for the morning and lunch deliveries.”

  “Charlie is here too?” Celia couldn’t contain her excitement.

  “I couldn’t let our baby miss out on our special day.” Sam picked Charlie up. Charlie licked Sam all over his face.

  Sam swept Celia in his other arm.

  “I love you, Celia Briggs.”

  Sam wasn’t going to let go of her now or ever.

  Don’t miss Tonya Kappes’ next book:

  Happy New Life

  A Grandberry Falls Novel

  ONE

  “How are you doing in there?” Beth Harrison shouted between the wooden slats of the dressing room door. “I’m leaving a couple more out here for you to try on.”

  Liz ignored her, and looked at the black-sequined dress in the three-fold mirror. There was no way the image staring at her was her.

  Sh
e’d been in The Figure 8 several times over the past year, and in front of this very mirror, but never had seen this person.

  She smiled. This is the one, she thought with a faint sigh of relief.

  When Liz slowly opened the door, the hinges creaked.

  “Jenna made me swear I’d help you pick out something perfect, but I think we’ve hit it out of the park.” Beth brushed her long crimson hair behind her shoulders. Her green eyes popped and she brought her hands to her mouth. “Perfect.”

  Beth ran her hands along the side of the sequined dress, down Liz’s frame. At the hem, she folded it under, making it a little shorter.

  “Let’s take it up a few.” Beth winked. “You’ve got great legs.”

  “No, I’ll take it exactly the way it is.” Liz sashayed back into the dressing room, letting the hem fall back to its original place.

  She took one last look in the full-length mirror. Her smile broadened.

  Maybe Beth and her twenty-something-year-old friends could wear the dress shorter, but Liz wouldn’t be comfortable.

  “Thank you, thank you,” Liz whispered out loud. A trickle of excitement swept through her lost soul.

  How in the world did she let Jenna Greenlee talk her into co-hosting the annual Mothers Against Drunk Drivers New Year’s Eve fund raiser? Jenna had always hosted it alone. Why did she need Liz? At least it would be better than the past years when Liz rang in the New Year in her bed…crying.

  Carefully she hung up the black dress. Of course she picked it.

  Hayes, her twelve-year old son, constantly asked her why she always wore black. She’d tell him it was more professional, and professional was the image she must maintain to court the clients who paid her to decorate their houses.

  Truth be told, Liz liked the way her caramel highlights seemed to look creamier against black. She may be forty, but she could still pull off the long, straight Demi Moore look.

  A year ago, the town folk hadn’t known what to think when Liz Day blew into Grandberry Falls, Kentucky and opened The Mole Hole Interiors.

  Before she uprooted Hayes and moved two hours from her hometown, away from family and long time friends, of course, she had done her homework.

  The quaint town of Grandberry Falls appealed to her. The waterfall in the center of the town square was like magic to her soul. The first time she stood on the charming brick road in front of the waterfall, she felt a peace and calm come over her that she hadn’t felt in the past couple years. Plus the old Victorian homes littered throughout the streets were way past their prime and in desperate need of a makeover. All of these were a sign to her, and she believed in serendipitous signs.

  But coming up with a name for the shop to fit in with Grandberry Falls was another story. She couldn’t name it any old thing when the shop was surrounded with stores like The Fatted Pig Restaurant, The Purple Cow Bookshop, The Trembling Cup Café, or The Thirsty Turtle Bar.

  It had to be good and she knew it.

  Name-the-shop was a game Hayes made up where they threw out different animals with silly phrases. They especially laughed at The Great Goatsby, in honor of Liz’s favorite book The Great Gatsby. Hayes had even drawn a picture of a goat wearing twenties clothing.

  Hayes was smart, clever, and handsome. He was her pride and joy. If she was going to show him a good life, Grandberry Falls was the place.

  “Not bad, not bad.” She brushed down the sequins along her hips and twirled around to make sure the dress looked decent on all sides.

  Her mouth curled in a faint smile. The Brown Tiger Tanning Salon on Main, was worth the few extra dollars investment for the spray tan. Her legs although slender still weren’t as toned as she would like them, but they’d have to do.

  Her eyes stopped. The back of the dress was low cut, almost to her waist. Racier than she planned, but who was there to impress—no one.

  “When you’re ready, I’ll be at the counter.” Beth said on the other side of the door causing Liz to lose her train of thought.

  She twirled around one last time, secretly wishing she could run home, put on the dress, and seduce her loved one. That wasn’t going to happen unless her hairy dog got excited. And he was already excited enough.

  Changing back into her jeans, She glanced at her watch not wanting to be late for her standing lunch date with Jenna, plus she had to stop by The Busy Bee to pick up the yarn tassels she’d ordered earlier in the week.

  For the past year, meeting Jenna at The Trembling Cup was a much needed break from the stress of single mommyhood and sole proprietorship.

  The two had hit it off right away. She had Jenna to be thankful for this holiday season. Jenna made Liz the talk of the town, going on and on about Liz’s eye for design. After that, small town gossip gave way to a lot of inquiry and clients for The Mole Hole, keeping her a busy woman. And taking off the financial stress was welcomed.

  “It was made just for you.” Beth pulled the protective plastic over the dress. “I can’t wait to tell Wendy you bought it.”

  Wendy Owens was not only the buyer for Figure 8, but the girlfriend of Grandberry Falls’ Mayor Mitch Dozier.

  “That reminds me, I need to give her a call. She wanted a small sofa or loveseat for the mayor’s office.” Liz took a slip of scrap paper out of her purse and jotted a quick note to remind her to make that call.

  “We are still over the moon that Mitch won the election,” Beth said.

  Grandberry Falls’ old mayor had been in office for over forty years and it was time for a change. Especially with the impending eminent domain case against long-time residence Hazel Greenlee, Jenna’s mom.

  “I sure hope he can help Hazel,” Liz said, digging deep into her purse for her wallet.

  “I don’t know what’ll happen to business if that outlet mall comes into town.” There was sadness in Beth’s eyes. “I’m afraid The Figure 8 will go under.”

  “Don’t worry. I have the same fears, but we will stick by each other.” Liz knew no matter how much she stressed about it, she wouldn’t be able to change fate.

  The town was divided over the whole situation. The younger generation wanted the outlet mall, while the older generation wanted Grandberry Falls to stay the same quaint town it was known for. And they were both relying on Mitch to solve the problem so everyone was happy. Including small business owners like Beth and herself.

  “Cash or Credit?” Beth’s nails clicked on the register buttons. “One hundred and seventy-five dollars is a steal!”

  Liz gulped.

  “One-hundred and…” Her mind raced. She’d never spent that kind of money on a dress for herself

  “One-hundred and seventy-five dollars,” Beth confirmed.

  “Mmm…”Liz debated on whether to put the dress back, but took out her credit card.

  She liked the dress and she deserved to look good if she had to go to the party—and she had to go.

  “Credit.”

  “I’ve got it nice and sealed.” Beth handed the dress over the counter. “We are supposed to get over three inches.” She glanced out the windows.

  The falling snow had already covered the tops of cars, and the sidewalk outside.

  “And if you need a wrap, I’ll be more than happy to tell Wendy to keep her eye peeled next week when she heads down to the market.”

  Of course she needed a wrap, but she sure wasn’t going to be spending much more on herself.

  “I might have something at home.” She laughed thinking about how her jean jacket would look overtop the sequined dress. “I’ll let you know.”

  Liz wrapped her scarf around her neck and carefully took the dress from Beth. Before she ran across the street to The Busy Bee, she decided to put the dress in her Mercedes SUV—a car she clearly couldn’t afford,

  The salesman promised her it would keep her and Hayes safe, traveling back and forth to Cincinnati every other weekend. He was a good salesman using Hayes and safety in the same sentence. And since she did have to take Hayes every o
ther weekend to visit his dad, she did want something reliable. Granted, it wasn’t brand new, but it was still pricey.

  Trying not to think about the credit card bill that would greet her in the New Year, She wrapped her coat tightly around her and trotted across the street to the yarn store.

  Grandberry Falls offered old world charm with all the luxuries of today. Frequently, Liz perused several of the independent stores for unique treasures for her costumers.

  The Busy Bee, made the most wonderful homemade tassels that she loved to hang on door knobs or the switches of lamps, giving it the unique touch she had a knack for.

  “You better get in here before you freeze.” Hazel Greenlee cackled, after opening the door of the knitting shop. “You’re going to love the new tassels Clarice made.”

  “She never disappoints me.” Liz hugged Jenna’s mom.

  Hazel had become Liz’s home-away-from-home mom. Much different from her real mom, Tammy Preston.

  Hazel’s bohemian look was much different than Tammy’s women’s country club look.

  “I love that shawl.” Liz ran her hands down Hazel’s arm.

  “Home Shopping Club,” Hazel boasted.

  It was no secret that Hazel loved the Home Shopping Club, and host Paula could sell Hazel anything.

  “The colors really go great with your new hair cut.” Liz made sure to complement Hazel on her new ‘do.

  Jenna had told her that Hazel wasn’t completely happy with how Belle Greenlee—owner of The Hair Pin and Hazel’s granddaughter, had whacked off Hazel’s hair.

  Hazel’s fingertips picked at the short ends next to her ear. “Do you really?”

  “Yes, I love it.” Liz wasn’t about to tell Hazel that it was a tad bit short, but she did like it.

  “You know that Belle. She takes whatever is going on in New York and tries to incorporate it on me. She even tried talking me into getting hot pink hair extensions.” Hazel rolled her eyes. “Anyways, aren’t you going to meet Jenna?”

  “I am, so I better find Clarice.” Liz looked around finally spotting her in the back next to a group of knitters.