Sprouted

by Gina LaManna

  “Meg.” I poked her. “Follow the light.”

  She stood, confused, but did as I instructed. I shut the door behind me and eased into the kitchen, still as a statue as Meg rounded the corner. Clay shot me a look of gratefulness, then disappeared into the living room at Meg’s side.

  “What is this?” Meg asked, her voice bright and confused. “It’s super cool, but I don’t understand. Clay? Did you do this?”

  “Meg.” Clay’s voice wobbled. “I need to talk to you.”

  It’d been a week since they took Willy’s body into custody from Bella’s nursery, though it’d only been yesterday that he’d recovered partial consciousness from his post-dart haze. It’d also been a week since I’d both chastised and thanked Clay for the mobile all in one go. I suspected I knew what was happening in the next room over, and I silently cheered him on.

  William Bean had been booked with embezzlement, attempted murder, and a host of charges I didn’t bother to peruse. Fidge was still fired from his job and in jail, but for the correct charges this time. His wife had filed for divorce.

  Meanwhile, the Femme Fatale had sent us a greeting card from prison, and they’d sounded downright cheerful. They would serve their time, then be released as they’d suspected. They still wanted a Christmas card and an update on Bella. With their letter, they’d also included an assurance that the loot was being returned in mint condition. My wedding ring and license had arrived the next day by courier.

  In even better news yet, my wedding ring fit again. The sausage fingers had slimmed down to hotdogs, and that was a major improvement.

  “What do you need to talk to me about?” she asked. “This is...this is incredible, Clay. Venus has so many friends now.”

  “I know you wanted to get engaged in a tropical location,” Clay began, and I could feel him shaking from my corner in the kitchen. “And I know you also refused to leave town while Lacey was having her baby or anytime soon after. You’re a great friend to her.”

  “Don’t say that too loud,” Meg said. “I take pride in being a bit of a badass.”

  “Sorry,” Clay said with an awkward chuckle. “Well, you might be a good friend, but you’re a better girlfriend, and I love you. I want you to be my best friend for life. Even though this isn’t Hawaii, I tried to make it look like a tropical oasis. If you want, you can tell everyone you got engaged on some exotic island if you like, and we can take a trip there for our honeymoon.”

  “Clay, what are you trying to say?”

  “I’m proposing,” he said, and his voice grew firm, strong. “Meg—my sweet Megaleg, Megaload, Megawatt—will you marry me?”

  The shrieking was so loud I had to cover poor Bella’s ears. I debated ducking out of the apartment to give the couple privacy as Meg oohed and ahhed her exclamations of Yes! But before I could move, the pair swung around the corner.

  “Get in here, Lacey!” Meg waved a hand. “Look!”

  I followed, blinking my eyes at the low light in the room. The entire living area had been transformed. Plants were perched on every surface, trees grew from the floor, ferns trailed along the walls, and a miniature palm tree sat where the television used to be. Instead of a couch, there was a log that smelled all too musty and the strong scent of dirt.

  In the middle of it all sat Venus, Meg’s pride and baby, and next to it an empty ring box.

  “Let me see!” I demanded, reaching for Meg’s hand. “Oh, this is beautiful.”

  A gorgeous yellow diamond sat embedded with a halo of small, colorless diamonds around it. I blamed the onslaught of tears that poured down my cheeks on the lingering hormones known to plague new mothers, and I let them slide freely over my face.

  “Congratulations,” I said, bringing the two of them in for a gentle hug around Bella. “Oh, I’m so happy for you both. This is so exciting. I’m sorry I ruined the moment, but...oh, this is so sweet. How did you pull all of this off, Clay?”

  He shifted his weight at my question. “Well, secretly.”

  “I know! Where’d you keep all the plants?” My mind flashed back to the moment he’d slammed his door shut, and I knew. “You had them all in your room.”

  “I’ll be vacuuming leaves and dirt for years from my closet,” he said. “I couldn’t wait a moment longer to propose for my own health and safety. Meg was starting to get suspicious. I think.”

  “All the plants, they’re...” I hesitated, feeling a smack of realization as Marcy’s voice rang through my head, reminding me that most of her stolen plants had been tropical. “You were the thief, Clay. The thief from the plant nursery.”

  “Not really,” he said. “I wouldn’t say I stole anything—I paid for it all. In fact, I’d been transferring money directly into the nursery’s account from the beginning, but they never noticed it. So, I left a stack of cash because they couldn’t miss that. They probably made an extra two grand off me because I double paid for everything and more.”

  “You stole all of this for me?!” Meg clasped her hands to her chest. “Oh, that is so romantic.”

  “Why steal it?” I asked. “Why not just buy them?”

  “It had to be a surprise!”

  “Clay...” I shook my head. “We have to tell them it was you.”

  “I already did,” he said. “I felt guilty. I went to the store and offered to turn myself in for the robberies.”

  “And?”

  “And they told me I better not do that because they wanted to keep the extra cash.”

  “You’re nuts,” I told him.

  “But he’s romantic!” Meg sighed. “Lacey, I’m gonna be a married old lady, just like you.”

  “Oh, you make it sound so wonderful.” I laughed, grinning. “You two will love it. I’m so happy for you.”

  “We’ll have to get married fast,” Meg said. “Because me and Lacey have always promised each other that we’d have kids close in age. Bella’s only a week old—we’d better get cracking, amore.”

  Clay’s face paled. “What about one thing at a time?”

  “Nope,” Meg said. “Babies.”

  Then the door opened.

  “Did someone order pizza?” It was Anthony’s voice, and he must’ve been exceedingly hungry to stop by Meg and Clay’s place for a slice. “Meg mentioned I’d find you all here...”

  His voice trailed off as he came around the corner and spotted the plants. “What in the world?” He hesitated as he reached out to touch a plant. “Tell me this isn’t illegal.”

  “Clay proposed!” I exclaimed. “Isn’t that great? They’re getting married!”

  “Yeah, and we were just talking about how me and Clay gotta get married real fast so we can have kids at the same time as you and Lacey.” Meg grinned. “I mean, wouldn’t that be great? If I have a daughter, she can be best friends with Bella.”

  “Hold on a second.” Anthony’s face paled. “You’re saying there’s going to be a second generation of Lacey and Meg?”

  Clay winced. “And we’re going to have to parent them?”

  Meg and I grinned at one another, delighted at the prospect.

  “Can I get you a drink?” Anthony asked Clay. “I’m suddenly not hungry.”

  “Please.”

  “Oh, men,” Meg said, as the two guys disappeared into the kitchen. The sound of sloshing liquid into glasses followed. Then Meg, too, went white as a ghost. “Lacey! We were terrors. Are our kids going to be just like us?”

  I shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out.”

  “Hey Anthony,” Meg called to the kitchen. “I think I’ll take you up on that offer of a drink.”

  I hung behind, looking down at Bella, smiling into her sweet face. “You’re going to be an angel for mama, aren’t you?”

  No answer from her, which was not surprising.

  Then suddenly she had an answer that smelled like the world had exploded.

  “An angel that needs her pants changed,” I amended. “Come on, honey, we’ve got to get you cleaned up and teach
you how to celebrate like a Luzzi. We’ll get you your own drink. In fact, you can have the whole bottle.”

  She opened her mouth, most likely looking for food, and struggled to open her eyes. Maybe it was the movement, or the way she’d responded to my claims of her angelic nature. Maybe it was the fact that reality had finally sunk in–or maybe, I understood Anthony’s revelation that Meg and Lacey might get a second generation.

  I felt the blood drain from my face.

  She was my mini me. I was holding a miniature version of myself with a shot of Anthony, and though she was unique...she was mine. She looked like Anthony and ate like me, and if she learned anything from either us, she’d be dangerous by the time she could walk.

  And that was a scary thought.

  The End

  Note from the Author:

  THANK YOU FOR READING book eleven in the Lacey Luzzi series! What an incredibly fun ride it’s been for me to bring this series “parenthood”. I owe it all to the readers and friends of the family! Thank you!

  Other fun stuff: More installments in each of the Lola Pink and Magic & Mixology series are coming soon. To be notified when it releases, please sign up for my newsletter at www.ginalamanna.com.

  Thank you for reading!

  Love,

  Gina

  Now for a thank you...

  To all my readers, especially those of you who have stuck with me from the beginning.

  By now, I’m sure you all know how important reviews are for Indie authors, so if you have a moment and enjoyed the story, please consider leaving an honest review on Amazon or Goodreads. I know you are all very busy people and writing a review takes time out of your day—but just know that I appreciate every single one I receive. Reviews help make promotions possible, help with visibility on large retailers and most importantly, help other potential readers decide if they would like to try the book.

  I wouldn’t be here without all of you, so once again—thank you.

  Thanks again for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the story!

  See other books by Gina here:

  List of Gina's Books!

  Gina LaManna is the USA TODAY bestselling author of the Magic & Mixology series, the Lacey Luzzi Mafia Mysteries, The Little Things romantic suspense series, and the Misty Newman books.

  List of Gina LaManna’s other books:

  Lola Pink Mystery Series:

  Shades of Pink

  Magic & Mixology Mysteries:

  Hex on the Beach

  Witchy Sour

  Jinx & Tonic

  Long Isle Iced Tea

  MAGIC, Inc. Mysteries:

  The Undercover Witch

  Spies & Spellbooks (short story anthology)

  Reading Order for Lacey Luzzi:

  Lacey Luzzi: Scooped

  Lacey Luzzi: Sprinkled

  Lacey Luzzi: Sparkled

  Lacey Luzzi: Salted

  Lacey Luzzi: Sauced

  Lacey Luzzi: S'mored

  Lacey Luzzi: Spooked

  Lacey Luzzi: Seasoned

  Lacey Luzzi: Spiced

  Lacey Luzzi: Suckered

  Lacey Luzzi: Sugared

  Lacey Luzzi: Sprouted

  The Little Things Mystery Series:

  One Little Wish

  Two Little Lies

  Misty Newman:

  Teased to Death

  Short Story in Killer Beach Reads

  Chick Lit:

  Girl Tripping