by Lacy Camey
My heart melted. I couldn’t help but find tears in my eyes. I knew it was lame, but I was so happy to see him.
I felt so connected. So relieved. So happy. No wonder Maycee and Chloe had been so insistent on driving me; they must have known.
Before I could even ask him anything, he lifted me up into his arms, and we kissed.
I laughed between my sniffles and tears. “You’re Doctor Hood’s grandson? You knew?”
“I’m sorry, Nor. I wanted it to be a surprise. I’ll admit, I was little jealous when Truett showed up at your house. So, I turned off my phone to stay focused for my dissertation. And then right after my dissertation, I was so excited about my accomplishment. I placed my phone on top of my SUV to take pictures with my family. Then, in excitement my brother and I left for Chile. I completely forgot about my phone being on top of my car, and I lost it somewhere along the way to the airport. I didn’t even realize it was missing until the security check. I had no way of contacting you. Besides, you’re not on Facebook or Twitter. I don’t know your email. So, by the time I got home, I realized everything that had happened and had about seven missed calls from my grandfather, not to mention the twenty you left.” He teased me incredibly cutely.
“But what matters is now and here.” He leaned forward, and his forehead touched mine.
“Excuse me, Miss, did you find your diamond earring?” the I-have-to-do-my-job-right-I-don’t-care-that-you-are-having-an-obviously-romantic-moment hostess interrupted.
“No, but I found something so much better.” I smiled and hugged Orien.
She looked at me with a very confused look on her face. “Well, okay?” She smirked, finally letting her annoyance show.
Orien led me back to our table in the corner. He handed me a rustic wooden journal wrapped in a turquoise ribbon. On top were instructions to go the last page and read the entry.
Norah,
I want the ending of this chapter to end with me and you, and the start of a new chapter to begin with me and you. You walked into my world, and I never want you to leave.
I couldn’t believe my luck.
* * *
Two months later
The lights turned on, and walking down the runway were the best-dressed dogs on the East Coast. I would never have guessed two months prior that the grand fashion show I would have would be showcasing the best-dressed pups in town. Ladies raved about my designs and impatiently wanted to know when I was opening my pup boutique. I called it, of course, Coco Couture.
Chloe was prophetic, after all. The media caught wind of the buzz, and I actually did a summer fun segment on Good Morning, America. What dress did I wear? My prize-winning dress, of course! From then on, my inbox was flooded every day with boutiques around the nation requesting information about my upcoming line and when it would be available.
I really couldn’t believe my luck. Things had certainly turned around. I did dodge a question at first about being Truett’s ex-girlfriend, but that was okay. It was to be expected. I was later able to answer a question in my favor when asked about the inspiration behind Coco Couture.
“Well, it’s actually my current boyfriend who found me because of my lost journal. He is the inspiration behind it all,” I said proudly.
“Well, you heard it here. And it looks like that other guy’s having the last laugh!” Robin Roberts said.
Oh, and I even got on The View! I was able to put all pleasantries aside with those ladies and really tell them how I felt, in a respectable way, of course.
I decided to continue to live in the summer home that had brought so much healing, down the shore from my boyfriend. Yes, I was doing well. So much so, I had enough funding to bring three trunks filled with brand new clothes and shoes to donate at my next adventure, going to the orphanage with Chloe and Maycee. Speaking of them, both had known Orien was Doctor Hood’s grandson all along, as did my mom and dad. Everyone had decided to keep it a nice little secret.
I practically had to twist Chris’s arm to let me jet out of the country for three weeks but, after the entire media press tour, he knew I had earned it.
I had my summer to heal; now it was my season to give, and I couldn’t wait to go. Orien, who I promised I would email every day while I was gone, was taking care of my precious little Coco. If I didn’t have internet access, I would use snail mail, of course.
As a going away present, he gave me another new journal with instructions to read it each day while I was gone, down to the last page. He had written a letter to me for every day I was scheduled to be gone. A true Romeo!
I was the luckiest girl in the world. Yes, lemons had been thrown my way, but I made lemonade and the sugar in my life tasted sweeter than I could have ever imagined.
With the wind on my back, and a new horizon in front of me, I was on my way to Venezuela with my sister and best friend. Things were certainly looking up.
The End
About Lacy Camey
Lacy Camey is a fiction writer and lives in Houston, Texas with her musician/producer/songwriter husband, Joel, and has a cat that acts like a dog, named Blue. When she isn’t writing, or collaborating with her husband, she enjoys being outside, running, working out, reading, learning, cooking, is a huge movie buff and loves watching reality shows on Bravo, especially The Real Housewives franchise. She loves having fun, enjoying the life God has given her and loves to encourage others to follow their bliss. She secretly dreams of going on the Amazing Race with her husband on CBS but is still trying to convince him to audition. Lacy and Joel are currently writing a classic love story set to be released December 2011, tentatively entitled, “The Grape Picker”. Every book written by Lacy Camey purchased by others, a portion of proceeds goes to supporting an orphanage in Southern America. Lacy has plans to build an orphanage very soon with proceeds from her books. You can stay updated on the process at her blog:
www.lacycameywrites.com
Lacy would love to stay in contact with her readers. Feel free to visit her blog and website or follow her on Twitter:
@lacycamey
or e-mail:
[email protected]
Acknowledgements
They say it takes a village to raise a child. In the publishing world, it takes a lot of great, talented people to help a manuscript become a book. Thank you Kim Van Meter for making my cover look so much fun, and giving it that perfect chick-lit touch! Thank you Lynn O’Dell at Red Adept Reviews for your wonderful editorial services and for enduring my chick lit lingo (OMG! Like, um, seriously, thank you! Just kidding. :-) I appreciate all of your input and suggestions. You helped make my book solid. Thank you for your lovely proofers Beverly Tackitt and Jim Chambers who caught many vital catches. I’m so thankful. Thank you Michael Campbell for your top-notch eBook/ePub formatting services. Thank you everyone at the Writer’s Café on KindleBoards for your advice, comments and encouragement. I want to thank Joe Konrath for your incredibly honest, transparent, and revolutionary blog. Your blog is the light bulb that went off in my mind to pursue publishing now. Without your blog, I would not have been so educated in the field. Thank you Sidney Brimhall and Becky Marquez for reading my manuscript before anyone else and offering so much encouragement and excitement! You made me feel so excited! Thank you Mom and David, for raising me with such a solid foundation and belief system. Mom, thank for framing my first official “published” work four years ago and for always taking the time to do special things to make me feel just that, special. You’ve always encouraged me and supported me in my writing career. You’ve taught me that with God, the sky is the limit. Thank you Dad and Amy for always asking about “Eliza May”. I’m not sure if we’ll ever read Eliza’s story, but thanks for always fanning the flame and being interested and supportive in my stories and writing career. I thank all of my brothers and sisters and brothers and sisters-in-law for your great support and love-Cody, Michelle, Sara, Sidney, Caleb, Noah, Junior, Becky, Vanessa, Jonathan, Lauren C., Lauren M., and Jace, - y�
�all are the best! Thank you, Joel, for your understanding of all the PayPal payments periodically popping up in our bank account! :-) Without your support, this book could not have been created. You’re the best! Thank you to all my family and friends for your support, encouragement and love. I love you all! Thank you God for the gift to create and for letting me live in this Era of technology! I’m continually amazed at the doors You open. Thank you for the gift of faith. Matthew 9:23 — “Anything is possible for him (her) who believes.”
Coming Soon:
Coming Fall 2011
Book 2 in the romantic comedy trilogy of living, loving and laughing again; a Chloe Banks Story.
The Man She Thought She’d Never Love
Chloe Banks has always been known for her famous political last name and for her money. Now she’s ready to show the world she is more than the prim, debutante from a privileged background. Groomed from infancy to be the perfect politician’s wife, she would no longer be! Shocking her family and her social circle, Chloe moves temporarily with her two friends to Venezuela and serves in an Orphanage as a nurse, alongside other nurses and doctors from a philanthropic organization. It is there she meets a man her parents would never approve, but is just the type of man she needs. But she’s not the type he wants. Chloe has been known her whole life to pull a few strings or two. Will she depend on her famous last name or win this cutie on her own accord?
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
About Lacy Camey
Acknowledgements
Coming Soon: