by Magan Vernon
A Paper Trail
Book 3 in the My Paper Heart Saga
Magan Vernon
Text copyright© 2015 by Magan Vernon
All rights reserved
www.maganvernon.com
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form by or any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author.
For information visit www.maganvernon.com
Summary: Passing her first semester of community college? Done.
Getting her boyfriend an amazing birthday gift? Done.
Throwing up in New Orleans on said boyfriend's birthday? Yeah...about that...
Everything in Libby's life was falling into place...or she thought it was.
After a night of sin in New Orleans, she thought she might just be sick from exhaustion but a trip to the doctor proved otherwise.
Now instead of moving forward, her and commit-a-phobic boyfriend Blaine Crabtree have to go in a completely new direction.
Every road block has gotten in their way. Everything to tear them apart. Now they have to figure out if they are strong enough to move forward or if this is the end of their paper trail
First Edition, September 2015
Cover Design by Sharp Cover Designs
http://www.sharpcoverdesign.com/
Cover photography by Michael Meadows Studios
http://www.michaelmeadowsstudios.com/
Cover model: Brandon Lane
https://www.facebook.com/Brandonromance2846
Edited by Kellie Montgomery at Eye Candy Bookstore
http://www.eyecandybookstore.com/
Dedicate to you
Yes. YOU.
The one who took a chance.
The one who picked up this series and kept reading. Kept messaging me and telling me how much you loved these characters.
This is all for you.
Praise for The My Paper Heart Saga
[Vernon] is an eloquent writer and knows how to really develop her characters! I look forward to more of her work! - Heather at Nightly Reading Reviews
Her sassy female lead, Libby, puts the 'fun' in funny and makes My Paper Heart an extremely entertaining read!- Candace at Lovey Dovey Books
I really enjoyed this story of finding love and discovering who you truly are. - Laura at Bookish Treasers on My Paper Heart
I love Magan's honest style of writing. Her characters have flaws and make mistakes. And her love scenes are a mix of sexy and sometimes hilariously awkward!
- Amy at The Reading Realm on On Paper Wings
Chapter 1
I was sick. Not the "Oh-I-have-a-cold-and-can't-stop-my-sniffles-sick," but the all out, dry heaving in the toilet kind.
It didn't help that I was sick for my first Mardi Gras in Louisiana or that it was my boyfriend Blaine's birthday and he wanted to spend Fat Tuesday in New Orleans.
I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror; there was no amount of makeup that would cover my dark circles. I was trying to look as cute as possible, but my period had to be coming because I was also bloated and nothing was fitting right. I just wanted to stay home on the couch and watch reruns of reality TV.
But I knew that wasn't going to happen.
I adjusted the straps of my deep purple dress. I picked it out to pair with my gold booties and peacock headband for the occasion. I thought it was festive for my first Fat Tuesday parade, but now I was just feeling more fat than celebratory.
My nutritionist and therapist constantly told me that I had to stop with the "self-hate" behavior, but when I was moody and bloated, it was hard to do.
"Libby? Are you all right in there?" Aunt Dee yelled from the other side of the bathroom door.
I spit out the toothpaste into the sink. All the dry heaving was seriously giving me horrible breath. "Yeah. I'm fine."
I fluffed out my hair and pinched my cheeks, trying to get some color back into them. I was supposed to be at Blaine's twenty minutes ago, but it was taking longer and longer to get ready with being sick.
I opened the door of the bathroom to see Aunt Dee standing there, wringing her hands like she always did when she was nervous.
"Are you sure you're okay, honey?" She stared at me behind those Coke bottle glasses. When I first moved in with her, I thought she was so fiery and full of life for someone her age, but as the months passed, it seemed like she had just gotten older and more tired. She started asking me to do more around her store and spent more time at home. I just really prayed something wasn't wrong with her. I was closer to her than my own mother and I couldn't imagine anything happening.
I offered her a small smile. "I promise, I'm fine Aunt Dee."
"You know, if you don't feel up to going to New Orleans tonight, don't do it. Don't force Blaine to make you do anything you don't want to."
I laughed slightly. "Aunt Dee, I'm fine."
"But I do have to get going. Blaine not so subtly hinted that he wanted new fog lights for his truck and the tracking says the package should be at his house. I don't want him opening it before I get there. The guy has absolutely no patience." I patted her back.
Aunt Dee nodded slowly. "Well, if you really think you're feeling up to it..."
I smiled and gave her a quick hug. "I do, Aunt Dee. I may be late tonight, though, so don't wait up. Okay?"
"Okay. Be careful. Text me when you leave New Orleans."
"Aunt Dee. It's going to be late."
She shook her head. "I don't care. I just want to make sure that you're all right. There is a reason there are forty days of Lent after Mardi Gras. There's so much sin and debauchery that you don't even want to go near it again."
I laughed. "I'm sure that's what they had in mind."
***
When I pulled up to the house, Blaine was already on top of his truck with a set of tools. The sun was starting to set, so he had a spotlight on him and every single light on the front of the house. He wasn't wearing a shirt and his tanned torso was glistening in sweat and covered in stripes of oil. That didn't stop me from licking my lips and staring at his wicked V. I may have been with him for almost a year, but I always found my eyes drawing to that spot.
I turned off my engine and got out, putting my hand on my hip. "Seriously, Blaine? You couldn't wait a few more minutes for me to get here before you opened it?"
He looked down from his truck. No matter how many times I saw his wide smile and bright blue eyes, they still did me in. I had to keep my heart from stopping and my breath from catching in my throat. He was too pretty for his own good.
"I kept the box. I could always put the extra parts back in there if you want to see me open them again."
I rolled my eyes. "I should have known and just had them sent to Aunt Dee's."
He hopped down from the truck and sauntered over until he was right in front of me. He looped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. "But then you wouldn't get the pleasure of watching me install them."
Normally I would have found this sexy, feeling him pressed against me with only the thin material of my dress between us, but something was off. There was a smell that permeated off of him. It was metallic. Like his tools were recently sharpened or something. Either way, when it hit my nose, I had to step back and swallow the bile that was gathering in my mouth.
He cocked an eyebrow. "Are you okay, baby?"
I shook my head and swallowed hard. "Yeah. I'm fine. You just may need a shower before we leave."
He laughed and put his hand to his chest.
"You don't like my eau-de-sweat?"
I wrinkled my nose. "No. No, I don't."
"All right, baby, I guess I've spent enough time out here anyway. I'll take a quick shower then Mom wants us to eat with them before we leave." He gave me a quick peck on my cheek.
"Okay. Sounds good." I nodded, but he was already running toward the front porch.
I decided to follow him in. He usually didn't take too long in the shower, so I figured I'd be the good girlfriend and ask his mom if she needed any help in the kitchen.
Or I would have, if the smell didn't stop me first.
It wasn't that his dogs had been out in the mud, it was something about the Cajun spices. Usually my mouth watered for them and now they were making my stomach churn, but I had to swallow it back. Being a girl with an eating disorder meant that I got a lot of stares if I ever got sick, or even if I just took too long in the bathroom. I knew the moment I'd start anything, I'd probably get sent back to the hospital.
So I sucked it up, held my breath, and walked into the kitchen.
Vicki stood over the stove with a dog on each side of her, staring up and licking their lips as they waited for something to drop.
"Blue, quit that!" She swatted the dog on the right with her free hand.
"Hey Vicki, anything I can help with?" I took a few more steps into the kitchen and tried to ignore the gurgling in my stomach.
Vicki smiled once she saw me and pushed her bright blonde hair over her shoulder. "I would, honey, but a Cajun woman's roux has to be her own."
I had no idea what she was talking about, so I just smiled.
Vicki pointed to a brightly colored circular pastry thing on the counter. "You can bring that out and put on the table if you want. Blaine loves his King Cake. And go say hi to Meemaw. She's in there with Alicia and Callie."
"Oh, sure." I picked up the King Cake and stared at the blobs of yellow, green, and purple frosting.
"Having a Mardi Gras baby works out well for these occasions," she said, stirring the big pot on the stove.
"It sure does," I said, not really sure if I agreed with that or not.
I carried the cake into the dining room and, just like Vicki had said, there was Blaine's grandma sitting at the head of the table with her ever present oxygen tank at her side. At least she didn't have a cigarette in her hand as she held Blaine's sister Alicia's one month old baby in her arms.
"Now be careful of her head, Meemaw," Alicia said, hovering over her.
Meemaw cradled the baby in her arms, staring down at the little girl with a hint of a smile. "Oh pish, Alicia, I've been taking care of babies since before you were even shitting in your britches. I know what I'm doing."
Alicia pushed her hair behind her ears. She had gotten it chopped off at some point during her pregnancy and with the short hair it made her hollow cheek bones and the circles under her eyes more prevalent. I don't know how the hell she did it with two young kids at home all day.
"Hi, guys," I said, setting the cake down on the table.
Meemaw looked up at me with a half-scowl. "Still a Yankee, I see?"
"Um, yes?" I said, not sure how else to answer.
"Pay her no mind, Libby," Alicia said and came over, giving me a big hug. I always liked Alicia; it was Meg, Blaine's oldest sister, that could put the fear of God into any girl.
"Before long, she'll be a Southerner, just you wait. Then Blaine will be pouring arsenic in my coffee so he can get my house," Meemaw said, still staring down at the baby, barely missing a beat.
I just stared at her and Alicia laughed to break the tension, so I followed suit. I knew Blaine was inheriting her house, but the way she was so nonchalant about it was always off-putting.
"Blaine! How long are you going to be up there? It shouldn't take you that long to scrub yourself unless you've been rolling in the mud!" Vicki yelled up the stairs.
"Be down in a sec, Ma!" Blaine yelled.
"So, how's school going?" Alicia asked, probably because she didn't have much else to talk about. We never really bonded. I hadn't with either of Blaine's sisters. Of course, we didn't have much in common. They were country girls who took care of their kids and I was the girl from Chicago...who was sleeping with their brother.
"Good. I have five classes this semester plus work, so I'm pretty busy."
"I imagine," Alicia said, smacking her lips.
Now I had to think of something else to make small talk about. "So, how are things with Callie? She's precious."
Alicia sighed. "Good. Busy. Very busy."
Thank God Blaine bolted down the stairs, putting his arm around my waist and kissing my forehead. He definitely smelled better when he was fresh out of the shower, and there was something about his wet hair that made him look even more kissable. Just not when his family was right there. "Do I smell better now?"
"You know, you can bathe a dog, but they still smell like wet dog," Alicia said, smacking Blaine in the stomach.
"Aw, you're too good to me, sis," Blaine said with a laugh.
Just then Blaine's niece, Abby, burst through the door in her ever-present tutu. "Happy Birthday Uncle Blaine! We got you tools!"
Blaine laughed and picked up the little girl in his arms as her mom, Meg, came in carrying her youngest daughter Ashley, with her husband Ronnie and their son Braiden following behind.
"Dangit, Abby, you ain't supposed to tell him what we got him!" Meg said, giving Blaine a side hug as he put down Ashley.
"It could be worse, you could have told me you got me something like bow ties," Blaine said.
Meg shook her head and winked at me. "Naw, I'll leave it to your lady to get you some of that frou frou Southern boy shit."
Blaine put his arm back around me. "Actually, Libby got me new fog lights on the truck, which means Ronnie and I need to go muddin'."
"Hell yeah we do," Ronnie said, turning his camo hat around and giving Blaine a fist bump.
It was always a full house at the Crabtree's and the craziness was always a nice distraction. All the kids ran around until Vicki finally called them all in for prayers and supper. I wanted to eat every bit of the food and normally I would, but I found myself putting a bite to my lips and putting it back.
"Ma, can we just get to the cake now? Jackson and Dina are waiting on us, and we have to get to Don's," Blaine whined which deepened his Southern drawl.
His dad smacked the back of his head. "Just because it's your birthday, doesn't mean you can talk to your mom like that."
Blaine rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, Ma."
Vicki smiled and stood up, grabbing a knife before cutting out a big piece of the cake and plopping it onto a paper plate and setting it in front of Blaine. "Only because I still have a sweet spot for my Mardi Gras baby."
"Abby wants cake too!" Blaine's niece, Abby, whined, followed shortly by the other nieces and nephews.
"Okay, okay. Just hold your horses," Vicki said and cut another piece and pushed a plate in front of me.
"Oh, no I'm fine without cake," I said, trying to wave it away.
Though Vicki always had great food, the few bites of Jambalaya and cornbread I had were already turning in my stomach.
"Nonsense, there is always room for cake," Vicki said, pushing the plate toward me.
I could feel the heat of everyone's eyes on me. Last time we were all together, I ran out of the room and passed out. That was before I ended up in the hospital. Now I felt like they were judging my every bite.
"Okay...I guess I can make room," I said and took the plate, holding up my fork and going in for a bite.
I put the piece in my mouth and bit down on something hard.
"OW!"
I grabbed a napkin and tried to demurely spit whatever I bit into out, but it came out in a big wad. It was unlady-like but I had to see what it was and staring back at me was a little plastic baby.
"What the—?"
"LIBBY HAD A BABY!" Abby yelled.
Blaine looked over my shoulder. "
Aw, Damn. I wanted the baby."
"I'm sure you'd technically be the father," Meg said.
"Uh...what?" I asked, staring between the two of them.
Blaine smiled and shook his head. "A plastic baby is put in every king cake. Whoever gets it is the Mardi Gras queen or king."
"Oh. Well, I guess that makes me the queen."
Blaine leaned in and kissed my cheek. "Always."
"Ewwwwww, gross," all the kids said and made gagging noises.
"You two better cut that out until you're married and have a real baby," Abby said.
Blaine just shook his head and sat back in his seat but gave me a quick wink.
If a kiss on the cheek was going to get that reaction, I was in for a hell of a show with the Mardi Gras parade.
Chapter 2
By the time we finally got around to leave, I was more than ready to get out of the house. Not just because my stomach was turning, but I was ready to be rid of the questioning stares from Meemaw.
Dina crawled into the backseat of the truck followed by Jackson. "Damn, Libby, think you're going to be able to drive this thing home when Blaine's too hammered to drive?"
"I never said I was getting wasted," Blaine said as he pulled out of the driveway.
"Sure you aren't. I'm sure Don won't have a cooler full with your name on it," Jackson added.
"I already told him I could drive if needed to," I said. I kind of knew that was going to be the case, which is why I suggested taking my car, but everyone refused to ride in the tiny back seat of my convertible.
"And if I need you to, then I'm sure you'll take good care of my truck." Blaine leaned in and gently kissed my lips.
"Enough with the PDA, get driving so we can get our drink on," Jackson yelled, patting the back of my head rest.
It was usually only about a forty-five minute drive to New Orleans, but with detours for the parade route and just about every tourist making their way into the city, we were going on almost two hours before we finally rolled in front of Don's duplex.