In Love by Design (The Adventures of Anabel Axelrod)

by Ellen, Tracy

  Damaris quickly turned her head to hide her smile.

  Anna stood in front of us and waved her arms to get everyone quiet while NanaBel leaned over and rapped me on the knee with a knuckle.

  “Your turn, Anabel Katrina. I bet you thought you got away scot free without having to do this, didn’t you?” NanaBel’s laughter rang out at my frowning moue.

  NanaBel’s appearance was as vividly bright as her personality. Her once dark red hair was now pure white and worn in a stylish short cut, her bright blue eyes flashed humor, her wide mouth was born to wear red lipstick, her teeth were sparkling white, and two perfect dimples appeared under her strong, high cheekbones whenever she smiled.

  She was beautiful. Castles with dungeons in Germany must agree with my grandmother, but I was overjoyed she came home early to attend her honorary granddaughter’s bridal shower. This was the perfect touch to Anna’s planned day. Anna was standing behind NanaBel with her hands on her shoulders while beaming with happiness and wiping her eyes constantly.

  I met my best friend’s eyes and we shared a small smile when Stella whistled sharply and called out, “Quiet!”

  The room instantly quieted, except for Pam’s nervous giggle that was soon hushed, and Stella bowed to me. “Okay, everyone has told their romantic stories about meeting their boyfriends, getting proposed to, or having their babies. Anna said you would tell your story of the birthday ring when we were all around. Well, we’re all around, Auntie Bel, so it’s time to give it up! We want romance!”

  Jazy started chanting, “Romance! Romance!” and Tre J joined in and then Pam. Soon the room was thundering with the word and I stood up laughing, holding my arms out in supplication.

  Sparky chose that moment to bling out. Soon the “oohs” and the “aahs” started. Sparky was really showing off and the women loved it. Stella had to settle them down again.

  Damaris shifted in her seat, her hands clasped together as if in prayer. She was staring at Sparky with a rapt expression on her face and wearing a huge grin.

  Damaris spotted the ring on my hand the minute she arrived today at the apartment, but other than saying that she loved the ring and that it suited me, had made no other comment. I was surprised to see her reaction now.

  Shrugging it off, I smiled at the crowd. I have listened to women for years tell their stories of first meetings, first dates, marriage proposals, wedding vows, anniversaries, and birth stories. For once, I really had a romantic moment to share with a group of women and I felt a sense of sisterhood.

  “They are all going to love this story!’

  I clapped and did a little shimmy. I started my story when Luke and I were at his farm and I had placed the white gift box on his bedside table. I omitted the part about our fight over the little red bag and the make up session in his truck.

  “Okay, so picture this. Luke comes walking out of the shower wearing only a towel…”

  The room erupted with whistles and catcalls while Damaris laughed good-naturedly.

  “…and he picks up this pretty velvet box from the bedside table. Luke walked towards me with the box and said, ‘I’m offering you this small piece of a parure that was originally fashioned from the decorations on a justaucorps.”

  “Holy Hannah! I about fainted, as you can imagine. I asked Luke, ‘Is this a full-set parure or a demi-parure?’ I have seen paintings of parures worn en suite, and I’ve got to tell you all, they are super cool. I don’t know what I’d do with them all, but I’d think of something.”

  The room was totally silent, enthralled.

  I nodded and grinned. “I know. Incredibly romantic, right? Not too many girls these days get offered a piece of a parure. From the baroque period, no less!”

  Damaris was nodding while watching me with a fond silvery smile, and I smiled in return. It was really great having a mother’s encouragement.

  I took a deep breath. “So my boyfriend said, ‘A full set, of course, Anabel. They are from my mother’s side and have been in the family for a couple of hundred years. Wait until you see the stomacher and diadem.’

  “Of course I am amazed to hear this and I asked my boyfriend, ‘Seriously, a stomacher? Is there an aigrette, too? If you tell me there’s a sevigne I may have an org… er…tizzy fit! I love the girandole style!’

  Someone behind me that I couldn’t see asked in a loud whisper, “Is she speaking English?”

  I obligingly turned more, so people behind me can hear. “Is this better?”

  The room had gone silent behind me again, but there was an expectant quality and a few titters. I felt my nipples stiffen. I was wearing a blue sleeveless dress similar to Anna’s from last night because she never went home before the shower. We decided her dress would make a good costume dress for our dance performance, so I dressed up accordingly. The material was silk and right now, my nipples have pointed to attention like hounds on the scent.

  “Anabel, Anabel,” said the lazy, smooth voice behind me, and I whirled around to face Luke shaking his head in disappointment. “That’s not how the story goes.”

  Luke was sitting back in my vacated chair between his mother and my grandmother. He had an arm along the back of the chair of each woman, and they both leaned towards him, like flowers to the sun. He turned his head, spoke low to my grandmother, and a smile blossomed across her face. NanaBel gave him a kiss on his cheek while his mother did the same from the other side, and then Luke stood up.

  I gawked that he and NanaBel seemed to know each other when she just got back into town. I smiled tentatively in confusion, as Luke walked towards me and the guests crowded closer, sensing something going on.

  Anna called out, “My God, I hope that’s not how the story goes or I’ve lost all faith in your abilities, Luke!”

  “Hey!” I was starting to get a little offended here. I liked my story how Luke gave me my birthday ring. He was so smart and it was fun having someone to talk to that likes history, as much as I do.

  I smiled up at Luke. “Don’t listen to her. You were so romantic; I loved how you offered Sparky to me.”

  A lot of people laughed and I caught Mac’s smile before she moved off to the side to stand over by Diego near the TV. Several more men have arrived, but my gaze swiveled back to Luke when he replied to Anna, “See if you like my version better.”

  Luke took my right hand and checked out the ring. Sparky flashed, glittered, and threw out bursts of color.

  Luke laughed, reached for my other hand and held them both up to his mouth. Not taking his eyes off mine, he kissed one and then the other, frowning a little when he noticed the cuts on my palm from Pam’s nails.

  I heard thirty deep sighs, but ignored them, as I started to frown. I did not like this.

  “There’s a legend in my family, passed down from generation to generation, that when the first born son offered the ring of the parure to the woman of his choice; the union was particularly…blessed if the ring approved.”

  My frown disappeared. This was sweet. I love folklore and it reminded me of my own fairy tale I had made up in my head the minute I’d caught a glimpse of this ring.

  Anna and Stella were making cooing noises and Luke grinned. “The legend said if the ring approved by flaring up with brilliant sparkles and the woman accepted the ring, then the rest was a done deal.”

  I peeked swiftly over at Damaris and NanaBel. They were both smiling as if they knew it was a done deal, too. I looked back at Luke.

  “What’s a done deal?” I asked, and several people echoed this question.

  Luke pressed my hands and his eyes were glittering emeralds. He arched that brow. “Do you recall the first conversation we ever had at your brother’s and what I told you?”

  I bit my lip and moved closer to whisper, “Pink panties are optional?”

  Luke shouted a laugh, but then he smiled down into my face. His was soft, loving, and just a little cruel. “I’m talking about when I said that my plan was to have a large family and that you have st
urdy, childbearing hips. According to the legend, it’s a done deal that we will have at least four babies.”

  Luke dropped to his knee in front of me, still holding my hands, and gazed up at me with his pirate’s white grin. “Anabel Axelrod, you are going to hate this, but please, will you marry me to make certain our children are not bastards, at least legally, and because I need you to have my back forever?”

  As the silence dragged on while I stared fixedly down at Luke, the room held its breath in hushed anticipation for my answer. Mac’s scream was crystal clear in this vacuum and every head in the crowded basement turned in her direction.

  Luke grabbed my hand and pulled me over to his mother and NanaBel before we realized there was no immediate danger. I took my hand out of my purse.

  Mac was standing still, a hand over her mouth and pointing at the TV. A local female anchor was watching a remote broadcast from a male reporter that stood in front of an apartment building. He finished his report by saying, “Now back to you, Cathy.”

  Diego hurriedly turned up the volume while we all crept closer to see and hear.

  “Thanks, Bill.” Cathy turned to face the camera. “Well, folks, to recap what Bill Cahill told us; there is an ongoing manhunt that has spread into Minnesota for Svetlana Ugolev, a resident of Chicago, Illinois. She is wanted by the police in connection with the murder of Richard Webster, a former resident of Kenosha, Wisconsin. She was last seen driving near Redwing, Minnesota where the police have found her abandoned vehicle on the side of the road, reportedly out of gas. If you should see this woman, she is considered dangerous and you should call and report the sighting to your local authorities or call the 800 number listed below.”

  A picture of Svetlana Ugolev was flashed on the screen over the voice of the anchorwoman. It was a horrible picture, Svettie looked more like a cat than a human, but it was definitely good, old Svettie--my boyfriend’s roommate and my attempted murderer. I knew I should have beaten the shit out of her when I had the chance that night in the barn, instead of just throwing the boot at her. The woman’s gone stalker on Luke. No wonder she was happy talking to Damaris and Paul on Friday night. She thought An-a-bel would be dead in a few hours and Luke would be hers.

  Damaris asked urgently, “Where is your father?”

  Luke replied soothingly, “He’s upstairs with Reggie, don’t worry. They’ve got the house covered.”

  Soon the room was pandemonium because it’s not every day that you personally know somebody who’s the subject of a three state manhunt by the police. Luke held both of my hands again, and we stared at each other, having a conversation with no words while my friends and family all started talking at once around us.

  I nodded slowly.

  He raised his brows.

  I kept nodding.

  He flashed a grin.

  I smiled huge.

  His grin faded.

  I stared.

  His eyes glinted.

  I moaned.

  He slipped my ring from the right hand to the left.

  Sparky blinged out.

  ‘Maybe we can finally have less drama around here,’ sniffed the mean mommy voice.

  Epilogue

  “Runnin’ With The Devil” by Van Halen

  Sunday, 12/09/12

  4:54 PM

  “Everybody’s going to worry where we are, Luke, with Svettie running amok in the countryside,” I murmured against his lips, “and that’s without knowing she’s trying to kill the newest bride-to-be.” Leaning back in Luke’s arms and running my fingers through my hair, I continued bemusedly, “I cannot believe I actually said those words. I wish Crookie could tell me what chemicals are running amok in my bloodstream right this second.”

  “Don’t stress, I told NanaBel,” my Fiancé replied, pulling me back closer for another deep kiss. “Don’t stress about loving me so much that you can deny me nothing. It will make for a beautiful marriage, Princess.”

  Snorting, I asked, “Told her what?”

  “I let her know we needed a few minutes to talk about a serious issue before we announced our engagement publically.” Luke squeezed my ass and ordered, “Now put your arms around me.”

  “Mmm, have I told you lately that I love you called NanaBel and asked for her permission to marry me?” Wrapping my hands around about a quarter of his biceps, I licked his full bottom lip and then sucked gently. “Okay, Mr. Tricky, sock it to me. What serious issue?”

  Luke’s kiss captured my tongue and he sucked slowly in a rhythm that I know will only wreak havoc with my schedule, even as I moaned. I have twenty people waiting to head over to the apartment for our Sunday dinner. My hand felt for my cell on the table next to the bed in Mac’s guest bedroom where I am currently sitting on my Fiancé’s lap. I opened one eye to set the alarm before giving Genghis all my undivided attention for the next two minutes.

  “The serious issue of your lippy mouth and blow jobs,” Luke replied, and he sat back this time to frown at me. “Do you mean to tell me that I have fallen in love with a woman who is sexually inexperienced? A woman who knows she is uneducated, untutored, and untrained, yet is so irresponsible that she is out there flailing around having indiscriminate sex with me and giving me head like she knows what she’s doing?” His hands on my hips give me a little shake. “Is this behavior fitting for the mate of the mighty Khan, ruler of all?”

  I put a finger to my lip in thought, nodding. “I see your point, K. Hmm, I think there’s only one way to solve this horny…er, I mean, thorny dilemma.”

  Luke smiled and held me close, kissing and nuzzling my neck while I giggled because it tickled. “Christ, I’m afraid to ask, but what one way?”

  I kissed him soundly on those luscious lips and then answered cheerfully, “You are absolutely right, my beloved Fiancé. It will just have to be My Turn for the next year!”

  As I finished speaking, my phone alarm went off. I hopped off his lap and made a beeline for the door.

  Behind me, there was a roaring command from the mighty Khan, “First rule of our marriage, Anabel Axelrod, there will be no more timers!”

  Laughing, I blew Luke a kiss over my shoulder and then ran like a cheetah.

  ####

  Thank you for reading In Love by Design. If you’ve enjoyed this series and would like to support an indie author to get better known, help by spreading the word. Writing a short review on the site where you purchased the book is the number one way to be incredibly supportive for a self-published author. For fans that generously write reviews to publically recommend my books to other readers; thank you so much for your kindness and positive reinforcement!

  Best regards,

  Tracy Ellen

  ABOUT TRACY ELLEN

  Regardless of whatever else I've been doing in life, there's always been a book in my other hand. Reading books is my favorite pastime and lifelong escape. Now the writing of books is also my obsession. Throughout my past, I've lived in a small town in Indiana, on a farm in Illinois, and in the city and the suburbs of Minneapolis/St Paul Minnesota. No matter where I've lived, inside I'm a small-town girl at heart. My stories tend to revolve around relationships reflecting these Midwestern values and independence of spirit prevalent in this part of the country, but with a very modern twist.

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