Finally. We can go back to the condo.
“Let’s go see what we’ve got,” Annabel’s tone is electric.
I yawn and climb up on one of the boxes where a tad of sunlight brightened the dingy storage area and curl up, licking my paw.
My work here is done.
ANNABEL STOOD in front of a lacy wedding dress with a high neckline. In the center of the mesh fabric, just above the breast line, the woven fabric looked as if it were the sign for female, giving it a classic look. The sleek, satin fabric of the bodice glided across her skin like a velvet. The same silky, mesh material made up the sleeves and flowed to the wrist where an elastic band coiled around the hard, cool mannequin finger. The train pooled at the floor, showing off a rose pedal like pattern.
She stepped back and eyed the detail of the beads woven into the dress. They glowed a soft pink-color when the sunrays caught the them just right.
It reminded her of her great aunt’s gown that her cousin had altered in an attempt to modernize it without stripping it of its elegant history. A clash of present day style and timeless beauty.
Another gown peeked out of a bag hanging on a rolling rack. This one was lined with ruffles, all fluffy. It also had a princess neckline and was sleeveless, although, the material wasn’t nearly as soft as the on displayed so eloquently.
She glanced back at the headless mannequin and shivered. Creepy didn’t cover it.
Pushing aside the feathery gown, she came across a pink bride’s maid dress. And not any pink, but Pepto-Bismol pink. Her stomach sloshed at the thought of having to wear it with its large shoulder pads and plunging neckline. Next to it, a yellow taffeta dress with a massive bow resting in the back, spanning the distance across the waistline, and two matching ones on each shoulder.
Whatever bride made their maid of honor wear that hideous thing should be scolded. Talk about bad taste.
“I think I’ll open that box first.” Annabel folded open the chair she’d found and sat next to Trouble, letting the sun hit her face. Trouble’s black coat shined like the finest fur money could buy.
The black cat curled his tail and licked his front paw with meticulous care. She’d never had a pet before, but she could get used to having a cat around.
She flipped open the top of the box and pulled out a tiara. Running her fingers over the top, she wondered if any of the jewels that dotted the silver material could be real. They certainly sparkled like a rainbow after a warm summer’s rain. She set it down next to Trouble, who shifted to the edge of the box, eyeing her suspiciously. “Too girly, huh?” She pulled out a small white tear-drop hat. A veil about two feet in length with white beads lining the bottom had been glued to the back of the hat. She rested it on her head and pulled half the veil over her face. “How about this one?”
Trouble held up one of his front paws and lowered his head, as if to say, ‘hell no,’.
“I don’t like it much either. Not my style and now I doubt I’d do the white dress thing, anyway.” It wasn’t that long ago that she and Devin had been discussing the possibility of getting married, but he’d always had a reason for waiting a few more years and she’d been fine with that. She never wanted to marry young, but figured she’d be walking down the aisle sometime near her thirtieth birthday, which was in a month.
She pushed the thoughts of Devin out of her mind. You couldn’t make someone love you and he loved someone else.
Himself.
Digging through the box she found a velvet pouch. She dumped the contents into her hands and gasped. “Oh, my, look at this, Trouble,” Annabel whispered, holding a large diamond ring in front of the cat, who only looked mildly impressed by the shiny rock.
It sparkled as it caught the sun light shimmering into the open bay door. The only question now: was it real?
“What do you think, Trouble?”
The sleek, black cat perked his head up for a moment, giving her a slight nod as his tail swished elegantly. Smart cat. She might not have held out for this particular unit had it not been for Trouble. Ever since the cat had shown up, her luck seemed to be changing and after the year she had, she welcomed a little shift in the cosmos.
“Real, right?” The only way to find out would be to have it appraised, but she’d need to do some research first.
A frustrated male voice caught her attention. Glancing toward the main building, a tall man wearing a short-sleeved white dress shirt, that could use a good washing with bleach, and brown trousers, pointed in the direction of the storage units. She couldn’t catch what he was saying, but he delivered the words with fury and and anger-fueled waving of his arms.
A Jupiter Sherriff police car made the turn into the parking lot.
That couldn’t be good.
Like a doe in headlights, she stared at the vehicle. Deep down she hoped the cop behind the wheel would be Ethan Ferris. She’d been in Jupiter for three weeks now, and she had yet to run into him. Not even when she’d had coffee with his sister, Rosie, and their mother, at his childhood home in the Bluff’s. Not that she wanted to see him for any particular reason. Being three years younger than him, they traveled in different circles, but he was her best friend’s brother, and by default, her friend.
The last time she’d seen him had been at Rosie’s wedding. Talk about awkward. Nothing like having your childhood crush walk you down the aisle while his girlfriend flirted with your boyfriend.
Or maybe it was the other way around.
Sure enough, Deputy Sherriff Ethan William Ferries stepped onto the pavement, stuffing his sunglasses into the upper right pocket.
He styled his brown hair in a high fade crew cut, which showed off his defined facial features. He hadn’t changed much over the years. If anything, he got better looking.
She squinted, trying to get a good look at those amazing green eyes. In her nearly thirty years, she’d never seen eyes the color of an emerald before. When she’d been in high school, and she’d spend the night at Rosie’s house, her cheeks would run hot every time she caught his gaze.
Trouble titled his head, one paw folded over the other, indifferent to the man in uniform.
“Come on, he’s hot,” Annabel mused, kicking her leg up and down restlessly. Ethan had been captain of the football and baseball team and every girl’s dream prom date. She’d had a secret crush on him for years, but Ethan only saw her as his kid sister’s sidekick. “I’m tripping down memory lane talking to a cat. I’m turning into an old spinster.” She shook her head as checked her watch. “Let’s go, Trouble. We’ll come back tomorrow and take an inventory.”
After she boxed everything up, she locked her storage unit and made her way toward the gate, where Ethan stood, hands looped into his belt, nodding his head to the storage facility’s manager. The irritated customer nowhere to be found.
She scratched the top of Trouble’s head. Her pulse accelerated like it had when she’d been fifteen and he’d once driven her home from school.
Without Rosie.
Ethan had pulled into her parent’s driveway in a small neighborhood tucked behind a local strip mall off Indiantown just east of Interstate 95. When she pushed open the car door, turning her head to say good-bye, Ethan winked.
At her.
Hitting the button on the key fob, she reminded herself she was no adolescent and she sure as hell didn’t need a man. What she needed was to get her real-estate license, since her New York one did nothing for her in the state of Florida.
He snagged his sunglass and just as he slid them up his nose, he turned his head and did a double take. “Well, I’ll be damned. My sister told me you were back in town. She said something about renting a condo in Ocean Park?”
“Moved in three weeks ago and I love it,” she said reaching for the passenger side door, pulling it opened.
He sauntered over, closing the gap between his patrol vehicle and her car. “You look great.” He leaned in, resting his hand on her hip, kissing her cheek. A normally greeting for old friend
s.
“You don’t look so bad yourself, officer.”
He laughed. “Who’s your friend?” He scratched behind Trouble’s ear.
She watched his fingers dig and twirl in the cats fur like a master piano player during the buildup of a performance. “This is Trouble. I’m cat sitting for a week.”
“Is he Trouble with a capital T?” Ethan, with his square jaw and high cheekbones, had the kind of smile that mesmerized anyone who dared to look.
She dared way too often. No matter how old she’d gotten, or who she’d been dating, Ethan always managed to make her heart beat just a little faster.
“Easiest cat I’ve ever met. And the smartest, too.” When she set Trouble on the cat bed, he stood there for a long moment and stared at her with an odd look as if he were amused by her interaction with Ethan.
“I’m sorry about Devin. That sucks,” Ethan said leaning against her car, folding his arms over his chest.
“Thanks,” she said, nodding. “Rosie told me about Quinn. I’m really sorry.”
He shrugged. “It’s been a year. She’s getting married next weekend.”
“Jesus, that was fast.”
Ethan shrugged again, but he turned his gaze away. “Well, not really when you consider she was cheating on me for six months with what’s his name.”
Brett. That was his name and he owned a restaurant down in West Palm Beach.
“Better to find out before you get married.” Or spend ten years of your life waiting for a man to decide, he just wasn’t marriage material.
“Would have rather known before we got engaged. Why she said yes is beyond me. What’s really funny, though my wallet doesn’t think so, is that the ring I gave her was stolen two weeks before I finally opened my eyes to her cheating ways.”
“Now that really sucks.”
“I’m honestly over it—and her—but she invited me to the wedding.” He ranked a hand across the top of his head.
“That’s weird.”
“It is and I’m not going, but it just brings it all the surface. So, tell me, are you here to stay, or just passing by? I remember when you were a kid, you couldn’t wait to get out of God’s Waiting Room.”
She laughed. “I got out and the grass isn’t greener on the side.”
“Is there grass in the Big Apple?” Ethan graced her with a big smile and that damned wink.
Trouble meowed as he settled into the seat, his front paws crossed, and his eyes locked on her. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear the darned cat just winked.
“You’re a funny man, Ethan.”
“I have my moments.” He took his glasses from his pocket. “I better get back to work, but I’d like to meet for a drink sometime, maybe tonight?”
“I could do tonight,” she said, biting the inside of her cheek. “Rosie has my number. I’m working part time for Coastal Reality until I get my license, but I’ll be off at six.”
“Perfect.” He pushed his silver rimmed, dark sunglass up his nose. “I’ll see you tonight.” He strolled across the hood of the car, opening the door for her. “Have a great day, Annabel.”
“You do the same.” She tucked herself behind the wheel and started the engine.
Ethan took a few steps back and waved.
She sucked in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she backed out of the parking spot, and pulled out onto Military Trail, constantly looking in her rear-view mirror.
Did she just agree to a date with Ethan?
End of excerpt from Trouble’s Wedding Caper
by Jen Talty
Familiar Legacy #8
TROUBLE’S DOUBLE CONTEST WINNER
Sable
My daughter Piper is holding Sable in this photograph. Sable is a lovable, loyal cat who lives with her tabby brother Gus, two pups, and two human siblings. She was the runt of her litter which her nickname, Piglet, comes from because she is about the size of a baby pig. We adopted her into our family in 2009 from a local animal shelter to keep Gus company. She spends her time snoozing with Gus and catching rays in the window. She loves to be snuggled and enjoys a good game of fetch with her catnip mouse. She is very patient with her human siblings who dote on her and Gus. We can't imagine our family without her!
CORINNE MARKEY
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Familiar Trouble | Carolyn Haines
Trouble in Dixie | Rebecca Barrett
Trouble in Tallahassee | Claire Matturro
Trouble in Summer Valley | Susan Y. Tanner
Small Town Trouble | Laura Benedict
Trouble in Paradise | Rebecca Barrett
Turning for Trouble | Susan Y. Tanner
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Trouble’s Wedding Caper
Trouble’s Wedding Caper
Trouble’s Double Contest Winner
Turning for Trouble: Book 7 of Cat Detective Familiar Legacy mystery series Page 21