So she closed the distance between them, picking up the rest of the cards, until hands and heart were full, she stood right in front of him.
“You want to go out to dinner sometime?” he asked and she tipped her head back and laughed.
“Why not?”
“Want to meet my family?” he asked.
“Want to meet mine?” She grimaced and he touched the side of her face, an electric brush.
“I want everything. Your family, your success. Your funny heart. Your beautiful skin…”
It was too much. It was everything she’d ever wanted from Valentine’s Day and a hundred times more. She almost couldn’t take any more so she reached up on her tiptoes and kissed him, stemming his lovely words.
He breathed into her mouth, a soft huff of relief and his arms came around her, holding her tight.
They would go slow, she knew. He still carried some scars from his first marriage, but she had every intention of staying well within reach of Will Blakely.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Cupid,” he whispered across her skin.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Love God.”
PENNY SHOWED OFF her crown to Elle and Max. Max was a nice guy. She liked the way he looked at Elle, the way he kept touching her arm and her shoulder. It was nice. She hoped her dad was doing the same thing with Ms. Potter.
“Hey,” she said, “do I get to call Ms. Potter Becca, now?” she asked.
Elle nodded. “I imagine you can.” Elle crossed her legs and leaned in close. “What did you do, Penny?”
“With what?”
“With your dad. After I said that we should just give up and let them figure it out for themselves. You must have done something.”
Penny thought about it. But in the end she took what was left of Max’s chocolate cake and grinned at Elle.
“Nothing. It was Cupid, Elle. It was Cupid all along.”
LUCKY IN LOVE
Susan Floyd
A heartfelt thanks to Laura Shin,
who never gave up on me.
Dear Reader,
Usually, writing is an isolating endeavor. Not with this anthology! Writing with Deb and Molly was an energetic, creatively exhilarating experience, from the conception of the stories to the final read through. As team leader, Deb kept us all on track and Molly (with Mick, in utero and out) provided the time line that got us to Valentine’s Day. Finally, the creative generosity of Melinda Curtis set the tone for this lively immersion into Fenelon Falls.
Now that Elle and Becca have found their Valentine’s sweethearts, time is running out for Lucky to make the good pastor Josh Watts see the light. Will Josh come around to realize that Lucky is the best thing in his life or will she have to take out that contract on Cupid?
I love to hear from readers and can be reached at P.O. Box 2883, Los Banos, CA 93635.
Enjoy!
Susan Floyd
PROLOGUE
New Year’s Eve
LUCKY SHIVERED in the crisp night air as she waited for Josh in front of Fenelon Falls Community Church, a small steepled building on a hill just walking distance from the slowly reviving downtown. From the front steps, she gazed at the Christmas lights that seemed to make Main Street glow. The town’s huge Christmas tree was lit from thick trunk to the very top, where a giant handmade star remained balanced, though winter winds whipped through the small town. Fenelon Falls had never looked so lovely, and Lucky felt her heart expand with love for the place she lived in. In a few days, those lights would be taken down and the Christmas tree cut up for firewood. But for now, everything was perfect.
She fumbled in her pocket, her gloved hands feeling for the ring box. She and Josh had been best friends for nearly twenty years. And for months now, Lucky had mulled this step over, looking at the situation from every aspect. Finally she had made the decision to hand her heart to him.
At Christmas, she’d given Josh a real kiss under the mistletoe. Not just the peck of a best friend, but a real, heartfelt kiss that had ended up embarrassing both of them because of the passion that had flared between them. Lucky had decided that was a good sign, even though Josh had looked shaken. Tonight, she was taking their relationship to the next, logical level. He’d always been there for her and she wanted a piece of paper that would tell him she would always be there for him. Always—for better or worse, for richer or poor. Becca, one of her best girlfriends, had some concerns. Elle on the other hand, had been nothing but encouraging. If it felt right, she said, Lucky should do it.
“Gorgeous night, isn’t it?” Josh said in her ear, startling her so much she dropped the box.
As Lucky reached for it, he did, too. He was faster, retrieving the blue velvet box out of the snow. “What’s this?” he asked, his eyes teasing her. “Something for me?”
Lucky wanted to deny it, but instead she looked away, as her body underwent a very premature hot flash.
“Oooh,” Josh said, with a knowing glint in his eyes. “It is for me. You know how much I love presents.”
“Josh, give it back.” Lucky had changed her mind. She didn’t want to do this now.
Josh pretended to open it.
“Josh, please. Give that to me.”
“What is it, Luck? Another pair of cuff links?”
“I only got you that one pair.” She defended herself. “How was I supposed to know that you needed a special kind of dress shirt to wear them with?”
“If it is for me, let me open it.” He’d turned serious.
Lucky bit her lip. It was now or never. She nodded because her voice wouldn’t work.
Josh opened the box and then stared at the ring. “What’s this?” His voice was gruff.
“It’s a ring.” Lucky could barely get the words out.
“I can tell it’s a ring,” Josh replied. “What’s it for?”
Lucky couldn’t look at him. Why was this so embarrassing? It was Josh. They shared everything, even toothbrushes on occasion. So with her gaze firmly on her boots, she blurted, “Do you want to marry me?”
Josh didn’t reply for such a long time that Lucky raised her head to see he was staring out at the town.
“You don’t have to answer right away,” she added. “You can take your time to think about it.”
Josh closed his eyes, and Lucky felt her stomach cramp with dread. The Christmas kiss had been a fluke. But then he moved closer to her and under the clear night sky, with a million stars glittering above them, he kissed her, deeply and thoroughly. Lucky’s heart felt big and full. He loved her. He loved her.
The kiss ended, and Josh pushed himself away from her. “I can’t.” The words seemed wrenched from him.
He was joking, right? Her mouth still tingled with the touch of his lips, the urgency in his kiss. She tried to close the distance, but he stepped back.
“Surely this isn’t a surprise?” Lucky asked.
He shook his head. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? What’s there to be sorry about?”
“I can’t, Lucky.”
“What do you mean you can’t?” she asked teasingly, trying to put her arms around him. “That word isn’t part of your vocabulary.”
She watched the red creep up Josh’s strong neck. How well she knew that neck. She’d held on to it during her first slow dance at the Freshman Twilight Prom. And after her parents had been killed in a head-on collision with a big rig ten years ago. And it was his neck that she’d flung her arms around after she’d cut the ribbon to her shop, Lucky Duck Collectibles.
She just wanted to do that again, to tell him that, of course, he could marry her and, of course, they would have dozens of children and, of course, he loved her with all his heart.
But Josh stared at the Christmas-card-perfect downtown and said, “I was going to tell you later.”
“Tell me what?”
“I’m closing the church.”
CHAPTER ONE
Wednesday, January 10
LUCKY MORGAN felt the cold ceme
nt of the curb against her face as she strained to reach the necklace that was tenuously clinging to a twig lodged in the sewer. She’d been looking for it all day and by chance happened to see a glint of gold as she passed the gutter. She could barely see it in the dim light of the street lamp and the freezing slush had seeped through her clothes. Against her better judgment, she’d discarded her jacket and turned it into a makeshift cushion as she jammed her whole shoulder into the grate and gingerly felt around for the necklace, hoping that her fumblings weren’t going to knock it off the twig. A stray cat watched from a safe distance, her wary eyes following Lucky’s every motion.
“Too bad you don’t have opposable thumbs,” Lucky told her and watched the tabby disappear when an all-too-familiar vehicle rolled up to the curb. Lucky groaned and pushed herself up. She looked around hoping that there were other people present, but the rest of the stores had closed for the evening. She sat on her knees and stared at the sewer grate wondering if it was big enough for her to crawl into, then braced herself as the crunch of shoes told her someone was approaching.
“Here, let me,” a masculine voice said right behind her.
Reluctantly Lucky met the too-familiar eyes, dark in the night, but brilliant blue in sunlight. She swallowed hard, a hundred different feelings swirling through her, threatening to overwhelm her.
“Come on, Lucky. Move.” She felt a firm grip on her shoulder and reluctantly pushed herself to her feet. She surveyed her ex-best friend, seeing he wore a dress shirt sans tie under his open leather overcoat.
“You’ll get dirty,” she said, staring down. Those highly polished shoes and neatly pressed slacks were so not Josh. “Where are you going?” she asked as if she cared what he did on a Wednesday night. She didn’t, of course.
But Josh, already kneeling, and using a pocket flashlight to peer into the grate, corrected her, “Coming from.”
“Is that what you were trying to get?” he asked, as he directed the beam of light at the gold chain.
“Yeah. So, uh, where are you coming from?” Curiosity was a curse. She knew that if she didn’t ask she wouldn’t get hurt. But that didn’t seem to help. What if he had a date?
Josh didn’t answer her, but braced himself on the curb, so he wouldn’t have to kneel on the wet pavement.
“You’ll ruin your clothes,” Lucky protested, but he was already coming up with the bit of chain.
She held out her hands, but Josh held on to it, studying it.
“Looks familiar,” Josh said.
Lucky’s mouth turned dry. She wasn’t going to tell him he had been the one to give her that necklace nearly twenty years before—how old had they been? No more than twelve or thirteen.
“Doesn’t look like it’s worth much,” he commented and shot her a sidelong look. “At least not worth getting soaked to the bone.”
“Just give me the necklace.” Lucky tried to snatch it from him, but he held it out of her reach. His eyes twinkling like the ultimate annoying big brother. “Must have sentimental value.”
“Yes, it does.” Lucky nodded and grabbed her parka off the sidewalk. She put it on even though it was damp and pretended not to be frozen. She turned to him. “So give me the necklace.” She didn’t care that she was being rude, but then added, “Please.”
After a moment of contemplation, Josh handed her the necklace. Lucky took it, careful not to come into contact with his large hand. She stuffed the necklace into her coat pocket.
“You’re welcome,” he said.
“Thank you,” she muttered, as she hurried toward the safety of the Lucky Duck.
“You hate me so much you won’t invite me in to warm up?” Josh called out to her. She turned back to look at him, a dark figure illuminated by the headlamps of his truck. His tone was jovial, but his body posture wasn’t. Lucky stopped. It had been hard to know how to act around Josh lately. Even the simplest conversations had been complicated for them. Before it had seemed like she could read his mind and he could read hers, and they were forever finishing each other’s sentences. But the man in front of her wasn’t her Josh at all. Her Josh was compassionate and caring. This Josh was all about the bottom line. And while she could forgive him for not wanting to marry her, forgiving him for closing the church was another matter entirely.
Josh shrugged. “Okay. I’ll see you later, then.” He headed back to his truck, fishing the keys out of his pocket.
“Wait!” Lucky blurted, and then wanted to take it back. But she gestured for him to follow her.
“How’d you lose it?” Josh asked as he held open the door to the shop for her, always the gentleman.
“Must have slipped off my neck,” Lucky replied, jerking when Josh placed his hand on her back to usher her in.
“Kind of edgy, aren’t you?” Josh commented as he closed the door securely behind him. “Your shop display looks good.”
“Thanks.” She answered offhandedly but she felt a small glimmer of accomplishment. She’d worked hard to make the Valentine’s Day display attractive and eye-catching. Her efforts were proving successful, too. She was getting twice the foot traffic that she’d had last year. Probably the result of more people moving into town and discovering her little store. Not knowing what else to say, she wiped off the three specks of dust that had accumulated on the closest display and looked at everything but him.
“Uh-huh.” Josh seemed to see right through her. “Didn’t see you on Sunday.”
“Well, you know, it’s that time of the year,” Lucky said as she hung her damp coat on a hook by the entrance.
“What time of the year? The time of the year to skip church? You know, Mrs. Simmons really missed you. I’m not nearly as good at filling her in about the latest gossip and you know that my handwriting sucks. When you’re ninety, every visit is a blessing.” Josh’s tone was ever so slightly reproving. He paused and added, “I missed you, too.”
Lucky didn’t say anything. What could she say? For years, every Sunday after service, she and Josh had been a team, visiting the homebound, church members or not. Once Elle had established the Cup O’Love, they’d drop in, order coffee if it was cold, frappuccinos if it was hot, then sit in Elle’s comfy chairs and talk about everything and anything. But after New Year’s Eve she couldn’t bear to watch Josh do what he did best—inspire and encourage, with humor and humility. It was pointless. No one would attend if they knew he was closing the church and moving on.
“I didn’t tell anyone,” Josh said, his voice gentle.
“About?” Lucky stared at him.
Josh cleared his throat. “About us.”
But Lucky didn’t feel reassured at all.
He continued, his words tumbling out, as if he were afraid that she wasn’t going to listen. “It’s not like I announced why you weren’t there. But your absence was felt.”
Of course she would be missed. Each year for the past fifteen, ever since Josh’s father had died of an unexpected heart attack and his mother of grief not long after, more people left the church. Josh had been young when he took over, just out of seminary school. Lucky knew he’d turned down several opportunities to carry on what his father and grandfather had started. And he’d done a fabulous job.
However the downturn in the economy had hit Fenelon Falls hard. The closing of the main industrial plants had made Fenelon Falls a virtual ghost town, only now being revived by commuters who’d been priced out of the housing market in Chicago. But they were too exhausted to think about sacrificing Sunday mornings for church.
And that left only a dozen or so active members attending Sunday services. Intellectually Lucky understood why Josh wanted to close the church. It was disheartening to see the congregation dwindle away. But with ebb there was also flow. More people would start coming back to the community church. She couldn’t believe that after all this time, after all that Josh’s family had invested in the community and the church that he would walk away.
“Luck, you have every right to be angry with me
,” Josh’s voice was pained. “But I need you to talk to me.”
Lucky put the Closed sign in the window, then walked to the storeroom where she had some extra clothes. She wanted to respond to Josh. She wanted to tell him that she understood and everything was going to be okay. But she couldn’t because her heart was breaking, and everything that had been good and right between them was all but gone.
JOSH WATCHED THE DOOR to the back room shut and wondered if that was Lucky’s not so subtle way of telling him she was no longer going to be his friend. He hadn’t had a decent conversation with her since New Year’s Eve. Not that he blamed her. If he could have taken back that evening, he would have. Lucky didn’t deserve to be rejected that way. She deserved to be cherished and loved by a man who was going to give her his heart and soul. She didn’t need someone like him, at least, not in the way she thought she did. He started toward the door to let himself out.
But then he stopped. It would be awkward, but Lucky would get over it. She always did. She was the most resilient person he knew. Even when things got really bad, she’d always been right there, radiating joy and hope with laughter that was unmistakable. It originated from her belly and gathered volume as it worked its way up her throat, and it was always infectious. When Lucky was laughing, everyone around her was laughing, too.
Josh swallowed and stared at the elaborate display of rubber ducks behind the cash register. The yellow and orange of the ducks were in sharp contrast to the pinks and reds that dominated Lucky Duck Collectibles right now. Just like Lucky, they stood out. He missed her. What he needed was time alone with her. Once he got that, he’d be able to talk to her again. And as soon as Lucky got over being embarrassed, their new relationship would be that much better.
But as he waited, he began to have doubts. Lucky wasn’t ready, he knew that. But his time in Fenelon Falls was quickly slipping away.
Who Needs Cupid? Page 17