Be My Valentine: The McClendon Holiday Series, Book 3

by Sean D. Young

  The three McClendon girls did a group hug before Faith and Jennifer said good-bye to the others and left the shop. Soon, others started leaving, probably having their own Valentine’s party until the only people that were left were Fantasia, Sheila, Renee, Jacques and Patrice.

  Patrice walked over to the counter. “Fantasia, you and Sheila go on home. We can finish the rest in the morning.”

  Both ladies sighed. “Thank you because I’m exhausted,” Sheila said.

  “Have a great night,” Patrice said before going to find Renee.

  Renee had started placing the key chains and other giveaways back in the box so they could use them in New York. Patrice was sure they’d had plenty there, but it couldn’t hurt to have more.

  “So, I think it was a hit,” Patrice said.

  “Absolutely. I have to look at the measurements and the analytics from social media later. I’m tired as hell,” Renee said.

  “I know what you mean,” Patrice said. “The DJ is wheeling his stuff out now. The tables are down, there was no food left, and I’m starving,” Patrice said, plopping down in the chair. “Don’t you have plans tonight?” she asked Renee.

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Let’s all leave together,” Patrice suggested. “I can clean up in the morning,” she said.

  “You won’t be here in the morning, baby,” Jacques said, walking into the room.

  Renee stood. “I’m going to make sure that there’s someone up front.”

  “Fantasia and Sheila are up there. If you need to leave you can go out with them.”

  Jacques walked over to the coat rack and picked up their coats. “We’re all leaving together.” He helped her put on hers and then his own.

  Shutting the place down, everyone got into their respective vehicles.

  Patrice was snuggled into the passenger seat of the car. She was so tired, she didn’t know if she would make it home before falling asleep.

  “Baby, I’ve got something for you,” Jacques said.

  “I know you wouldn’t tell me earlier, so can I have it now?”

  Jacques handed her another beautifully wrapped box like the one the other night. Patrice tore into it, eager to open it. When she did, she found a gold key-card. It looked like a credit card, but it was a hotel room key. She glanced over at Jacques’s grinning face. Turning it over, it was a key to a room at the Langham Chicago hotel.

  She threw her head back and laughed. “Is that where we’re staying tonight?”

  “Yes, we are,” he said, pulling up to the hotel concierge.

  “Jacques, I don’t have anything to wear to bed or in the morning.”

  “You won’t need it, baby. I’ve got you covered.”

  Patrice wasn’t going to argue with Jacques. She was going to let him do his thing.

  * * * * *

  Everything that Jacques had planned for Patrice was going smoothly. He couldn’t have asked for better circumstances than tonight. He got out of the vehicle and walked around to her side and opened the door. Assisting her from the car, he slid his arm around her waist as they walked inside the opulent hotel.

  He stopped briefly at the registration desk and they gave him instructions to which elevator bank to take to get to their room. They held hands the whole time that they rode up to their floor. They stepped off the elevator onto a trail of red rose petals.

  “Somebody went all out for their partner,” Patrice said, holding on to Jacques’s arm.

  “Looks that way, doesn’t it? Do you see how these petals go all the way down the hall?” he said, trying to keep a straight face.

  By the time they were three doors down from their room, the petals kept coming. She looked up at him. “These were for me, weren’t they?”

  He only nodded, but didn’t speak.

  Standing at the door, she motioned to unlock it, but he stalled her. She turned around, pressing her back against it. Jacques took another step forward. “Remember when I asked you to be my Valentine?”

  “Yes. And do you remember me telling everyone that you were mine?”

  “You sure did, baby,” Jacques said remembering. He was so surprised that she’d said anything like that. It wasn’t in her character to do so.

  “Jacques, are we going to continue to stand out here?”

  “Open the door, baby,” he said.

  Patrice took the key and slipped it into the slot and waited for the green light. Jacques pushed the handle down and gave the door a shove. “Welcome,” he said, waiting for her enter the room first.

  Rose petals lined the carpet all the way up to the huge king-sized bed. Jacques watched Patrice and he couldn’t wait any longer, he had to touch her.

  “Baby, do you want to take a shower, so you can relax?” Jacques asked.

  “Are you coming with me?” Patrice asked.

  “It would be my pleasure,” Jacques said.

  Jacques started peeling Patrice’s clothes off her as they took small steps toward the adjoined bathroom. The rose petals extended along the floor and were now intermingled with their clothing.

  Jacques made love to Patrice in that shower until they were both spent. He carried her to the bed where they rested for only a little while before he was at it again. Finally, after the third time, they both slept. The next morning, Jacques awakened her by nibbling on her ear and caressing her breast.

  “What are you doing?” Patrice asked him.

  “I’m showing you what happens the day after Valentine’s Day.”

  About the Author

  Sean Young has always been an avid reader. This Gary, Indiana native joined her first book club at the age of seven. A lover of the happily ever after, Sean uses her vivid imagination to craft heartwarming and passionate family love stories that deal with forgiveness, promise, romance, and redemption. A certified wedding planner by trade, Sean continues to help brides plan the wedding of their dreams. She loves to hear from her readers, who can contact her at www.seandyoung.com, seanyoung0907@msn.com and www.facebook.com/seandyoungbooks.

  Look for these titles by Sean D. Young

  Now Available:

  The McClendon Holiday Series

  A McClendon Thanksgiving

  The Christmas Promise

  Coming Soon:

  A Husband by New Year’s

  Two hearts can’t merge until they get their signals straight.

  A Husband by New Year’s

  (Coming December 2016)

  The McClendon Holiday Series, Book 4

  Love is a gamble.

  Renee McClendon has had enough of pretty boys with fancy cars, pricey shoes, and empty souls. Never mind they’ve all matched her teen-diary version of the perfect man. None of them panned out.

  She’s ready for someone who’s not afraid to get his hands dirty. A regular guy who doesn’t brag about everything he owns and the size of his…portfolio. And if she doesn’t find him by January 1, she’s closing the book on love. For good.

  He’s willing to roll the dice.

  When Patrick Dunlap drives the pretty, polished marketing professional home in his limousine, he figures she’ll be as superficial as all the other women who assume he’s a lowly chauffeur. Until they learn he owns the company, and their eyes light up—with dollar signs.

  To his surprise, they hit it off so well he finds himself withholding that one tiny detail. But when the truth inevitably comes out, he fears the forever girl he’s longed for could disappear faster than a gust of winter wind.

  Warning: Contains one half-serious bet, a whole list of secret longings, and one Cinderella fella who’s Prince Charming in disguise—and who’s never late for the ball.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for A Husband by New Year’s:

  “Here we go again with that dumb list,” Julia Mitchell exclaimed. “I don’t
know why Renee still keeps that book in the first place.”

  Renee McClendon didn’t care what her friend thought about her journal, but she did regret bringing it with her tonight. They were supposed to be celebrating Gina Armstrong’s wedding, not having a bash Renee’s list party.

  Renee started making lists when she was a young girl. The very first list she made was her perfect man list at just fifteen years old. She had a crush on Johnny Walker, a popular senior and the quarter back of her high school football team. Using the qualities she liked about Johnny as inspiration, she created a perfect man list in the journal her mother had given her. As the years passed, Renee’s crush on Johnny faded and her list changed as well.

  She usually kept the book on her bedside table at home, but she’d planned to write later on tonight after everyone else was asleep or get up early in the morning to make her entry, documenting her thoughts about the weekend festivities.

  Renee held up her old pink leather-bound book with the cute heart-shaped locket that dangled from it to keep it secure. “What? This?” The pages had been discolored where the gold foil used to be from wear. She held it in the air. “I don’t think you have a problem with my journal, Julia, you have a problem with the list.”

  “I remember when your mother gave you that book for your birthday when we were seniors in college,” Cara Mathews added.

  “Yeah, I remember too, that’s the point,” Julia said, shifting in her chair. “What is the purpose of keeping something that old? We’re almost thirty years old and you’re walking around with a book your momma gave you.”

  Renee understood very well that Julia was ignoring her question about the list. For a woman who always had a comeback, Julia never responded when Renee asked why she had a problem with her list.

  Renee waved the book in the air. “This isn’t the only book my mother has given me. I’ve been writing down my thoughts since I was twelve. As a matter of fact, all my siblings keep one as well.”

  “They are just a waste of time if you ask me,” Julia added.

  Nobody asked you, heifer. Renee rolled her eyes as she listened to Julia’s negativity yet again about something that didn’t belong to her or have anything to do with her.

  Journal writing was something that everyone in her family started when their mother Myra gave each one of them their own little book to write their dreams and thoughts each day when they got home from school. Every year on her birthday, Renee would go back through the journal and re-read some of the journal entries, marveling at how her feelings and situations had changed a year later.

  While she was in college, her mother came to visit and brought her the pink leather-bound book she was holding.

  Cara reached over and took the book from Renee, fanning the pages. “Do you still go by these traits for finding your perfect man, Renee?” Cara asked.

  Renee snatched the book from her because she usually wouldn’t allow people to see her private thoughts. She only shared her perfect man list with her friends in hopes that it would prompt them to think about what kind of man they’d want for themselves. It wasn’t done to be ridiculed or to show anyone up.

  “They’ve changed over time, but yes, for the most part, I do,” Renee responded.

  “I think the list is worthless and silly. Are you still in third grade, Renee?”

  Renee rolled her eyes because by this time Julia had gotten on her last nerve. Usually she could ignore the curly-haired woman who’d always had something smart to say since they’d met ten years ago, but tonight Renee just wanted Julia to shut up.

  Out of the three women in the room she would classify Julia as being more of a frenemy than her friend. She usually had to listen carefully to anything that Julia had to say because of her sarcastic remarks in order to make sure that she wasn’t trying to be malicious. Actually, Julia’s sharp tongue reminded Renee of her older sister Patrice, but Patrice would always apologize if she felt she’d hurt a person’s feelings. Julia left Renee wondering.

  Since they were teens Julia always had some negative comment or pointed out a flaw when it came to anything concerning Renee. If it were about her, Julia constantly wanted everyone to rally around her and support her endeavors, but she never really whole-heartedly repaid the kindness. But because Gina Armstrong was her half-sister and was one of the sweetest people Renee had ever met, they kept her in their tightly knit group.

  “I thought the list was cute,” Gina said, holding up her champagne glass.

  Renee held up her glass as well. “Thank you, Gina, it worked for you didn’t it, girl? You’re getting married tomorrow.”

  Renee and her friends Cara Mathews and Julia Mitchell were throwing Gina a private bridal shower in a suite at the Ritz Carlton Hotel for just the four of them. The college roommates had thrown an extravagant co-ed shower the month before for Gina and her sexy supper club owner fiancé Preston. Renee promised Gina that the fantastic four, which was what they’d called themselves back in the day, would have their own special time.

  Tomorrow they would get ready for the nuptials, which would be held in the grand ballroom of the hotel. The reception afterward promised to be one for the record books, as Preston was known to throw a great party.

  Gina lowered her flute. “I didn’t make a list.”

  Cara and Julia laughed out loud.

  Renee didn’t see the humor. “Okay, since you guys want to laugh. Have you even thought about making a list?” She wanted to know. “Alright, then let’s talk about what you’d put on your list. And I’m not talking about him being tall, sexy and having a big—” Renee said, before Cara cut her off by clearing her throat.

  “I’ll have you know that those are very important features,” Julia said, pushing against Cara’s shoulders, laughing.

  When neither of the other women laughed at her remark, Julia turned up her lips, looking up at the ceiling, then back at Renee. “It’s not like I don’t go out on dates, I just haven’t found the right guy,” she said.

  “See, that’s why you should make a list, then you wouldn’t have to worry about going out with the wrong guy,” Renee said.

  “I still don’t see the point,” Julia said.

  “I’ve never done a list,” Cara replied.

  “I know what I want and I’m not compromising on it,” Renee said with finality.

  Julia shook her head. “You would do better checking your daily horoscope.”

  Renee gave Julia a sidelong glance and shook her head.

  “Why does this book bother you so much, Julia?” Gina asked.

  Renee was glad that Julia’s sister asked that question because she wanted to know that as well.

  Julia was a beautiful brown-skinned woman with curly auburn hair, a heart-shaped face and slim figure. She was a very ambitious marketing account supervisor at Vine where Renee worked with a master’s degree in public relations.

  Recently, Julia had been diligent in obtaining her accreditation in public relations. She hadn’t been much on dating and always ended her relationships on impulse. Renee never could see why but it was becoming clearer that her argumentative ways might be the reason.

  Julia sat up straight on the sofa. “Because there is no such thing as a perfect man.”

  Gina scooted to the end of her seat. “Well, why don’t we just call the list Renee’s Fantasy Man?”

  Renee didn’t care what they called it since it didn’t concern them in the first place. Her preferences changed as she grew older. When she was fifteen she wanted her husband to be like Will Smith from the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Now her list for a twenty-something-year-old preferred the much more mature version of the popular actor. The older she got, the more looks didn’t mean as much to her—she wanted a man of substance that was doing something with his life.

  Somehow she needed to prove to Julia that she could find a man that possessed all
the attributes she had written on the pages of her notebook.

  Renee looked at her friend. “What about you, Cara? Can you think of one thing your perfect man should possess?”

  Renee caught the flash of pain on her friend’s face and her voice softened. Julia had gotten Renee so fired up, that she’d forgotten the pain Cara endured in her last relationship. Renee didn’t intend to hurt Cara with this banter. Now, all she wanted was to see Cara’s deep-brown eyes void of sadness, and the dimple in her right cheek when she smiled. Cara was thoughtful, smart and out of the three women, Renee felt closest to her.

  Outside of her sisters, Renee trusted Cara with anything she told her and it had been that way since the first day they met at freshman orientation in college. Many people thought they were siblings because they had similar body types and skin color. Cara was slightly taller and wore her hair in a short hairstyle versus Renee’s asymmetrical cut.

  Renee reached over and squeezed Cara’s knee. “I’m sorry, Cee. I didn’t mean to go there.”

  Julia leaned forward. “Sorry for what? Are you saying your little list wouldn’t help Cara?”

  Cara waved her hand forward. “Now you know I’m not trying to do that again. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt and burned it up.”

  “I’m not thinking of getting married either, but I have an idea,” Julia said in a sarcastic tone.

  Renee leaned forward with her elbows on her thighs, eager to hear what magnificent idea Julia had now. “I’m waiting for your big idea,” Renee said, knowing that it was probably going to be something outrageous.

  “I bet you can’t find a man that fits your list. I’m so certain of it, I’ll even give you a year to do it. But whoever this guy is he has to meet all the essential characteristics you’ve put down in this book.”

  “And if I don’t?” Renee asked.

  “You have to burn that book of yours,” Julia said, before she gave everyone a smile, showing all of her pearly white teeth.

  Renee had no intentions on destroying her book, so that was out of the question. She was sure that it wasn’t the book that Julia had the problem with but the list. She would however go along with Julia’s crazy consequences just to challenge her cocky attitude. But Renee had to confess to herself that she hadn’t been having much luck in the romance department. Most of the guys she’d dated over the past few months looked really good on paper, but once she went out with them, she was no longer interested.