A Little Bit Cupid: A Collection of Short Stories

by Lady Boss Press

  Everyone in town knew she had a thing for taffy. She left a small tray of it out on the counter at the shop, and she tended to give it as gifts to her vendors. It was her thing, so this gift didn’t narrow down the potential suitors.

  Two more days until Valentine’s Day, and Shelly was doing her best to contain her excitement. Every time a man walked into the shop, she wondered, could that be him?

  She stuffed the note in her back pocket before taking a piece of the taffy and popping it in her mouth.

  “Who’s it from?”

  “Just a friend,” she said. “I was just about to leave, so if you want to walk me home and talk, that would be fine.”

  “I’ll take it,” he said, holding the door open. “Can I have a piece?”

  “Sure.” She tossed him one of the vanilla ones, knowing he preferred that flavor. She stuffed a handful into her purse, leaving the rest in the drawer so she could savor them tomorrow while she contemplated who her admirer could possibly be.

  Once she locked the door, she strolled along the sidewalk next to Axel. If they’d still been together, she would have looped her hand into his elbow and leaned into his strong frame. He would have pressed his warm lips on her temple and whispered something sweet in her ear.

  He was romantic in every way except for the one way she needed most.

  “What did you want to discuss with me?” She held on to her purse and kept her focus on the street ahead.

  “Let’s take a detour down by the docks, okay?”

  “It’s getting late, and I have to get up early.”

  “Just a half hour, that’s all I ask.” He pressed his hand on the small of her back and nudged her across the street.

  She should protest harder, but it was rare that Axel groveled. Not that she could describe this as begging of any kind, but she did want to hear him out, if for no other reason than she was curious. “All right.”

  “Thank you.” He bought them each a cup of decaf coffee before sitting down on a bench at the end of the pier. “I have a really big confession to make.”

  “Okay.” She didn’t like the sound of that.

  “I lied to you about my parents.”

  The Styrofoam mug slipped from her fingers and dropped to the pavement. “Shit,” she mumbled, jumping off the seat. Thankfully, the scalding liquid didn’t come anywhere near her exposed skin. “What do you mean? You told me your parents died in a car accident when you were twelve and that your uncle raised you.”

  “My uncle did raise me. I didn’t lie about that part. However, my parents are currently serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole for multiple murders.”

  “Holy fuck,” she muttered. Her mouth went dry, and her pulse pounded in her throat. She tried to swallow but couldn’t. “I didn’t hear that correctly, did I?”

  He pulled out his phone and tapped at the screen. “My uncle and I changed our names because it seemed to be the only way to get out from under the publicity and give me a chance at a normal life. I developed a story about my parents, and I stuck with it. But maybe once you see this, you’ll understand why I don’t do Valentine’s Day or anniversaries.” He handed her his cell.

  “What am I looking at?”

  “Just read.” He set his coffee on the bench. “You drink this. I’ll go get myself another one. By the time I come back, you should be finished.” Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he turned and strolled down the pier.

  She sucked in a deep breath and started reading.

  John and Brandi Hogan might go down in history as the most notorious killers in the country. Their crimes span over twelve years and potentially at least twenty victims.

  Tears stung Shelly’s eyes.

  They considered themselves the Bonnie and Clyde of the twenty-first century. During an interview with the police, John said it all started when he wanted to give his wife the best Valentine’s Day present ever, and the only thing he could think of was showing her the thrill of the kill. So he took her on her first hunt.

  “Oh, my God.” Shelly clutched her chest. His parents were dubbed the Cupid Killers, which was a horrible name. She remembered watching a documentary on them when she’d been in college and how horrified she’d been by the entire thing. Doing her best to control her breathing, she brought the phone back to her gaze.

  From there, every Valentine’s day and every wedding anniversary, the couple would find another young couple to kidnap, torture, rape, and murder.

  Shelly dropped the phone to her lap and dipped her head back. Staring at the night sky, she swallowed a guttural sob. The sound of heavy boots caught her attention.

  “You okay?” Axel asked.

  “No,” she said. “Is this some kind of twisted joke?” She didn’t want to believe that Axel could be the product of such terrible people. Nor did she want to face the hell he must have gone through knowing what his parents had done.

  “I wish. And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell people.”

  “Does anyone know?”

  He nodded. “My CO. Maverick…” He paused for a long moment. “Your father.”

  She bolted upright. “No fucking way. No way did he know this and not tell me.”

  Axel bent over and picked up his cell. “He just found out this morning. I thought I needed to tell him.” Axel leaned against the railing and looked out over the ocean. “It’s not that I can’t be romantic, you know that. But my parents made such a big deal about Valentine’s Day, more so than anniversaries. My mom used to tell me that when I was older, and I had a girl, she and my father would bring me into their little Valentine’s Day game.”

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “There’s nothing anyone can say. It’s taken me a long time to know and believe I’m nothing like my parents. That genetics plays no role in how I’ve turned out.”

  She rested a hand on his forearm. “You’re a good man.”

  “Thank you.” He swiped at his eyes. “But it doesn’t erase the shame. That said, I wanted you to know. Now let’s get you home. I know it’s a lot to take in.”

  “It is.”

  “And your father will want to hear from you.”

  They remained silent for the rest of the walk to her apartment. So many questions and yet she couldn’t bring herself to ask a single one.

  “Thank you for hearing me out.” He kissed her temple. “When you’re ready to talk more, let me know.”

  “I’m sorry I don’t have more to say now.”

  “Don’t be. I just tossed a lot at you.”

  She nodded.

  “Good night, Shelly.”

  One of the things she wanted to ask him was why he let her walk out of his life six months ago. All he had to do was tell her the truth. This she could understand. This she could work with.

  But no. He helped her pack her bags and called the moving truck.

  Maybe he had a good reason for not wanting to celebrate the holiday, but he didn’t love her enough to be honest with her about it.

  Chapter Four

  One more day to Valentine’s Day.

  And Shelly almost didn’t care.

  Except her secret admirer had dropped off another gift, though she hadn’t opened it yet.

  “Thanks for your help, Daddy.” She handed her father another box of roses that needed to be sorted and made into arrangements for last-minute purchases.

  “My pleasure.” He glanced over the rim of his glasses. “How are you holding up?”

  “I’m still in shock.”

  “You and me both,” her father said. “That was not the news I expected to hear from that young man when he showed up at the house. I half expected him to ask for your hand in marriage.”

  “Dad, you know we broke up.”

  “Yeah, well, your mother and I keep hoping you’ll get back together.” He reached out and took her by the hand. “Even knowing who his parents are.”

  She plopped herself on the stool behind the counter. “I Googled the
m last night. Big mistake.”

  “Yeah. Both on death row. Both lunatics.”

  “That’s not the mistake part. I researched their son. Axel’s name had been Jessie. They lived in suburbia, and he had what looked like a normal life. No one knew what his parents did. Not for years. And then when the world found out, poor Axel was ostracized. There were articles written about him that discussed the likelihood he would follow in his parents’ path. And then I read the article where some kids bullied and beat him up.”

  “I read that one too,” her father said. “But he’s put all that behind him, which is why it was nearly impossible for him to tell you at all. But now the two of you can work on forgiveness.”

  She took the latest gift out and set it on the counter. “Six months ago, he told me not to let the door hit me in the ass on the way out. If he loved me as much as he said he does, he would have fought for me.”

  “I think he’s fighting for you now.”

  “Might be a little too late.” She waved the box. “I have a secret admirer.”

  “What does that have to do with you and Axel?”

  “I know you really want me and Axel to work out, but right now I’m more interested in finding out who this is than dealing with him.”

  “All right.” Her father put the roses down and made his way to the counter. “You don’t say. Who do you think it is?”

  “Well, I have my suspicions, but I can’t be sure. Possibly Maverick. Maybe Benning. Could even be Jet, but I hope not. Hell, any of the single guys on the base.”

  “It’s not Benning. He’s been spending his nights with some girl that bartends at Joey’s.”

  “That’s a bummer. He’s cute.”

  Her father rolled his eyes. “Are you going to open it?”

  She pulled off the top and stared at a rose necklace with matching earrings. “Holy crap,” she mumbled. “I saw this set at the jewelers down at the market. I thought about getting it but decided against it.”

  “When was that?”

  “Yesterday on my way to work.”

  “Okay. I don’t like an admirer that doubles as a stalker,” her father said. “Is there a note?”

  “Yes.” She cleared her throat. “It’s over the top, I know. You won’t believe when or where I bought it. But I will tell you tomorrow night. Your Secret Admirer.”

  “I don’t want you meeting this person alone. He sounds like a creeper.”

  “Dad. He’s someone from the base. I know this for a fact because he was at the engagement party, and come on, let’s face it; Maverick is a bit of a creeper.”

  “That is true, and this is something he would do in order to impress a girl.” Her father waggled his finger. “But he does that for one reason only.”

  “Stop, Dad. I’m almost thirty years old, and I lived with a man, or have you forgotten?”

  “Yeah, well, I wasn’t overly thrilled with that at first either.”

  The bell over the door rattled and in waltzed Axel. “Good evening, sir.”

  “Axel. It’s good to see you,” her father said. “You’re just in time to finish up with these roses. I’m going to head home and watch a movie with my lovely bride.”

  “Tell the Mrs. I said hello,” Axel said with an outstretched hand.

  Shelly kissed her father and then locked the door behind him. She would open the store early but would close by five, regular hours. If someone didn’t have their Valentine’s Day gift by then, that was their problem.

  She had a date.

  Of course, she had no idea where or when, but she’d find out soon enough.

  “What is this?” Axel snagged the note before she could retrieve it.

  “None of your business.”

  “Wow,” he said. “A secret admirer. Is that where the taffy came from?”

  “Yes,” she admitted. She saw no reason to lie to Axel.

  “Well, whoever this is, he knows you pretty well.” He tapped the box. “You love roses. Taffy is your favorite. And you love everything that is Valentine’s Day.”

  “I do,” she said. “But I’ll be totally honest with you. It’s changed some since yesterday and what you told me.”

  He sat down at the small folding table with all the flowers and began arranging them like she’d shown him a few years ago. Not once did he ever say no to helping her. Not even on Valentine’s Day when he’d make some last-minute deliveries for her, but he never did anything remotely romantic for her on that day.

  But at least now she understood why.

  “I didn’t tell you so you’d change your point of view. I just decided I’d been an asshole long enough.”

  She joined him at the table and worked on the flowers. “Why didn’t you tell me before I got so fed up I moved out?”

  “I don’t have an answer for that, other than fear.”

  “That’s honest.”

  “I’m too late, aren’t I?” Axel asked.

  “I can’t help but think you just didn’t love me enough. I can’t stop thinking about the day I left. We said some hurtful things to one another. I think this goes beyond your history.”

  He set a bunch of roses on the table. “I love you, Shelly. I know this admirer is giving you the mystery that you crave. But give me a chance. Have dinner with me tomorrow night. I’ll do it right. I promise.”

  “I can’t,” she said, squeezing her eyes shut. “I’m sorry, Axel. Getting over you was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I can’t go back there.”

  He stood. “If you change your mind, meet me at the pier at five thirty. I’ve got a surprise for you.”

  Before she could say anything, he walked out the door.

  Valentine’s Day

  With shaky fingers, Shelly opened the package that had been delivered to the shop. Tucked inside was a box of fudge and a note.

  Shelly. It’s time for us to meet. Well, we’ve already met. But it’s time for me to reveal myself to you. I’ve left you hints along the way. Each gift should have been a clue. Look at them closely. Once you figure it out, you’ll know where to meet me. That is if you still want to. Your Secret Admirer.

  Oh fuck. Seriously?

  She dropped her head to the counter.

  “What’s wrong?” Kendra asked.

  Shelly pushed the note in front of her friend. “This is way too cryptic, even for me.”

  “Do you have all the gifts and notes here?”

  “I do.” She raced to the back, pulling out the rest of the treats from The Fruit and Nut Tree. Then she gathered the taffy. “I’m wearing the last gift.” She dug into her purse and pulled out the notes.

  “Okay. So what does all this tell us?”

  “Well, these are all my favorite things,” she said. “And this is my favorite holiday, so I know it’s someone who knows me.” She pulled out all the notes and laid them out on the counter. “But nothing in these notes tell me anything.”

  “The way they are written doesn’t say anything?” Kendra lifted one of the cards.

  “Not really. I mean, they aren’t anything special. Just personal to me.”

  Kendra nodded. “They aren’t romantic and look at this.” She tapped the back of the cards. “These were printed in Germany.”

  Shelly’s heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. Her pulse increased. “According to my father, Axel and his team were in Germany, which covers Maverick, Jet, and a few others.” She focused her attention on the taffy. The candy came from the one of the local chain stores. “This is from the airport shop.”

  Kendra snagged the last of the fruit snacks. “This is from the airport as well.”

  “That isn’t helping me much,” Shelly said as she examined the box the jewelry came in. A receipt fell from the bottom. She held it between her thumb and forefinger. “Oh, my God.”

  “What is it?”

  “This was bought the day before Axel was deployed. He called asking if I’d see him before he left. He asked me to meet him at the market. I refused.�
� She stared at the signature on the receipt. “Axel bought this for me. He’s my secret admirer.”

  “He’s been playing a fucked-up game,” Kendra said.

  Shelly swiped at her face. “Not if you knew him like I do.” Five thirty couldn’t come fast enough.

  At exactly five, Shelly locked the floral shop doors. She spent the next fifteen minutes changing her shirt from a boring black T-shirt to a red sleeveless blouse and her favorite jean mini skirt. After fixing her hair and makeup, she stood in front of the mirror in her office and let out a long breath.

  This was the moment of truth.

  She tossed her purse over her shoulder and made her way to the pier. With every step, her heart pounded a little heavier in her chest. She fiddled with the new necklace dangling between her breasts. It had to have been hard for Axel to put together these little surprises considering his past.

  A tinge of guilt floated across her body. She put so much energy into one holiday instead of the man who made her happy.

  When she got to the pier, she could see him leaning against the railing at the other end. He stared out at the ocean with his back to the shore.

  She slowed her pace and gathered her thoughts, although she had no idea what she’d say. “Hey.”

  He turned. “Hey, yourself.”

  The moon and the stars danced over the ripples of the dark water. The sweet sound of a violin rang out across the night air, and the soft sounds of romantic chatter from the restaurant filled the evening.

  But all that mattered was this moment.

  And the man standing in front of her.

  “What happened to your secret admirer?” he asked.

  “I know it’s you.” She folded her arms across her chest.

  “I see,” he said.

  “Why put yourself through doing this, especially after you told me the truth?”

  “For two reasons.” He held up two fingers. “The first being I needed to see how it felt to do the whole Valentine’s Day thing and the second being I wasn’t completely sure I could tell you the truth about my parents.”