Love, Laughter & Happily Ever After: A sweet romantic comedy collection

by Ellie Hall

  My first reaction is that he’s being sarcastic, but then I realize that he’s serious. “Thanks.” I’m part annoyed, part flattered, and mostly confused. If Gavin is so over-the-moon for Collette, then why’s he looking at me with such open admiration? I never pegged Gavin as having a wandering eye. Then again, I never pegged him as ending up with Collette Williams either. I guess I’ve been wrong about a multitude of things. I feel like I’ve been blasted with a tropical heat wave. My body must have heated up ten degrees, and my heart is pumping like it’s running a marathon. It’s crazy the effect that Gavin has on me. A thousand memories slam through my mind in the flash of an instant. I see us huddled together at a bonfire the night before a big football game, the two of us sneaking into his neighbors’ pool and taking midnight swims. We used to love to drive to the beach and play in the sand. We’d drive up to Ranger’s lookoff point and recline in the back of his pickup truck, watching the stars and doing our fair share of kissing until the air would get heavy with the mist of the early morning. A wistful longing overtakes me. I feel so sad for all that we lost. I’m still ticked that Gavin broke up with me. I’m infuriated that he’s marrying Collette.

  His jade eyes zing with laughter as he points to the buggy. “No Chunky Monkey?”

  Gavin was the one who got me into Chunky Monkey. “No,” I lament, “it’s out.” It’s then that I realize what Gavin is holding in his hand. My jaw drops. “Chunky Monkey? You got the last one? H—how?” I sputter. My brain tries to figure out what’s happening here. Is it a coincidence that Gavin got the last container of Chunky Monkey, or did he somehow know I was going for it and beat me to the punch?

  He shrugs. “You’re not the only one who likes Chunky Monkey.”

  I straighten to my full height and pin him with a glare. “You got the last carton on purpose.” I can tell from his sheepish grin that it’s true. Did Gavin see me go into the store? Did he see me talking to Mac Holder? What would he think if he knew that I have a date with Mac tomorrow night? No, I can’t go down this road! It doesn’t matter what Gavin thinks because the two of us are through!

  “I don’t mind sharing. We can grab a couple of spoons from the deli.”

  My hand goes to my hip. “Don’t you have to get back to the hardware store?”

  A lopsided grin tugs at a corner of his lips. “I’m sure I can convince the boss to give me a few extra minutes for lunch.”

  My eyes move up to his messy hair. The last time I saw him, Gavin had cut it too short. Now, it’s longer on top like I like it, giving him a boyish, reckless look. He’s wearing a gray Panthers t-shirt, our high school mascot, and faded jeans. Gavin is lean with cut muscles. He looks more like an all-around athlete rather than a pump-you-up muscle monkey like Mac. “Ha ha. Very funny,” I say dryly. Gavin owns the hardware store on Main Street and has the liberty to take as long as he pleases for lunch.

  Adventure pings in his eyes, washing them in warm, mellow gold. “Whadaya say, Albany? You up for the challenge?” He pumps his eyebrows.

  For a second, I forget that Gavin is engaged. I forget that he broke my heart. All I can think is YES! I’m up for any challenge that concerns Gavin McAllister. Luckily, before I make an absolute idiot of myself, the rational side of my brain takes control. “What about Collette? I don’t think she’d be happy about her fiancé sharing a pint of ice cream with his ex-girlfriend.”

  He blinks in surprise. “Who told you that I was engaged to Collette?”

  “She did. About thirty minutes ago, when I was doing the alterations on her wedding dress.”

  His eyes round. “You’re doing the alterations on Collette’s wedding dress?”

  “I was, until the pin I was holding had an unfortunate encounter with Collette’s bony hip.”

  Startled laughter rises in his throat. “You jabbed Collette with a pin?”

  “Yep, sure did.” The corners of my lips twitch. Is it awful that it gives me a streak of satisfaction to admit that?

  He shakes his head back and forth. “You always were a fireball.”

  Is that admiration I detect in his voice? Why does it give me such a swell of satisfaction?

  “So, how about it? Let’s go eat some ice cream and catch up.”

  The longing that I feel makes me angry. “I don’t think so. What do you take me for?”

  He frowns. “What’re you talking about?”

  “You’re engaged to Collette,” I remind him.

  Amusement colors his features. “Since when do you care what Collette thinks?”

  “I don’t,” I snap. “But you should care what she thinks, considering that you’re marrying her.”

  Gavin tips his head and gives me a thoughtful look. “Are you jealous?”

  My cheeks blaze hot. “Don’t flatter yourself,” I retort.

  He grins. “You are.”

  I want to rip the smug expression off his handsome face. “You and I were over a long time ago,” I growl.

  He searches my face. “What did happen between us?”

  I hate it when people ask a question that they already know the answer to. My anger rages to an inferno as I get up in his face. “How dare you ask me that? You know what happened! You gave up on us.”

  His face falls. “That’s not how I remember it.”

  An incredulous laugh riddles my throat. “Is that right? How do you remember it?”

  “We took some time apart so that you could go to New York and spread your wings. I was only trying to give you space so that you wouldn’t have any regrets.”

  “Baloney! You broke up with me because you wanted the freedom to chase all the skirts you pleased.” Gavin was at Jacksonville State University on a baseball scholarship. I knew that he had droves of girls throwing themselves at him. Him saying that he wanted to give me space was an excuse to sow his wild oats. Hurt bubbles up in my chest. I can feel a wall of tears pressing behind my eyes, but I’ll be darned if I let a single one fall.

  “No,” he counters, “that’s not what happened. I gave you space, and then you broke it off.”

  What he’s saying is technically true. He wanted space, so I gave it to him. End of story.

  My head feels like it’s on fire. I glance around and realize that the older woman at the end of the aisle is staring. It’s all I can do to keep my voice even as I hold out a hand. “Look, it doesn’t matter what happened. The two of us were over a long time ago. It’s ancient history.”

  He raises an eyebrow. “If that’s so, then why’s your face so red? Why’re you so upset?”

  “I’m not upset,” I nearly shout, then swallow hard. Gavin has always been able to get my goat. One thing I like about him is that he doesn’t mind calling my bluff. Of course, this time there’s no bluff. He hurt me, and he’s not gonna turn the situation around to pretend that he didn’t. “I’m not doing this with you.” I take a step back. “Who you choose to marry is your business,” I mutter. “Just don’t expect me to fix her dress.”

  “Speaking of clothes, that’s an interesting shirt that you have on.”

  “Actually, it’s a blouse.” I lift my chin.

  A grin tugs at his lips. “Okay, blouse. That’s an interesting look with the bow thing that you’ve got going.” His tone is teasing, taunting. “Is that some new style that you picked up in New York?” I look down and want to faint. My shirt has come unbuttoned across my boobs. Somehow—don’t ask me how—the bow on my bra has managed to poke out of my blouse. The bow is positioned so perfectly that it looks like I’ve planned it that way. Humiliation scalds over me. I’ve been parading around the grocery store with the bow of my bra hanging out. No wonder Mac mentioned something about my blouse! He probably thought I was trying to solicit him. Oh, my gosh! What a day this is turning out to be!

  “You’re an idiot,” I seethe to Gavin as I grab my buggy and flee the scene. I turn the corner to the next aisle and only pause long enough to button my blouse. No way can I face Gavin again. I hurry over to the canned goods a
isle and go down it slowly, pretending to take interest in the items on the shelves. My hope is that Gavin will go straight to the checkout line, and I won’t have to see him again. I wait a good fifteen minutes or more before meandering over to the checkout line. I would wait longer, but I don’t want my ice cream to turn into soup. Gavin is nowhere in sight. Thank goodness!

  “Looky, looky what the cat dragged in,” Dimples Powell, the cashier, purrs with a broad grin as I step up to the register. “I heard you were back in town.” Dimples is close to my mom’s age. She’s a pretty woman in a gaudy way with her big hair, hoop earrings, blue eyeshadow, and fire-engine red lipstick. “How ya doin’, sugar?”

  “Good. How are you?”

  “Listen at that Northern accent. You’ve turned into a Yankee.” She clucks her tongue. “I told Sable she was jinxing herself when she named you Albany. You’ve had New York in your blood from the time you were a young ‘un. Sable should’ve taken a cue from me and named her daughter a Southern name.”

  I bite back a smile. “Like Dixie?” Dixie is Dimples’ oldest daughter.

  “Yeah,” she laughs as she points a finger. “Now don’t be sassing me.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Dimples gives her gum a good go-around as she slides the first pint of ice cream over the scanner. Her acrylic fingernails are long and glossy red. I don’t know how Dimples manages to work with them. Her head swings back and forth. “You’ve got some guts; I tell you that.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Honey, if I were fixing to parade around in a bathing suit on stage this weekend, I sure as heck wouldn’t be loading up on all this ice cream.”

  I chuckle. “Yeah, me neither.”

  She gives me a funny look.

  “What?”

  Dimples leans close and lowers her voice. “Don’t play dumb with me, missy. I know you’re signed up to participate in the Miss Comfort Beauty Pageant this coming Saturday.”

  My throat closes, and I can’t breathe. I make a gurgling sound to clear it. “There must be some mistake,” I squeak. “I’m not gonna be in the pageant.” I vaguely remember hearing something about the pageant, but I didn’t think twice about it. Sure, I was a pageant girl once, but that was a lifetime and several pounds ago.

  Dimples gives me a sly look. “You can act all innocent if you want, but Summer Heaton showed me the roster. Your name is front and center. You wanna know who else entered?” she whispers. Before I can utter a word, she answers her question. “Collette Williams. Summer told me that the only reason Collette signed up was because you’re in it. She’s been itching to beat you for years. After all, you’re the only person who holds the honor of winning Miss Comfort two years in a row.”

  “That was a long time ago.” My blood is thrashing like a washing machine against my temples. I know exactly how my name got on that roster … because my meddling mother put it there!

  Dimples looks me up and down. “You’re still as beautiful as ever with that long dark hair and those chocolate-brown eyes.” She giggles. “Collette will be green with envy when she sees you. That poor girl is a carpenter’s dream. Well, except for those ginormous boobs that she had installed.” Laughter circles through her eyes. “Those things are so large that she could use them for floats. I’m surprised she’s not having back issues. Yep, like I said, Collette will be jealous when she sees you.”

  “I doubt that,” I fire back.

  “Oh, she will,” she laughs. “I guaran-darn-tee it.” Her voice swings up. “Who knows. You might just win a third time.” She tilts her head. “Although Strawberry Lingerfelt is on the roster too. Have you seen her lately?” She lets out a low whistle. “She’s a looker with that red hair and those bright green eyes.”

  Strawberry is several years younger than me. The last time I saw her, she had her hair in braids, was covered in freckles, and wearing braces.

  “I hope all this ice cream isn’t for you,” Dimples says as she puts the last pint into a bag and rings up my total. “You’ve gotta look great for this weekend.”

  “I’ll be sure and share with Mom and Dad,” I joke. I slip my card into the reader as Dimples jabbers a mile a minute. I hardly process a word she says. All I can think about is my mom. What am I going to do with her? I don’t want the rest of my time spent at home to be a constant battle.

  My mind is spinning like a kite caught in a hurricane as I drive home. As soon as I put the ice cream away, I charge into the den. Mom and Dad are sitting side-by-side on the sofa. Dad is dressed in his suit and tie. I stop in my tracks. “What’re you doing home? I figured you’d be at the office.”

  He floats Mom a doting look. “I thought I’d take this pretty little thing to lunch.”

  Mom giggles like a schoolgirl as her face beams with pleasure.

  Dad treats Mom like a queen and spoils her rotten. It’s endearing and sickly sweet how in love the two of them are. Truthfully, I’m glad that my parents are still crazy about each other. I just don’t feel the love right now because I’m so ticked at Mom.

  “You wanna come with us?” Dad asks as he scoots forward and adjusts his tie. My dad is a big man who’s all muscle. A linebacker in college, he’s built like a refrigerator. His lively blue eyes are his best feature. I would kill to have eyes that color. Why did I have to get boring brown eyes like Mom? Dad’s hair is going silver around the temples, giving him a distinguished look. He has a quicksilver quality that draws people to him. Also, there’s an authenticity about Dad that lets people know they can trust him. His genuineness and keen wit are a winning combination, helping him build a successful law firm.

  “No thanks.” I laser in on Mom as my hand goes to my hip. “Why in the devil did you sign me up to participate in The Miss Comfort Beauty Pageant this weekend?”

  Mom’s face turns cherry red as a nervous laugh escapes her throat. Her hand goes up to smooth her hair. “It was a surprise. I thought you’d be pleased.”

  My voice goes shrill. “Pleased! This is a nightmare!”

  “Hold your horses, butter bug,” Dad cautions in an even tone. “Sit down, and let’s talk about this.”

  I aim my wrath at him. “Did you know about this?”

  “Yeah, your mother mentioned something about it, and I thought it was a good idea.”

  “Seriously?” I throw my hands in the air. “Y’all are both crazy!”

  “Sit down,” Dad says in a firm tone. “Once you hear the whole story, you might decide you wanna participate.”

  “That’s not gonna happen,” I spout.

  “Come on, butter bug,” Dad urges. “Sit down.”

  “Fine.” I tromp over and sit down across from them. I fold my arms over my chest, glaring at them. I don’t like how young and immature I feel right now. Yes, they’re my parents, and I’ve been brought up to honor and respect them. However, I’m a grown woman with my own hopes and dreams. And I refuse to let my mother lead me around by the nose.

  Dad turns to Mom. “Tell her about the prize money.”

  Mom straightens in her seat and moistens her lips. “Norwood Dental is one of the sponsors for the pageant this year. They’re offering a ten-thousand-dollar prize to the winner.”

  My jaw hits the floor. “What? The years I won, I got a year’s worth of free car washes and a coupon at Piggly Wiggly for thirty bucks,” I mutter. There were a handful of other prizes, but they were all small things offered by local stores. Why in the heck is Norwood Dental putting up a ten-thousand-dollar prize? Now I really need to go and visit Pen. Her husband, Tim, runs the Norwood Dental Practice with his father.

  “The pageant has come a long way since you were in it,” Mom chimes. She shifts in her seat before crossing her legs and wrapping her hands around her knees. “I was thinking that you could use the prize money to open up an alterations’ shop on Main Street. There’s a spot opening up right next to the dance studio. Gavin owns it.” She gives me a censuring look. “That’s another reason why I was trying to get yo
u in good with Collette Williams. In the hopes that Gavin would give you a good rate.”

  Laughter tickles my throat. “Well, that plan backfired.”

  Dad frowns. “What happened?”

  Mom rolls her eyes. “Your daughter made a spectacle of herself today. I got her a job altering Collette’s wedding dress, and she pricked Collette with a pin … just for spite.” Her eyes flash as she throws me a glare.

  Dad’s eyes widen the second before he bursts out laughing. His shoulders heave up and down. He laughs so hard that his face turns bright red and tears pool in his eyes before dribbling down his cheeks. Before long, I start laughing too. It feels good to break apart the tension inside me.

  “Don’t encourage her, Dallas,” Mom blusters as she shoots me a dark look.

  He shakes his head as he sucks in a breath and mops his eyes. “I’m sorry, hon, but you should’ve known better than to expect Albany to alter Collette’s dress. You knew that wasn’t gonna end well.”

  “That’s what I said.” Ten thousand dollars. The possibility rolls through my head. Hmm … I could use it to get reestablished in New York. Or I could open my own shop here in Comfort. Not alterations, but a dress shop. I could offer upscale brands, as well as a few of my original designs. Basically, I could take the plan for the store I was running and adopt it to Comfort. I can’t believe I’m even considering this option. After all, how can I possibly stand living in a town where Gavin is married to Collette? Then again, it would give me the opportunity to be self-sufficient. There’s no way I could start my own store in New York with ten thousand dollars. I don’t even know if I can do it in Comfort for that amount. But at least it would be feasible here. I guess I’ll have to give the idea more thought. At any rate, winning ten thousand dollars sounds pretty good, regardless of what I decide to do with it.

  “What’s going on in that little head of yours?” Dad asks.

  I cock my head. “Maybe I will do the pageant.” Even as I say the words, I wonder if I stand a chance. I wish I had a month to get ready. I could live off salads if I knew that I could win ten thousand dollars. No, I don’t relish the idea of going up against Collette or any of the other girls. But I do have the advantage of having won twice before. Wait a minute. There’s a dark cloud looming over this picture—Gavin McAllister. I can’t stomach the idea of him being my landlord. Seeing him today unearthed all of the old emotions. “Are there any other open spaces in town … other than Gavin’s spot?” Did I really just ask that? I guess I am considering opening my own shop. It’s funny how quickly that idea took root. It would be nice to own a business. While I enjoyed working under Jeanine, my former boss and owner of the boutique in New York, it would be nice to be my own boss. To know that the buck stops with me. Do I have it in me to be a success? I would certainly like to try.