After the
shocking revelations of the previous book, Bitter Bite, the world of Ashland’s become even more sinister,
and Gin Blanco (aka Ashland’s most fearsome assassin, the Spider) no longer
knows who—or what—she can count on. Only one thing is for certain: danger and
new enemies await Gin in Unraveled,
Book 15 in the New York Times bestselling
Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series that RT Book Reviews calls “unbeatable entertainment!”
What could go wrong when you’re trying to unravel a
decades-old conspiracy?
As the
current queen of the Ashland underworld, you would think that I, Gin Blanco,
would know all about some secret society controlling things from behind the
scenes. I might be the Spider, the city’s most fearsome assassin, but all my
Ice and Stone elemental magic hasn’t done me a lick of good in learning more
about “the Circle”. Despite my continued investigations, the trail’s gone as
cold as the coming winter.
So when
Finnegan Lane, my foster brother, gets word of a surprising inheritance, we
figure why not skip town for someplace less dangerous for a few days? That
place: Bullet Pointe, a fancy hotel resort complex plus Old West theme park
that Finn now owns lock, stock, and barrel. At first, all the struttin’ cowboys
and sassy saloon girls are just hokey fun. But add in some shady coincidences
and Circle assassins lurking all around, and vacationing becomes wilder—and deadlier—than
any of us expected.
Good thing
this assassin brought plenty of knives to the gunfight …
Release date: August 30, 2016
Pocket Books
Elemental Assassin #15
Urban Fantasy
Review copy provided by publisher Liza's Review:
I countdown between each Elemental Assassin books as it comes
out and then devour each one like there is no tomorrow, only to have to wait
another 6 months for my next fix. Jennifer Estep has had me hooked on this
series since the first book and I love each new adventure with Gin and her
friends and family.
I liked that we took a little vacation from Ashland for Unraveled. With everything that happened
with Finn's mom, I felt like they all needed a little bit of a break from the
normal battles with the underground world of Ashland. I will say I missed
seeing JoJo and Sophia, but loved getting more time with Silvio, Lorelei,
and Phillip.
I have to say I loved the trip to Bullet Pointe to the Old West
theme park Finn had inherited from his mother. It was so completely cheesy and
over the top and I could totally see Deidre's hand in some of the changes that
had been made in the hotel. Gin is hoping to find out more about The Circle
while in Bullet Pointe and Finn is hoping to find something genuine about his mother
while there. While Roxy and Brody are your typical bad guys from the series, I
have to say that Hugh Tucker is keeping me guessing and I'm loving the mystery
of The Circle and watching Gin unravel each of the strings to learn more and
more about The Circle. I loved that Gin's memories once again helped
her solve her current problem. However, we actually got to see her
interact with her mom and sisters and it is very rare for Gin to have dreams
about her family.
I loved the battle between Gin and Roxy and Brody. Since Roxy
and Brody had taken Finn, Owen and Bria hostage, Gin was pretty much on
her own in the fight and pulled it off in true Spider style. Of course she had
new back up with Silvio, Lorelei, and Phillip, but Gin took care of most of the
bad guys in her own way. I have to say I felt a little bit like Gin was going a
bit old-school with her battle plan to take out Roxy and Brody and I love how
her mind works.
I found Unraveled to
be a story that kept my attention from the very first page and I honestly
didn't want to put the book down. Again, while I missed time with Jo-Jo
and Sophia, I love getting to spend time with other secondary characters, who
are becoming new favorite characters for me. I also have to say
the mystery of The Circle and all Gin learned in Unraveled have me
chomping at the bit for the next book in this series. Luckily, we only have to
wait until April 2017 for the next fix in the Elemental Assassin series with Snared.
Loving him was hard.
Wanting him was so damn easy . . .
Sofia Mercer may have
been sick as a teen, but she’s no delicate flower. And she’s proven it by
making it on her own and starting a new life away from the town that turned
against her, away from the boy who broke her already fragile heart. But when
her aunt Luz dies unexpectedly, leaving Sofia with a mountain of regrets and
the keys to a quirky boutique, Sofia has no choice but to return to Cape Cod.
Only, this new life in her old town comes with complications.
Burke Wolf was Sofia’s
first love—a relationship that burned bright and went up in flames. Seeing him
again, Sofia can’t help but get caught up in that all-too-familiar tornado of passion
and pain. He’s battled his own demons—that much is clear. But Sofia can’t
afford to be careless with her heart . . . and loving Burke again might just
break it completely.
Lisa Marie Perry encounters difficult
fictional men and women on a daily basis. She writes sizzling, deep fiction
featuring flawed heroes brought to their knees by the love of complicated
women. She has received high praise from USA Today and has been nominated for
an RT Book Reviews literary award. She lives in America's heartland, drives a
truck, enjoys indie rock, collects Medieval literature, watches too many
comedies, has a not-so-secret love for lace and adores rugged men with a little
bit of nerd.
For laughs, randomness and occasional inappropriateness, visit LMP at www.perrytalebooks.com.
Megan Howard used to be a successful painter—but that was a
long time ago. These days she’s struggling to move forward, convinced her heart
is permanently broken after her last relationship and grief stricken over the
loss of her father. Clinging to memories of happier times, she holds tight to
her father’s most cherished possession: a 1958 DeSoto Adventurer. Though she
needs the money, she’ll never sell it—even loaning the prized automobile to her
best friend on the day of her wedding stirs up painful memories.
Avowed bachelor and car collector Noah Black has never seen a
car he can live without…or a woman he can live with. Reluctant to see his best
friend condemned to matrimony, he flies to Boot Creek from California to be the
best man in the wedding. But after discovering that the gorgeous maid of honor
owns the car of his dreams, Noah makes a pricey bet that he’ll add the DeSoto
to his collection, no matter what it takes.
Despite their determination to stay single, Noah and Megan soon
find they can’t resist each other. His attention turns from getting the car to
getting the girl, and thanks to Noah, Megan can imagine a life in the present.
But when the truth about Noah’s wager comes to light, will it threaten to throw
Megan’s new perspective into reverse?
The oppressive heat took a toll on folks this time of year in
Boot Creek. The humidity hung on Megan’s skin and permeated her hair, now three
times its normal size. As she sorted through her mail, the envelopes clung to
each other, damp and lacking that crisp sound of paper she’d normally expect as
she opened them.
August. It was always hot in North Carolina in August, but for
some reason this summer seemed heavy—like winter and spring had gorged on too
many baked goods. Megan missed the normal hustle-bustle of neighbors out on
Main Street grabbing lunch and finishing up errands, but it was so stifling
that people were staying inside. The mayor had even suspended the road-crew
work until this heat wave passed.
Megan dropped the junk mail in a trash can next to the light
post on the corner of Main Street, then ran her freshly painted nail under the
seal on an envelope from the town of Boot Creek. They hadn’t wasted a moment
billing her for Daddy’s prized possession. She’d only had the 1958 DeSoto
Adventurer convertible for a few weeks.
Apparently since the old car had antique tags, she got a flat
rate regardless of the value. She wasn’t sure how much the car was worth, but
word had traveled fast that it was hers now and the offers she’d already
received were impressive.
Johnny Morris had offered to put in a whole new
air-conditioning system with dual zones at Balanced Buzz, her candle business,
in exchange for Daddy’s car, but there was no way she could part with that car.
Daddy was a lot of things, including an embarrassment at times, but she was a
daddy’s girl and that car meant the world to him, so it meant the world to
her.
That car wasn’t going anywhere, even if Balanced Buzz could
really use that air-conditioning upgrade. This time of year it just didn’t pay
to make candles in the hot part of the day. The air-conditioning in her old
building worked hard enough without her adding heat from melting beeswax to the
equation. So Megan adjusted her hours to keep the expenses down and profit
margin wide. And that was fine with her, because she always had been a night
owl.
To her, the value of Daddy’s car lay in the memories they’d
shared riding around in it. Enough memories to fill that car, and that was
really saying something. That model had to be one of the longest two-door cars
ever built. Darn thing just barely fit in her garage bay.
And seeing’s how she lived in what used to be a gas station
with commercial-sized mechanics bays . . . that was saying something. It
wouldn’t surprise her to learn that this car wouldn’t fit in the garage of a
modern-day home.
Lucky for her, daddy had hooked her up with the
gas-station-turned-house and workshop when she graduated from college. Maybe
that was the reason he’d left the car to her and not his way-too-young-for-Dad,
go-go-dancin’ bride, Tiffany.
The thought of that girl made Megan bristle. To be fair,
Tiffany wasn’t a dancer anymore, but it was no secret that Daddy had
discovered her at Headlights Bar off the interstate a few
exits down. Not one of his finest days.
Tiffany had no clue how special the car was. She’d begged Daddy
to sell it and buy a new sports car. Something flashy and red. No surprise that
Tiffany had gone right out and bought herself a bright red Corvette as soon as
that life insurance check cleared the bank. Thank goodness Daddy had updated
his will. Tiffany never would have let Megan have the car otherwise. Even
though everyone knew that was Daddy’s intention. Tiffany was a gold digger from
the word go.
Standing there on the corner of Water Loop Way, Megan felt her
heart squeeze. A rush of heat soared through her body. Don’t let this
be a heart attack. This wasn’t the first time she’d had that sinking
feeling and pain in her heart right down to her gut since Daddy died. Now the
DeSoto was hers, and that was all she had left. This bill made him being gone
feel that much more final. Was that enough to give a gal her age a heart
attack?
She pressed her hand against her heart and took in a breath.
Relax. Sweeping a hand under her nose to chase that tickle that came right
before tears fell, she straightened and inhaled deeply.
Tucking the rest of the mail into her purse, she shifted on her
feet. How long had she been standing there? The pavement was
scorching. She wished she’d worn her tennis shoes instead of these strappy
heels. When she’d put them on, she’d thought it would be a good short walk to
break in the shoes she’d be wearing in Angie’s wedding so her feet wouldn’t be
killing her all night at the reception next weekend. Bad idea. She crossed over
Cabot Street and tugged on the door to Mom’s shop, Bootsie’s
Bouquets.
Brightly colored summer blooms filled tall hand-painted cones
that Megan had painted for Bootsie, her mother, years ago. They’d held up well.
Next to the flowers, racks of beautiful ribbon that Mom made special buying
trips to pick out looked like a kaleidoscope of texture and color. Across the
room, an antique breakfront painted whimsical lavender and distressed with
turquoise accents held a hefty inventory of Balanced Buzz candles. Mom was
Megan’s biggest fan. She hand sold a fair share of candles each year, but most
of Megan’s sales came from her storefront on the Internet.
“Good morning, Mom.” She forced an easy smile, hoping that Mom
wouldn’t notice the panic she’d been feeling just moments before.
Bootsie raised a hand in the air from behind the counter where
she was ringing up a customer.
Megan headed straight for the glass-front refrigerator where
the fresh flower arrangements were stored. She opened the doors, holding her
arms out to the side. Her skin drank in the cool air, and thankfully her heart
rate began to slow. It was only three lousy blocks from her house to Sew ’n Sew
Formal where she was meeting Angie and the others for the final dress fitting.
And after only one block, she was sticky with sweat. Crazy. How gross to go to
a dress fitting feeling like you just finished a hot yoga session? She watched
her mom walk her customer to the door. The man carried a long white box with a
generous lipstick-red ribbon tied around it. Roses, no doubt.
“There a movie playing in there?” Bootsie asked.
“Real funny.” Megan smirked, but the truth was that phrase gave
her pause. Not because it was something Mom had always said. No, it reminded
her of Dad. And Mom knew it. Her parents may have been divorced for going on
eight years, but no one knew Daddy better. He’d made that comment a million
times when Megan was growing up—and that memory tugged at her. But not like
most dads would have said it, because he wasn’t complaining. He knew looking in
the fridge for a sweet treat was a waste of time. She got her sweet tooth from
her Dad, but Mom had been such a health nut there’d never been anything besides
fruit and yogurt. Luckily, he’d rescue her from the waste of time standing
there wishing for a cupcake or soda, suggesting they go out and hunt down a
snack together. Living one block off of Main Street had made life very
convenient for that, and it was probably all the extra time they’d spent
together dodging Mom’s health-nut kicks that had made her closer to
him.
“It’s hotter than h—”
“Don’t even say it.” Bootsie narrowed her gaze.
“Heck. Hotter than heck out there.” Megan let the door slam,
thankful for that last rush of cool air that pushed against her. Even now,
close to thirty, Mom ruled.
“You trying to make some sort of new fashion
statement?”
Megan looked down at her soft pink blouse, opened over a bright
pink tank top and faded blue jeans. “What’s wrong with this?”
Her mom homed in on her feet.
“The shoes?”
“Yes. I can’t say that high heels and blue jeans is exactly a
good look. Although it is nice to finally see you wearing something a little
ladylike.”
Mom was always hounding her about being a lady. It was old when
she was thirteen, and now closer to thirty . . . it was still not welcome
advice.
Bootsie’s lips bunched. “You know you can’t wear open-toed
shoes without your toenails painted. Totally taboo.”
Megan wasn’t sure what made her mother think she was the
fashion police, but still, there she was, ready to make an excuse. “I’m just
wearing them to the fitting, and we have pedicures set up for Thursday. I
promise I won’t let anyone see me. Besides, I thought I’d break them in, but
there’s not much to these things for as much as they cost. About burned my toes
off out there.”
“Fine. Well, since you’re here, Angie’s ribbon finally came in.
I’ve got it over by the register.” Bootsie turned and hurried to get the
ribbon. She made up for being short by walking two or three steps to the one of
any average person, which had always made Megan think of the Energizer Bunny,
the way she scampered. Bootsie lifted two large spools of ribbon for Megan to
see. “Sure hope it matches this time.” She bounced the two big spools in
separate hands, looking a bit like a scale of justice. “I got this roll of
white with pearlescent seed beads along the edge, just in case we have to go to
plan B. Take them with you, so Angie can decide what she wants to go
with.”
“You always think of everything.” Megan walked over and took
the two spools of ribbon and tucked them into the top of her oversized leather
handbag. “Thanks, Mom,” she said, leaning over the counter to kiss her on the
cheek. “Love you.”
“You’re welcome, darling.” As Megan headed for the door, she
called out, “Send me a picture of you in your gown. I’m dying to see you in
it.”
“Come with me. You know Angie won’t mind. It’ll be
fun.”
“I can’t,” Bootsie said. “This weekend is the first high school
football game of the season. I’ve got orders for thirty-eight corsages to make
for that, plus putting together all of the bouquets and arrangements for
Angie’s wedding. I can’t get away. Text me, though.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Megan knew what the unspoken words that followed
would have been. High time you walked down that aisle too,
Megan.
Since Daddy’s unexpected passing, even Mom had been gentler.
Megan’s heart ached for her dad. He drove her half-crazy most of the time; Mom
had always said that was because Megan was so much like her daddy, but knowing
he’d never be back made it darn near impossible to breath
sometimes.
Megan crossed over at the second block to Sew ’n Sew Formal and
Tailoring. When she walked inside, soft music filled the store. Funny she
hadn’t noticed it the last time they’d all met there to pick out the dresses,
but darned if it didn’t sound a lot like the funeral home. She shook off that
thought. Maybe everything felt like a funeral
lately.
Last night she’d decided that she needed to be honest with
Angie about the DeSoto. It wasn’t going to be an easy discussion, but ever
since the car had been delivered to her, she’d been a nervous wreck about
it.
Daddy had agreed to let Angie and Jackson use his prized
convertible as the getaway ride for their wedding. It had really surprised
Megan, because Daddy never let anyone drive that car. It had been a generous
gesture on his part. But then Angie had been like a second daughter; she and
Megan had spent so much time together.
Yet now that Megan had the car tucked safely in her garage, she
wasn’t sure she could risk taking a chance on it getting damaged. The
Adventurer had never even seen a raindrop. What if something happened? What if
it rained? Dad leaving her that car came with an unwritten agreement that she’d
love it just like he had.
Written or implied, she took it seriously.
So, after a lot of thought, she’d decided to rent a limo for
Angie and Jackson’s big day. She’d even sprung for the champagne package. Five
hundred dollars for the fanciest car they had was a small price to pay for
protecting her last connection to Daddy.
“There you are,” Carla, the owner of Sew ’n Sew Formal, said,
sounding a bit stressed.
“Fashionably late,” Angie said with a laugh. “Carla was worried
to death. I wasn’t.”
But Megan knew better. Angie had been just waiting for
something to go wrong and ruin her perfect happily ever after. She was so
darned certain that if she’d only paid attention to the warning flags when she
married Rodney, her good-for-nothin’ first husband, she could have spared
herself a lot of heartache. So now, Angie was hyperaware.
Carla waved her hands in the air, clearly frustrated to be off
schedule. “Come on over here, Megan. Everyone else is already in the back
waiting. You’re the maid of honor, dear, you’re supposed to be the first one
here.”
None of them lived more than a couple miles away. What
was the big deal? Okay, so she’d dawdled the whole way over. And she’d intended
to be on time today. For a change. Maybe she wasn’t quite as ready to have that
conversation with Angie about the car as she’d thought.
“I stopped and got the ribbon Mom reordered.”
Angie held up her hand and crossed her fingers. “I’m praying it
matches.”
“Me too.” Megan held up the ribbon that was supposed to match
and the white, pearl-edged ribbon. “We’ve got options. It’ll work
out.”
“Brilliant!” Angie heaved a sigh of relief. “You always have a
backup plan.”
Carla led Angie and Megan to the fitting room area.
Katy sat on the love seat next to Flynn, who owned the B and B
in town.
“Megan! Finally!” Flynn, the teetotaler of the group, spun
around in such delight that if Megan didn’t know better, she’d think she’d been
sipping champagne, but that was highly unlikely for any of them in this bridal
shop, since Carla was the preacher’s wife.
Carla moved through the room as if she were on roller skates.
“Now that we’re finally all here, we can begin.”
“Sorry.” Megan was pretty sure Carla still hadn’t forgiven her
for the time Megan had accidentally ridden her bicycle through the woman’s
treasured rose garden. It had been no picnic for her either. Dr. Hansen had had
to dig stickers out of half of Megan’s right side that day. The woman had been
snippy with her for the next fifteen years. Talk about holding a
grudge.
Megan lowered herself into an old velveteen Queen Anne chair.
The hodgepodge of fine antiques and practical things, like the tall plastic
oscillating fan, held its own kind of charm. The air-conditioning was no
competition for the heat in this old draft building. Wispy fabrics fluttered
every time the fan made a thankful pass from left to right.
“Here we go.” Angie followed Carla into the bride’s dressing
room. The heavy door clicked closed behind them. The elegant etched glass that
adorned the back of the door had to have been from the early nineteen
hundreds—the glass wavy and scratched.
Megan’s nerves fluttered as they waited for Angie. Katy and
Flynn chattered about potato salad recipes, but Megan only half listened. Her
mind was on Angie and the wedding. Jackson was so good for her best friend, but
her own anxieties about relationships and weddings wouldn’t quit nagging at
her. Why couldn’t she just be happy for Angie and not worry so
much?
A moment later the mirrored door opened and Angie stepped out
onto the raised carpeted platform.
A collective hush fell across the room.
Angie’s smile was wide, but a nervous twitch played at her
lips. She held her arms out and turned slowly, the ivory chiffon gently
sweeping the floor. “What do you think?”
A simple sleeveless A-line, with subtle beading at the waist,
looked as elegant as her dark hair, which Carla had swept up into a loose
chignon.
“Oh, Angie.” Megan blinked. Why am I so emotional today? “You
look beautiful. Jackson is going to fall in love with you all over again when
he sees you in that dress.”
Carla walked around her, tugging and smoothing Angie’s gown.
“Looks perfect. How does it feel?”
“Perfect,” Angie whispered.
“It sure is,” Flynn said, then reached over from the
love seat to where Megan was seated and grabbed Megan’s hand. “I hope I’ll be
as beautiful when I’m a bride.”
“You will be.” Megan hoped Flynn would find a suitor soon.
Bless her heart, the girl was dying to be married. Why was it the girls who
wanted to get married never attracted the settling kind, and yet it seemed like
every guy Megan went out with wanted a committed relationship? And she was
never going down that road again. She’d found her soul mate, and Kevin had not
only broken her heart, but wrecked her soul. A loss she still carried around
like it happened yesterday.
Angie pointed toward Katy. “I have a feeling Katy might be your
next customer, Carla.”
Katy blushed. “We haven’t gotten that far yet.” Katy, the
newest resident of Boot Creek, had made fast friends with Angie the first week
Katy happened into town. And even though Katy had only meant to stop for gas in
Boot Creek, she’d come on the day of the Blackberry Festival and met Derek
Hansen. It had been the day she was running away from heartbreak, and what
she’d found in Boot Creek was a second chance at love and a whole new
career.
“You will,” Angie said. “I know Derek. And yeah, he was broken
when Laney died, but he is whole again with you.”
“He completes me too,” Katy said. “We’re not rushing things,
but when the time’s right, all of you will be there at my side too.
Right?”
“Of course,” they all agreed.
Megan lifted her hands in the air. “Angie, I think it looks like
I can check off final wedding dress alterations from the list.” Her goal was to
complete every single thing on this project plan on time with zero problems.
Yes, everyone kept saying that was an impossible goal, but she took her goals
seriously and was determined to make that happen.
Angie pressed her hands together and raised her fingertips to
her lips. “It’s all coming together. Thank goodness. I’d already told myself
that if there were any hiccups, I’d heed the signs and throw this all
in reverse.”
Megan certainly wasn’t going to be the one to start that. That
limo would just have to be cancelled. “It’s going to all go according to plan,
Angie. I promise.”
“And I put together all the paperwork and itineraries for the
honeymoon,” Katy said. “I brought the packet with me. I’m jealous that y’all
are going to Alaska for two whole weeks. That is so on my bucket list
now.”
“We could never have planned a two-week honeymoon if you and
Derek hadn’t offered to keep Billy. I’m still so anxious about leaving him so
long,” Angie said. “I know he’ll be fine with y’all. He’s so excited. But . . .
”
“And he’ll be fine. He loves Derek, and you know how I feel
about him. The practice sleepovers have gone fine.”
“I know I’m a worrywart when it comes to him. I can’t help
myself—he's a handful. All boy. I don’t think you know what you’ve got yourself
into.”
“Are you kidding me? I’m excited,” Katy said. “Derek and I are
going to have a blast playing house. It’s good practice for us. And I’ve always
wanted to go school shopping. Now I have Billy as an excuse. Usually I pretend
I’m stocking up for children that I don’t have so I can take advantage of all
the amazing deals. I mean really. Who doesn’t go gaga over school
supplies?”
“True,” Angie said, her brows knitting together. “Maybe I could
squeeze in taking him school shopping this week.”
“Don’t you dare steal my fun, Angie! You can do school prep
with Billy for the next ten years. And you’ll be home in plenty of time for his
first day of school.”
“I would have never been able to plan this wedding without
y’all. I have the best bridesmaids ever.” Angie’s eyes glistened, and as much
of a pain as Megan could imagine her own mother would be in planning a wedding
with her, she couldn’t imagine not having her mom around to do it.
A tear spilled down Angie’s cheek. “I love y’all. You’re the
best friends any girl could ask for.”
“As maid of honor, I forbid any sappy crying jags. Even though
we are pretty awesome.” Megan stepped onto the platform and handed Angie a
tissue. “Don’t be getting weepy on us, you’ll stain your dress.”
Angie dabbed at her eyes. “We might need some wine on Saturday.
Do you think they allow wine in the brides dressing area? I’m suddenly very
nervous.”
“Not like back out nervous. Right?” Megan asked.
“No. Not like that. Maybe nervous isn’t the right word.
Excited. Anxious. Insanely lucky. Too-good-to-be-true lucky.”
“No such thing,” Megan reassured her.
Carla walked over to the door at the far side of the
room, then clapped her tiny hands together. “Okay, ladies. Let’s get your
dresses on and check them one last time for fit.”
“Y’all’s turn,” Angie said. “I’ll be waiting right
here.”
Carla rushed the girls along.
Megan, Katy, and Flynn followed Carla into the large dressing
room. Their blue gowns, the color of summer skies in Carolina, hung on shiny
silver hangers from hooks, one next to the other, along the wall. In the center
of the room, a tall pedestal table gave the girls a little bit of privacy as
they changed.
As soon as Carla left the room, Flynn said, “I hope my dress
fits this time. Carla took it in the first time and out the second. I swear she
got the measurements mixed up with one of y’all’s. I hadn’t gained or lost a
pound.”
“Wouldn’t doubt it.” Megan laughed. “Old lady Carla has to be
pushing her late seventies. She did the alterations on my mom’s wedding gown
and that was over thirty years ago.”
As a little girl, Megan used to stare at the bridal portrait of
her momma that hung in the hallway of their home. She’d looked so beautiful.
And Megan dreamed of wearing that pretty white dress with the layers of
chiffon. That was a long time ago. And all of those fairy-tale dreams had been
shattered that summer night seven years ago.
Megan was the last one to step into her dress. Katy zipped her
up just as Carla came back in carrying a box of silk flower bouquets that had
seen better days. Years-old dust caked the green silk leaves in the stand-in
bouquets. Megan’s mouth twitched in amusement as she rolled ick off of one of
the petals. Flynn’s shoulders rocked as she got a fit of the giggles over it
too.
Katy and Flynn lined up at the door, and Megan fell in behind
them. Megan wasn’t the cry-at-a-Hallmark-movie kind of girl, but she had to
admit this was pretty exciting. And realizing how very different Angie’s life
was going to be now filled her with joy.
The door swung open and the girls filed out of the dressing
room.
Angie gasped, a wide smile spreading across her face. “Y’all
look beautiful.” She swept at a tear with the balled-up tissue she held in her
hand.
“You’re crying,” Flynn asked.
“Again?” Megan said.
“She’s fine,” Katy said.
“Happy tears, right, Angie?” Megan forced a smile. This was
going to be one long week.
“Totally happy tears. It’s overwhelming. Everything is so
perfect. After being married to Rodney, and the hell he put me through to get
that divorce, I never thought I’d be happy again. And now, not only do I have a
son who brings joy to me every single day, but also I have the best friends.
Y’all are so special to me. And I have Jackson. He loves me. He gets me, and I
love him. The perfect guy. Perfect family. Perfect wedding venue, caterer,
flowers, photographer, and even the perfect car to drive off in after the
wedding. Could it possibly be any better?”
Megan swallowed hard. Probably not the perfect time to
mention not letting Angie use the car.
“Not one red flag,” Angie continued. “I mean, it’s got to be
some kind of sign when everything falls into place like it has. I know you
remember, Megan. There was problem after problem planning that wedding. Right
up to the day of. Why didn’t I see those snapping red flags?”
“Because you were in love with the idea of being in love, and
the man you wanted Rodney to be,” Megan said. “Let it go. But I do remember you
crying when the justice of the peace croaked on you the morning of the wedding,
and you had to scramble for a new one. And that the cake was chocolate instead
of almond, which I still say Rodney had something to do with.”
Angie’s lips curled. “Had to have been him. After all, it was
his aunt who made the cake. You don’t just mix something like that
up.”
“And why we’re not using her for your cake this time,” Flynn
piped in. “You don’t have to worry about that nincompoop anymore.”
“Unfortunately, I still have to deal with him because of Billy,
but my boy is worth every aggravation that man ever caused me. This time there
aren’t any warning flags. Not one last-minute hitch.” She reached her hand for
Megan’s. “And that reassures me that things are going to be different this
time. I really am this lucky.”
Megan’s heart shrank. How can I let Angie down? She’d
been so excited to use Daddy’s car for her wedding. What kind of maid of honor
am I? “I won’t let anything ruin your day.” Megan hugged Angie. “And
I know Jackson is right for you. Don’t you worry.”
“Let me get a picture,” Carla said, waving her hand to get them
to scoot in. “Smile, and say happy.”
“Happy,” they said in harmony.
Carla waved her arm toward the group, then clicked off a couple
pictures. “Okay, you girls all go get changed. Angie and the rest of y’all, do
you want me to have the dresses delivered over to the bridal area at First
Baptist Saturday morning?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Angie said. “That’ll be a big help,
Carla.”
Katy was the first to get changed and leave. Megan hung back,
hoping to get a minute alone with Angie where she could discuss the car with
her, but between Flynn talking about the arrangements for all of the
out-of-town guests that would be arriving the next day to stay at her bed and
breakfast and Carla running down a punch list of things with Angie, Megan
finally begged off.
Probably a sign.
Megan still had to finish several special orders including the
guest gift votives that Angie had asked her to make for everyone coming to the
wedding, and that meant she was going to need to pick up an extra order of
beeswax from the local apiary to fill the orders she’d get this
week.
With a couple quick hugs, and promises to catch up later, Megan
stepped outside. At least a slight breeze was kicking up now. In the last hour
and a half, it had at least turned bearable out here. The breeze blew through
her hair, cooling against the hot sun. It was during these dog days of summer
like today that Daddy would have taken her for a ride in the Adventurer.
There’d be no ride today, though. She hadn’t even had the heart to start the
thing since the tow truck had delivered it and maneuvered it into the tight
quarters of her garage bay.
Daddy, I wish I knew for sure what it was you wanted
me to do with this car now that you’re gone, because riding in it will never be
the same without you.
USA TODAY Bestselling author, Nancy Naigle,
writes love stories from the crossroad of small town and suspense in hopes that
readers will find an escape from their hectic day-to-day in the make-believe
worlds she creates.
