Chapter 30 #2
No weekend is complete without a little fun, just like my life is not complete without you. I know you’re rolling your eyes right now, but please indulge me. Just this once. No crazy surprises, no danger, I promise. Just follow the directions to receive your gift.
Deuce
PS - No, the gift is not me, but it should be.
PPS - Stop wishing death upon me and follow the directions.
A small sheet of paper is behind the cardstock, more of his slashy handwriting across the middle.
Laundering happens here, but not the type you’re familiar with.
I let out a bark of laughter, knowing instantly where I’m going.
I pull open the gift bag, open the white box inside, and pull open the tissue paper to see a deep purple dress that has straps up top and a skirt that flares out from the cinched waist. The material is soft like the finest silk, and I can tell it cost a fortune.
I put it on, along with a pair of nude kitten heels with white and purple flowers across the toe.
Stowing Deuce’s notes in my handbag, I zip up the duffle bag of clothing he packed for me and head out.
I assume his zippy little car will be parked outside the bed-and-breakfast, and it is, but he’s not in it.
Keys are sitting on the hood of the car, right out there in the open where anyone could have stolen them.
I twist left and right but don’t see Deuce anywhere.
“Small towns,” I mutter under my breath, snatching up the keys and getting in. You can’t leave keys out anywhere near the city. I wonder if I’ll ever get used to that.
I head for the downtown area of Heaven, zooming through the windy roads going faster than I should but loving the way his little car hugs the curves and the engine purrs. Begrudgingly, I see why he loves this thing.
There’s a parking space right out front of his boutique with an orange cone blocking it. I put one foot out of the car to squint at the homemade sign on top of the cone.
Reserved for My Girl
It’s cheesy as hell, but you bet your ass I’m smiling as I move the cone to the side and zip into the spot. Lottie greets me just through the door with a squeal of excitement, a bouquet of purple and white flowers, and another cream envelope.
“What’s gotten into this guy?” I ask apologetically, shaking my head. Clearly he’s recruited help for this little weekend surprise.
Lottie doesn’t miss a beat. “You did, Valentina. Deuce is crazy for you and we love to see it.”
My cheeks heat. I feel exactly like I did at seventeen when Deuce flirted with me that fateful summer. My finger slides under the flap and I slide out another clue.
Accidents happen, but one thing you should know: I’ll always have your back.
I frown, brain spinning through possibilities. He’s been trying to get me to trust him since the day I stepped foot in Heaven, but what does he mean about accidents?
Then it hits me.
“I gotta go!”
“Yeah you do!” Lottie laughs and pushes me out the door.
I race for the car and head east to the edge of town, straight to the parking lot of the hotel where we did our stakeout.
It’s a stretch, but I think this is where he wants me to go.
I’m rewarded when I find the exact parking spot we were in that night.
There’s a basket on the ground, flowers spilling out of it.
Thinking back, I remember the broken condom and how surprised I was when Deuce went to the urgent care appointment with me.
I mean, the man wouldn’t even leave my side when they took my blood.
I’m giggling as I park next to the space and get out, squatting down to collect another bouquet of flowers, this one lavender and white.
Below is another cream envelope and a pack of Magnum condoms. I laugh so hard I almost fall back on my ass right there on the pavement.
Deuce has gone to such trouble to pull off something romantic and then he gifts me condoms. Subtle.
I grab the whole basket and toss it in the car. After I slide behind the wheel and crank the air-conditioning again, I read the new note.
In the end, to find happiness a man has to shoot his shot. I’m shooting mine right now.
“What the hell?” I lean my head back against the headrest and think. “Shooting his shot? Happiness? Like Cupid arrows?”
And then it hits me, making me shake my head at myself for taking so long to figure it out.
He means the shooting range where I bested him and then almost shot him in the porta-potty.
I zip out of the hotel parking lot, Mercedes engine roaring, and hope I remember the winding roads that we took that day.
I take one wrong turn and have to backtrack. I know I’ve found the right spot when I make a left into the clearing where we parked last time. Rhett is standing there holding a stop sign. So I do. I climb out of the car and squint at him.
“He roped you into this too?”
Rhett shrugs. “It’s what friends do.”
“And what exactly are we doing?”
Rhett pulls one hand out from behind the stop sign and hands me a single bloodred rose. “Keep walking and find out.”
I take the rose from him, glaring like he might just spill Deuce’s secrets if I glare hard enough.
Sadly, the man is made of sturdier stuff.
I keep walking and come around the bend to see Mary London and the baby.
She grins so wide she might pull a cheek muscle.
She hands me a rose and bounces up and down, squealing.
I take the rose and see Silas next. He has a rose for me too.
“What is going on?” I whisper.
Silas shoots me a wink and hands me the rose. “Deuce is in love.”
Like that explains everything.
Betsy is next, handing me yet another rose. Harlow stands next to her in her Sunday best, a mangled rose held in the air. I crouch down and take it from her, adding it to the bunch in my hand.