Her Secret Valentine, Part 12

Today’s episode by Christine Johnson.

Installments appear on Thursday and Friday, ending on Valentine’s Day. For previous episodes, click on the shoe or the links in the sidebar.

 

Remember him? The man asked if she remembered him. How could she forget Jean-Pierre? Nancy shook her head. This wasn’t possible. She hadn’t thought of him since… No. She couldn’t go there.

Besides, Jean-Pierre didn’t have black hair. His thick locks were streaked surfer blond, which perfectly matched his tan, the muscular shoulders and endearing lopsided grin. His aftershave and deep baritone washed over her like a lazy ocean swell. She eased her right foot out of the three-inch high-heeled shoe and tapped around until her toes landed on his foot. Classic boat shoes, Jean-Pierre’s footwear of choice. It had to be him. Or a very good impersonation.

“Well?” Mrs. Cannoli asked. “Who do you think your Secret Valentine is?”

 

 

“They’re all so handsome," Shanna added before Mrs. Cannoli shushed her.

“I-I don’t know,” Nancy stammered, overwhelmed by the whole turn of events. A contest? Three men vying to be her Secret Valentine? “You’re telling me I have three secret admirers?”

“Isn’t it exciting?” Shanna gushed. “I never dreamed when I entered your name in the contest that this would happen.”

Mrs. Cannoli cleared her throat. “Now that you’ve met the men, Miss Hart, you need to pick your Secret Valentine.”

Nancy panicked. What if she picked the wrong one? She'd been burned before. “I can’t.”

“Think it through logically,” Mr. Willowby suggested, finally giving her some useful advice. “Examine all the clues before making a decision.”

Clues? Nancy’s head was spinning, and it wasn’t due to the silk blindfold covering her eyes. This whole chase after a secret admirer had left her unsettled. Now she had to choose one of three men sight unseen. It was impossible.

 

"Take a deep breath," Mr. Willowby counseled.

 

She took several and thought over the events since the first gift arrived. The only clues were the man’s height and hair color, but then the B&B’s doorman admitted he’d placed the gifts around town. That eliminated both clues and put blond-haired Jean-Pierre back in the running.

Nancy scrambled through the other alternatives. Paul had joined her for a great tour of Atlanta and picnic, but then he’d jetted off to another city. Denver? Des Moines? She couldn’t quite recall, except that he was an airline pilot and always on the move. One special day couldn’t inspire lasting love, could it?

Then there was Jason. He did take her to the theatre to Gone with the Wind, but so had Brad. Besides, she and Jason had agreed afterwards that there wasn’t a spark between them. Why would he come to Cupid’s Corners now? Unless this man wasn’t Jason.

Nancy tugged at her hair in frustration, and the blindfold slipped just a bit. That gave her an idea. If she could just get a peek at the men…

To be continued next Thursday, February 13, 2014

 

 

 

 

Christine Johnson

Coming in July 2014: Groom by Design, Book 1 of The Dressmaker’s Daughters series.

Visit Christine at http://christineelizabethjohnson.com
or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ChristineJohnsonAuthor.

Her Secret Valentine Part 11

By Debby Giusti

“I’ll drive!” Private Investigator Garth Willowby motioned for Nancy and Shanna to climb into the yellow Thunderbird. Before the ladies buckled their seat belts, he floored the accelerator and was in pursuit of the black sedan. Both cars wove along the beach road that led into town. The sedan stopped near the café, and a lone man jumped from his car and hurried toward one of the side streets that dead ended at the Cupid's Corner Museum.

Garth scurried after the man with Shanna and Nancy following close behind. Suddenly the private investigator stopped short. He stared at the museum, which the man appeared to have entered, and let out an exasperated sigh as he pointed to the sign on the door. “Closed.”

“Where could he have gone?” Shanna glanced up and down the street and then placed her hand on Mr. Willowby’s arm. She stared up at him and fluttered her long lashes. “What’s your plan, Garth?”

“M…my plan?” Evidently overcome by her nearness, his face turned as crimson as raspberry cream sauce slathered on top of a chocolate torte. He patted her hand and smiled a lopsided grin as if he’d forgotten the reason for their search.

Nancy rolled her eyes in dismay at how easily the P.I. could be pulled off course. Without question, she had hired the wrong investigator. Needing to depend on her own wherewithal, she started to retrace her steps back to her Thunderbird when raucous male laughter accosted her.

The sound of the merriment grew so intense that Mr. Willowby glanced away from Shanna and toward the source of the hearty revelry. His gaze narrowed. “Seems there’s a gathering at Cupid’s Corner Bed and Breakfast.”

He motioned to the women. “This way, ladies. We may find Nancy’s admirer after all.”

The B&B was a quaint Victorian surrounded by a white picket fence and wide front porch. Mr. Willowby held the gate for the ladies, who quickly entered the well manicured grounds. They climbed the steps, but before they could knock, the door opened, and a handsome man – the man they had seen at the beach – bowed with a flourish.

“Welcome to your Valentine Dream Come True, Nancy Hart.” Taking her hand, he gently urged her forward. “We’re so glad you followed the clues.”

 “You…you mean the roses…the poetry…the cherry Lifesaver?” she stammered.

The doorman nodded. “We’ve been waiting for you. A few friends from your past.”

“But—”

Nancy glanced at Shanna who shrugged and at Garth who shook his head but encouraged her to follow the doorman inside.

The interior of the B&B was warm and welcoming, and some of her trepidation eased when Mrs. Cannoli, the concierge, rushed forward. “Isn’t it exciting?”

“Isn’t what exciting?” Nancy asked, totally flummoxed.

“Why the contest you won.” The concierge’s eyes widened. “Don’t you remember entering the contest, dear?”

“The Valentine Dream Come True Contest on the back of the marshmallow cream jar?” Shanna asked, her voice faltering.

“That’s the one,” Mrs. Cannoli said with a nod of her curly, gray hair. “The one to find your secret Valentine.”

“There’s been a mistake.” Nancy hooked her arm around her friend’s waist and shoved her forward. “If Shanna entered the contest, she should be the winner.”

Mrs. Cannoli’s face clouded. “But your name is on the entry, Nancy. You have to play the game.”

“Game?”

“That’s right, dear. Your admirers are in there.” The concierge pointed to the closed parlor door. “Three lucky gentlemen. They’ll tell you something about themselves, and you have to guess which man is your Secret Valentine. But, first, you need to be blindfolded.”

Before Nancy could object, Mrs. Cannoli tied a silk scarf over her eyes. The parlor door creaked open. Shanna giggled nervously. Mr. Willowby laughed, too, and added a “By Jove, this is turning out to be quite an exciting evening.” All the while, Nancy remained in the dark.

“Hello?” she called out, unsure who would answer.

A hand—twice the size of her own--touched hers. “Nancy, do you remember me? We knew each other in Georgia. I took you to the Fox Theater, and we watched a rerun of Gone With the Wind, which you loved. I’ve brought a dozen red roses and a box of chocolates in hopes you’ll choose me as your Valentine.”

“Jason, is that you?” She recognized the voice. Or thought she did.

He took a step back, and a second person moved closer. “Nancy, dear, surely you remember when we toured Atlanta and picnicked on shrimp and grits and sweet tea along the banks of the Chattahoochee River. I brought heart-shaped truffles and chocolate covered strawberries in hopes you’ll choose me.”

“Paul?”

A third person approached her. The scent of aftershave brought back memories she had tried to forget—not of Brad but of someone else. Someone very special. Her knees went weak and her heart hammered in her chest.

“Nancy, my love.” His voice was deep and rich and enticing. “Do you remember me?”

Watch for THE AGENT'S SECRET PAST, on sale March 1, 2014!

Her Secret Valentine Part 6 by Missy Tippens

Her Secret Valentine Part 6

by Missy Tippens

Nancy looked at Garth Willowby’s business card. Looked at the man himself. Then looked at her best friend, an idea taking shape.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking,” Shanna asked with a laugh.

Nancy smiled and turned back to Mr. Willowby. “A P.I., huh? We’re trying to catch that man, too.”

“So you know him?”

“Well, honestly, I’m not sure. I think he could be my secret…uh…admirer.” Her scorching face must be as red as the three-inch spike heel in her hand.

His eyebrows lifted, and Nancy wanted to crawl away because laughter shone in his eyes. He was having entirely too much fun at her expense.

Shanna sidled up beside him and blessed him with one of her most winning smiles. A smile that tended to bring men to their knees. “Mr. Willowby—”

“Garth. Please call me Garth.”

Had Shanna just batted her eyes? Yes, she had.

Shanna batted them again. “Garth, could you tell us what you know about that man?”

The calm, cool charmer’s face suddenly streaked with red at Shanna’s attention. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. Client confidentiality and all that.”

“Then I’d like to hire you,” Nancy blurted. “To find that man who just ran down the street, the man who bought me vanilla biscotti.” A thrill shot through her. She might soon know the man who’d been wooing her with gifts and sweet words.

Sweet yet eerily familiar words. She sobered, thinking of the note that made her heart ache for lost love. Hadn’t it been him who always told her she needed to get out and enjoy life?

“Let me get this straight. You’d like to hire me to find your secret admirer?”

“Yep. Because the man’s note said Nancy's a natural beauty,” Shanna added in a sing-song voice.

The investigator’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “I’d say you’re both natural beauties.”

Nancy wanted to snap her fingers in front of his face but refrained for her friend’s sake. Could a romance be blooming? “So Garth, can I hire you to locate this man?”

Without looking away from Shanna, he nodded. “As long as any leads I get on the man keep me in Cupid’s Corner, I’ll be glad to work with you ladies.”

Her Secret Valentine, Part 3...

Her Secret Valentine (a Craftie Ladies Continuing Valentine Romance)

Today’s Installment by Teri Wilson

The bell above the door of Cupid’s Corner Creamery chimed as Nancy crossed the threshold. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach, which was ridiculous really. She’d thought about Ted a few times since the bowling alley outing, but it wasn’t as though she’d been pining away for him or anything. He hadn’t even been to the church singles group since before New Year’s Day.

Still, it would be nice to know if he’d been the one to send the gifts. As secret admirers went, he would be a nice one. Not that Nancy knew a thing about secret admirers. She’d had one for all of two days.

“Hi, welcome to Cupid’s Corner Creamery!” A woman in a frilly pink apron greeted Nancy from behind the counter. “Can I help you?”

Nancy’s cheeks grew warm. She hadn’t expected an employee. Every time she’d set her designer-clad foot in the ice cream parlor, Ted had been the one to scoop up her ice cream.

The woman smiled at her and waved at the colorful selection of ice cream in the freezer with a Vanna White-style flick of her wrist.  “We have over a dozen flavors to choose from today, along with two sugar-free, fat-free varieties.”

Fat free.

Nancy sucked in her stomach before she even realized what she was doing. Good grief, she was a nervous wreck.

She glanced at the choices and couldn’t help but notice the ironic lack of spumoni.

“Mint chocolate chip, please. Just one scoop.” She smiled and took an exploratory glance around the shop while she waited for her ice cream.

“Here you go.” The woman handed her the cone.  “I’ll ring that up for you.”

Nancy took the ice cream and gnawed at her bottom lip. She was running out of time. It wasn’t as if she could stand around ordering cone after cone until Ted showed up.

She took a deep breath. “Is Ted here?”

“Oh no, I’m sorry. He’s not here right now.” The woman smiled.

It was then that Nancy noticed her nametag. Mint chocolate chip ice cream began to melt down her hand while she stared at the name emblazoned on it.

Donna Spumoni.

Surely that didn’t mean what she thought it meant.

“Perhaps I can help you instead.” Donna Spumoni smiled again. It was a nice smile. A pretty smile. Nancy couldn’t help but wonder if she could bowl, too.  “I’m his wife.”

Her Secret Valentine part 2

Her Secret Valentine (A Craftie Ladies continuing Valentine Romance)

Today’s Installment by Terri Reed J

Nancy handed the list she’d complied to Shanna.  “That’s every guy I can think of who might—and I mean might with a big capital M--be interested enough to send me roses and candy.”

            And not just any candy.  Chocolate.  Good chocolate from one of her favorite chocolatiers.  Coincidence?

            “Ohhh, that’s a long list,” Shanna teased.  “A lot of frogs and no prince?”

Heat crept up Nancy’s neck.  “Its not that many.”

Shanna laughed.  “Maybe I’ll find my own secret admirer among these guys.”

            “You’re welcome to have this one.”  It wasn’t that Nancy was opposed to romance.  She hoped and prayed one day God would bring a man into her life.  A man willing to open his life fully to her.  A man not shy of commitment.  A man worth risking her heart on.

            She’d yet to find a man like that though she’d tried. 

After moving to Cupid’s Corner she’d joined the Christian Community Church’s singles group.  Amazing there were enough singles in a place with the name Cupid’s Corner to warrant a singles group.  But the beach community also brimmed with couples in love which gave her hope. 

            “What about Ted Spumoni?” Shanna pointed to his name on the list.  “Sweets are in his wheelhouse.”

            Ted owned the local ice cream parlor.  He did know she liked chocolate and gave her a free double scoop on a waffle cone whenever she stopped in.  She wasn’t sure he was the roses type, but who knew? 

They’d been paired on one outing to the bowling alley before Christmas.  Between the two of them they’d had more strikes than any other team.  He’d been fun and interesting and had asked for her phone number.  But he hadn’t called.    

Hmmm, maybe he was working up the nerve with the flowers and chocolate.

            Excitement trembled through her.   Looked like a trip to the ice cream parlor was on her agenda today.  

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Coming in February

Killer Competition

A champion ski jumper, Nick Walsh wants one thing: to win the gold for his late brother.  Nick has always blamed himself for his family's tragic loss--and so does everyone else.  To complicate things, sweet and shy reporter Julie Frost insists on doing a story about him.  But as Nick gets closer to achieving his dream, someone will do anything to stop him. Somehow, Nick must keep Julie from getting too close as they confront a threat that can destroy them both.  Julie and Nick are on the verge of discovering the truth about his brother's death...unless an unknown murderer finds them first.