The brightest star, p.13
The Brightest Star, page 13
“I don’t mind doing extra chores for your dad. I enjoy taking care of my family. You too,” she added.
Lauren felt silly and childish for her remarks. There was no point in arguing with her mother, if that’s what you could call what she was doing. Her mother was as stuck in her wifely ways as her father was in refusing to step into the modern world everyone outside this house lived in.
“Just forget I said anything. It’s been a long day, Mom. I’m going up to bed. Is there anything you need before I go upstairs?” She always asked this, and rarely did her mother or father ask much of her.
“How were sales today?” her mother asked.
Not usually so blunt, Lauren took a deep breath, preparing to exaggerate the number of customers. But it was wrong to do that, and she knew she had to stop. She would start now. No time like the present. “They were terrible, Mom as in, none. Nada. We had a couple of people come in to browse, and that was it. Madison stopped by for tea, we had a nice chat, caught up with each other’s lives. That pretty much sums up my day.” She hadn’t told her about Lee Hessinger—she would eventually, but only when the time was right.
“I don’t understand why. Razzle Dazzle has prospered for decades. This isn’t normal, Lauren. I remember a time when I could barely keep the shelves stocked,” her mother said, clearly disappointed in Lauren’s answer.
Here we go again, Lauren thought. But no, I am not getting into this with her now. She’d already tired of the discussion, which had been going on for the past three years. Eventually, they would understand. If not, that was the end of the line for Razzle Dazzle Décor. And while she felt that it was her duty to fund the shop for a couple of months, after that, her parents would have to come to terms with the new reality, and she prayed they would join the rest of the civilized world in the twenty-first century.
“Mom, we’ve had this discussion so many times that, honestly, I’m too bushed to get into it all over again right now. You know where I stand, and so does Dad. It might help if you’d convince him to think of expanding.” She walked over to where her mother sat, gave her a hug, and kissed the top of her head. “Night, Mom.”
Upstairs in her room, Lauren slipped on her flannel pajamas and slid beneath the heavy covers. Her mind went over the events of the day. She smiled when she thought of Madison’s news. She and Scott had been trying for years to get pregnant, and now it was their new reality. She couldn’t wait until this new little being was introduced to the world. She often thought of her own biological clock, her dreams to one day have a family of her own. It might not happen for her. She thought she was good with that, but now, hearing Madison, seeing the joy, the excitement of what lay ahead of her, she couldn’t help but feel a tad bit envious. Some women weren’t meant to have children, and maybe she was one of those women. Career-oriented. Driven. A cat lady.
“Geez,” she said in the darkness, but in that darkness an idea formed, just a seed, but still, it was something she could pursue on her own and would bring her so much joy. The more she thought about it, the more determined she was to set her plan into motion.
Yes, she would be busy with this book, if all worked as Angela seemed to think it would. And yes, she had to help her parents with the family store and all the issues that came along with that, but this was something she could do for herself, and in doing so, she’d be providing a home for an animal in need.
Lauren was going to adopt a cat. With that in mind, she went to sleep, at peace with the world.
Chapter 13
Lauren was out of the house before her parents were up. She had plenty of time to do what she’d planned before she had to open Razzle Dazzle.
It took fifteen minutes for the heater in her car to warm up. If the gauge on her dash was correct, it was a mere eight degrees, well below freezing. She hadn’t lowered the thermostat in the shop, so hopefully it wouldn’t be too cold. But first, she had to make a stop at the local animal shelter.
Waking up at 4:00 A.M., she hadn’t been able to get back to sleep. Having the Internet at her fingertips, she was able to learn what she needed to do to adopt an animal from the local shelter. She was fairly certain she met the requirements, but still, one never knew. They opened their doors at 7:30, and she planned to be there. She’d often thought of getting a pet when she’d lived in Florida but could never commit because of her lifestyle. She was footloose and fancy-free, and at the time, it would have been unfair to have an animal, then leave it all alone. Now her life was different. She was settled now and knew the responsibilities associated with having an animal. In addition, Lauren felt confident that her parents would welcome another pet. They’d always had a dog or a cat when she was growing up, and their last cat, Buzz, named for his short coat of fur, had lived to the ripe old age of twenty-two before giving up the ghost. When she’d moved to Florida, any thought of another pet was put aside.
She parked the car, bundled up with her coat from two seasons ago, plus two extra layers for added warmth, and was still shivering when she stepped out into the early-morning chill. The skies were gray, and dark clouds hung low over the Blue Ridge Mountains. Yet jewel-toned evidence of autumn still clung to branches that would soon be barren. The wind bit into her exposed skin, and she secured her scarf so only her eyes were exposed to the elements.
As soon as she stepped inside the shelter, she heard dozens of cats meowing, dogs growling, barking, and producing a few mournful howls. A parrot resting on a man-made branch screeched, “Good morning. Please have a seat.”
“That’s Beau, our receptionist. At least he thinks he is,” said a young girl. “Are you here to adopt or volunteer?”
Lauren paused for a second, “I’d love to do both, but today I’d like to adopt. A cat. For now.” The more barking and meows she heard, the more she wanted to adopt every single pet in the shelter, but she knew that was unreasonable. However, she had another thought. Didn’t shelters need donors, financial donors? Of course they did. She added them to her mental checklist.
“Then follow me, and I’ll introduce you to our family.”
Lauren trailed behind her, then went through a set of steel doors. The animals were all lined up on either side of the walls in cages, which broke her heart, but the cages were huge, and most of the dogs were together. Some lay side by side, others jumped up on their hind legs, paws on the mesh, as though they were saying, “Pick me, pick me.” Tears filled her eyes. She wanted all the animals. Dogs, cats, birds. They all tugged at her heartstrings, but again, she knew she had to be reasonable.
“We’ve got a momma cat, she just had two kitties, and they’re as sweet as sugar.” The young girl took her to an area away from the rest of the animals. Inside another fenced-in area was a big fluffy tabby cat and two tiny matches snuggled against their mother. “They need a home.”
“No way am I taking kittens from their mother, or vice versa.”
“Of course not. We don’t allow that here, anyway. However, we do allow one to adopt these little felines, but only as a family.”
“Oh,” was all Lauren could say.
Rooted to the floor, she stooped and stuck two fingers through the mesh. The mother cat meowed, then edged herself and her babies up to the mesh. Momma cat rubbed her nose against Lauren’s fingers, giving off a soft meow. “I can take all three?” she asked, but her mind had already been made up the second Momma cat rubbed her soft little nose against her fingers.
“That would be awesome, but we ask that you keep them together. It’s one of our conditions.”
“I’ll promise you they’ll stay together.” Lauren quickly signed the required adoption papers and agreed to allow Dr. Melloh, a veterinarian who volunteered his services at the shelter, to come to her house and inspect it. While she didn’t know they’d go to such an extreme, she was glad they did. Sending an animal into a new home was a very big deal. Of course, it should be investigated.
“Dr. Melloh will be there tomorrow, but I’ll have to call you with an exact time, if that’s okay?” the young girl asked while Lauren signed the papers and stacked them into a neat pile. “We’ve named the kittens, but, of course, you’re free to change the names if you want.”
“What are you calling them?” Lauren asked.
“Momma is Daisy, the female is Evie, and the male, well, since it’s Christmas time, we called him Yule.”
Lauren burst out laughing. “I love it! Would Evie, Eve, refer to Christmas Eve?”
“You’re a quick study. Though Daisy was named by her original owner. She’s four. Sadly, she lost her mom right before she had the kittens. She was brought here by a neighbor who’d wanted to keep her but couldn’t because of an allergy. So she’s been queen of the house, and we hope these two little buggers will be a prince and princess.”
Lauren’s heart filled with instant love for her new furry family. She’d make sure they were treated like royalty. Now all she had to do was let her mom and dad in on her decision. “Oh, they’re gonna be well loved and cared for. I can promise that.”
“I can see that. Now, as soon as Dr. Melloh makes his house call, we’ll contact you, and if all goes well, and I’m sure it will, you can take these little kitties to their new home. We have a few basic supplies we can give you, but if you’re able to purchase beds, litter boxes, bowls, we’d appreciate it. We are in constant need of supplies so the animals that stay with us have what they need until we find them a forever home.”
“I’ll purchase whatever they need. Keep your supplies, please.”
“Thanks, we appreciate it since they’re getting more and more expensive, and lots of people want animals but forget that they need their own beds, bowls, things of that nature.”
“Exactly how many dogs and cats can you house here?” Lauren asked, another brilliant idea forming.
“We keep as many as fifty, and as few as five. Though as long as I’ve been here, we’ve always had at least thirty, both dogs and cats. We do get a few wild animals, but we do what we can, then try to return them to their natural habitat, if at all possible. It’s a lot of work, but all of us volunteers love it.”
“So you just volunteer here?” Lauren asked, more impressed than ever.
“This is my third year, and I’ll do it as long as I’m able.”
Lauren didn’t want to be nosy and ask about her finances, so she said good-bye, telling her she’d look forward to Dr. Melloh’s visit and that she couldn’t wait to introduce her new family to their new home.
Outside, it was still bitter cold, and snow was falling in big flakes, sticking wherever it landed. Maybe they’d have a white Christmas. Somehow, she doubted this cold spell would last over the next three and a half weeks, though one could always hope.
A million thoughts ran through her head as she drove to the store. The first, and most important—would the store have any customers today? She’d funded the place, but any additional monies Razzle Dazzle earned would be a bonus, at this point.
Not liking to start the holiday season with a negative attitude, she forced herself to set aside the negativity and count her blessings. She had so many. Her family, her friends, her health, and she was in a good place financially. Now she had three little cats to care for. And a ginormous book contract that would enable her to do so much good, not just by adding a few more zeroes to her bank account but by giving to those who were truly in need. Lee Hessinger. Charlotte. The shelter. She could go on, but for now, she was going to focus her attention on the positive, just as Madison had said. Just thinking of her best friend and what lay ahead for her and Scott brought a smile to Lauren’s face. Yes, she was blessed in so many ways, and she had to remember that.
She parked her old Honda in its usual spot behind the store, unlocked the back door, and went to her office. She’d brought her laptop with her, as there was still a great deal of research to do on Mr. Giampalo. Plus, she needed to call Angela and preferred to make the call away from her parents, as she knew it would upset them. That was the last thing she wanted to do. She’d been a bit of an ass when she responded to them yesterday and was feeling incredibly guilty. She would do her best to try to be more understanding from now on.
She bumped up the thermostat and used the remote on her desk to switch on the Christmas lights in the main window. She turned on the gas fireplace and was instantly comforted by the warmth it provided. As usual, she walked up and down the aisles, checking to make sure everything was in its place, stopping to rearrange a new display of wrapping paper she’d received yesterday. Hand-painted, it would garner a hefty price, but anyone who knew this particular artist, Heather Hanson, as many locals did, would not question it, knowing all the love and creativity she put into her work. Lauren tried to recall if she’d ordered this last year or the year before but couldn’t. Heather’s wrapping paper was in high demand, and rare. She wondered if it was too late to include this new addition in the ads she’d placed in the papers in the region surrounding Fallen Springs.
In the office, she checked her e-mail, saw she’d asked for all of the ads she placed to appear in many of the upcoming Sunday editions. She e-mailed the papers, asking them to please add that Heather’s Hanson’s unique wrapping paper was available but supplies were limited. This was so easy, since she had the Internet at her fingertips.
Next on her list, she went to Globalgoods.com and ordered everything she would need for her new pets: beds, bowls, litter boxes, litter, several fun toys, plus two cases of the food she’d been told to get. She clicked the PLACE ORDER tab, and a few seconds later learned she would have her shipment tomorrow.
“Wow,” she said.
She took the papers from the shelter out of her bag, located the address, then ordered fifty new beds, in all shapes and sizes. Toys and new food dishes. Most important, she ordered one hundred cases of several varieties of dog and cat food. She’d seen this particular brand stocked at the shelter and hoped she hadn’t gone overboard. Next, she wrote out a five-figure check from her personal checking account, then went to FedEx’s website and placed an order for a pickup, asking for her check to be sent same day to the shelter since it was located in Fallen Springs. She was putting a dent in her personal funds, but she didn’t care. If luck remained on her side, she would have a boatload of money to add to her accounts once she finished her biography of Mr. Giampalo. She was getting super-excited when she heard the little bell jingle, letting her know she had a customer.
“Duty calls,” she said as she plastered a big smile on her face. She stepped out of the office into the main aisle of the store. What she saw caused her to stop dead in her tracks.
Chapter 14
It took a couple of seconds for her to find her voice. “May I help you?” she asked, suddenly realizing what she must look like. She had on a faded pair of jeans with her old Uggs, which were stained from years of use and definitely should have been replaced years ago. Knowing how cold it would be this morning when she’d dressed, she wore an undershirt, then added a worn but comfortable chambray shirt; on top of that, she wore a thick, red wool sweater. Her braid hadn’t lasted throughout the night, and she’d done nothing more than run a brush through her long blond hair. She’d even forgone her usual black mascara, leaving her blond lashes bare. All this came to mind as she stared at her customer, who was so well put together, she wanted to cringe just thinking about what she must look like to him.
He was tall, probably at least six-three, and over two hundred pounds. And it was all muscle. His thighs strained against dark denim, and the cream-colored sweater he wore was stretched to the max by his broad shoulders. Dusty-blond hair, way too long for her taste, touched his shoulders, but he’d tucked the sides behind his ears. He had the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. Bluer than Madison’s, bluer than her own.
Good grief! He was a real-live version of Thor, the Marvel character played by Chris Hemsworth. She’d lost her ability to speak, so she just stood there, dumbfounded by this . . . hunk. What was someone like him doing in her store?
“The door was open,” he said, breaking the silence, his voice deep and sexy.
“Uh, yes, sorry. I was, uh, working. In the office.” She raked her hand through her messy hair. “What can I help you with?” In her wildest imagination, she’d never seen such a stud. She couldn’t help it. There was no other word in her broad vocabulary to describe this man.
“Well, I’m not really sure. I was looking for . . . something unusual. A gift. For a friend. Their birthday. It is Christmas.”
All hope gone, but of what she had no idea, other than a sick, sort of sinking feeling, but she’d wished for customers, and here he was. “Okay, well, did you have something particular in mind? A unique decoration? A sweatshirt? They are hand-painted, one of a kind.”
She watched him watch her. Butterflies danced in her midsection, and she felt dizzy. Before she did or said something she’d regret, she turned away and walked to the back of the store, where she had a display of Christmas music boxes. She felt his presence before turning to face him. “These are exclusive to Razzle Dazzle. We’re the only store in North Carolina that sells these, so the chance of your friend having received one as a gift is slim to none. Of course, if you’re new to the area, and your friend has friends who might shop here, then, well . . .” Good grief! What in the name of Pete is wrong with me? She was sounding like a thirteen-year-old who’s just come face-to-face with her first crush. She felt heat rise to her cheeks.
He leaned in to examine each music box. “Exquisite.” He actually looked at the price tag located on the bottom. “Exquisite price, too,” he added.
Another gush of heat rose to her cheeks. “Yes, but worth every penny,” she managed to squeak out.
“Actually, I was thinking they’re worth much more than you’re selling them for.”
Surprised, she was at a loss for words. Lauren couldn’t recall any customer she’d had in the past three years telling her their prices weren’t high enough.
