Elly in Love (The Elly Series) (43 page)

“Come in!” He was lying on his bed, reading
Lord of the Rings
for the eleventh time since Keith had given him a rare signed edition of the book.

“Hey, I’m running over to Store B. Some drama with Snarky Teenager. Want to come? We can grab Mexican on the way home.”

Dennis looked down at the bed. “Naw. I’m reading.”

“Really? Okay. I guess you should probably make it an early night. Do you have the early shift at the deli tomorrow?”

“
Ugh
. Thanks for reminding me.”

“Okay, see ya.” She paused. “Love ya.” Dennis didn’t even look up from his book, but she saw the tiniest of smiles.

“You, too.”

Elly zipped up a pale-blue fleece and headed out to the car, grumbling the entire drive over about Snarky Teenager. Sure, Store B was doing awesome and was already on track to be solidly in the black in a few months. Sure, she was the talk of the town with a new article about her appearing in the
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
as a (very) young manager, and sure, Elly was constantly being asked about Store B, but there were also these moments every week; moments where she called in a panic. Kim called them “growing pains.” Elly called them annoying, but understandable.

She pulled into the parking garage under the office tower and used her keycard to enter through the back. The building was eerily dark at night, and it gave Elly the creeps, glad that she didn’t have to close up here every night. Looking down at her phone, she made her way into the store, unlocking the door, noticing a strange glow emanating out from the glass walls. Stepping inside, she had to refrain from yelling. Candles! Candles everywhere!

“Really?”
She called out in the darkness. “Candles
again
? Seriously?” This was not the first time that she had come in to candles burning in Store B, and she always lectured Snarky Teenager about how dangerous it was to have an open flame near very flammable wooden boxes, chemically treated flowers, and endless twine. “Arrrggh….” She began blowing them out, one by one, until only one remained, planted firmly in the middle of the room. As she stalked across the room, she noticed that there were some petals on the ground.
Really? She can’t even clean up now
?

“Hello?”
she called out, annoyed. “Where are you? What is wrong with the cooler?” There was a heavy silence in the air.

“Elly?”

She practically leapt out of her skin at the sound of a male voice.
“Keith?”

“Yes?” The voice was coming from below her. Her eyes traveled from the steel beams of the ceiling down to the floor. In the light of the remaining candle, she could see Keith kneeling on the floor in a sea of white petals. He was holding out a small teal box. A small box with a huge antique diamond ring in it. Oh
. OH.

“You blew out all my candles,” he said.

“All except one.”

“All except one.”

She had never been happier.

The success and excitement of the
Elly in Bloom
series is owed to many people, without whom I would still be just
thinking about
writing a book. My utmost and sincere gratitude goes out to all of you. I am blessed with you in my life.

Ryan and Maine Oakes: the best reason to rise every morning.

My parents: for their constant stream of emotional provision. The well overflows.

Cynthia, Cyndi, Cindy: Your work ethic, stoic heart, and love of traveling continues to inspire the best in me.

My devoted beta readers—Jen Lehmann, Erika Bates, Karen Groves, Maureen Carpenter, Jennifer Mullet, Katie Hall, and Ryan Oakes: thank you.

Friends who lent their ears and opinions: Sarah Glover, Cassandra Splittgerber, Nicole London, Elizabeth Wagner, Jordan Powers, Kimberly Stein, Lynette and Katie Oakes, Terri Miller, Jen Hein.

Writing partners, dear friends, and fellow fancy-coffee addicts, Mason J. Torall and Emily Kiebel: I can’t wait for the world to discover your amazing imaginations.

Story editor Erin Armknecht: a strong thread of Elly runs directly from your heart to hers.

The copyediting team: Jeni Miller, thanks for your patience when this was in and back out and then in your hands again. Beth Kendrick, your sharp eye for language and motivation helped this story blossom in the most impressive of ways.

The BookSparks/SparkPress team: Crystal Patriarche, thank you for your unflagging belief in what I do. Every time I talk to you, I glow with the pride you have lent me. Heidi Hurst, your encouraging spirit and determined emailing have changed my career.

Laura Murray, for being so ridiculously talented that I just had to put your photograph on the cover.

Julie Metz, for taking Laura Murray’s photo and creating a cover that simmers in the St. Louis spring.

Thank you.

James 1:17

Colleen Oakes is the author of both the
Elly in Bloom
and the
Queen of Hearts
series. She received her B.A. in Creative Writing at Concordia College in Bronxville, New York. A proud member of the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Oakes lives in Denver with her husband and son, where she reads, swims, and blogs.

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www.sparkpointstudio.com
.