miss fortune mystery (ff) - my sinful valentine (4 page)

“What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be here until seven. It’s only,” I checked my watch. “A little after five.”

He laughed and cautiously moved toward me. “I know that, and I was going to stay away, I swear that was the plan, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that you might need some help.” He looked at my three friends, then back at me. “Even with these three around.”

“You can’t help. I’m supposed to be doing this on my own. The girls are just here to tell me what to do.”

“Does that include getting the mixer caught in your hair and drowning Ally with eggs?” he teased as he reached out and helped each of us to our feet, then stepped back with an amused twinkle in his eyes.

“What exactly where the three of you working on, and what smells so good?”

I reached up and tried to untwist one of the beaters from my hair with no luck. “We were about to make red velvet cupcakes but had a little accident.”

Little accident.

When I looked at my kitchen again, I decided
little accident
was a bit of an understatement. It looked like the Pillsbury Dough Boy had a wild party and bailed before the cleanup.

“Roast and vegetables in the slow cooker, and rolls in the over are what smells so great.” Ally chimed in. “And Fortune made them all on her own.” She bragged on me like one would a child. I admit, it felt nice having someone be proud of me, even if it was over something so miniscule.

“How about you ladies get cleaned up and I’ll get to work on this kitchen.” Carter offered.

“I can’t let you do that—

“Of course you can.” He interrupted. “Valentine’s Day is for the both of us, and if I’m going to be sharing this delicious smelling meal, I’d like to help with at least the cleanup.”

“Keep him, girl.” Gertie said with a smile. “A man who likes to do cleanup. You’re not going to find another one around here anytime soon.”

“Don’t you need to go get cleaned up?” I asked, trying to hide my embarrassment. The mention of “keeping” Carter had my cheeks burning a bright red.

“Actually,” Ally piped up, “She’s right. I think Fortune can handle the rest of this meal on her own. We didn’t get the cupcakes made, but that’s okay. I’ll bring some by for you both in the morning.” She cast a pointed look in Ida Bell and Gertie’s direction. “Let’s leave these two alone.”

“You don’t have to go.” I said as the other ladies gathered their purses. I don’t know why, but I was feeling rather nervous. This was my first Valentine’s Day with a man and I had no idea what to do, or what was expected.

“But the rolls—

“The timer will go off in about fifteen minutes. Just take them out and let them cool.”

I nodded and one of the beaters smacked against my cheek.

“Oh, would you like for me to stay and help you get those out?” Ally asked.

I seriously contemplated it for a minute before deciding against it. I was determined to do one thing on my own today if it killed me.

“No, I can get them out. If I need help, I’ll give you a call.”

“You can handle it, Fortune. I’m sure of it.” Ally laughed. “We’ll see you tomorrow.” She patted my shoulder and the three made their way to the door and left.

I wished I had as much faith in myself as Ally did. If I were on a mission in the desert or camped out in the jungle, I would, but this domestic life was something completely new to me.

“Go on and get cleaned up. I’ll have this taken care of by the time you get back down here.”

“Thanks.” I sighed. “I’ll be right back.”

Carter grabbed a broom as I jogged up the stairs.

I began to yank off my buttery, flour-covered t-shirt but it got caught on the beaters still dangling from my hair.

I pried the shirt over them, then tossed it and the rest of my clothing near the hamper, grabbed a towel from the rack, and started the shower.

I stood in front of the mirror for a moment trying to decide the best course of action. Those things were in there and I wasn’t sure they’d ever come out without cutting them out, and I was fairly certain taking my hair off to the scalp would more than shock Carter, and it would totally blow my cover were the men I was hiding from somehow see me. A buzz cut had been my preferred hair style until being shipped off to hide in Sinful. Now it was all hair extensions, makeup, and perfume.

Instead of the scissors, I grabbed a bottle of something Ally called leave-in conditioner and soaked the knotted hair with it.

It felt like it took forever to get the hair to unwind even a little, but a half of a bottle of leave-in conditioner and nearly all of my patients later, I slid the second beater free from my hair and tossed it into the sink.

“That’s the last time I try to bake anything.”

As I stepped beneath the stream of steaming hot water, I couldn’t stop the flow of questions about what was happening between Carter and myself from flooding my mind.

I really liked Carter, and after trying and failing to deny it, I had come to the conclusion that I more than liked him. I cared about him, and that was what scared me.

I cared about Carter. I’d had short, sporadic relationships in the past, but not one of them even came close to what I was experiencing with Carter. Then there was the fact that I was a CIA assassin in hiding. Carter didn’t even know that I wasn’t who he thought I was. He thought I was a sweet, innocent beauty queen/librarian in town to take care of her late aunt’s estate. Little did he know, I was so far from sweet and innocent that it was scary. I’d killed people, one with a high heel shoe for crying out loud.

I didn’t know what I was supposed to do in this new, uncharted territory, but I knew what I wanted to do.

I wanted to have a real Valentine’s Day date with a man I cared about. The obstacles we would undoubtedly face at some point in the future could wait. Right now, I wanted to go downstairs and have a nice, quiet meal with a man I enjoyed being with.

I dried my now beater-free hair, tossed it into a loose ponytail, and then applied a little lip gloss and mascara, because that was about the extent of my makeup skills.

I went to my closet and pulled out a light pink, off-the-shoulder top Ally had talked me into buying the week before, and a pair of jeans.

I tossed them on and then slid my feet into a pair of light pink ballet flats. Again, a purchase Ally had had a hand in. If I had it my way I would live in yoga pants and t-shirts.

I looked at myself in the mirror and sighed.

I was in strange new world but that had never slowed me down before.

I’d captured gun-runners, killed terrorists, and taken down drug lords.

I could handle one little Valentine’s date.

Chapter Five

I jogged down the stairs and as I hit the last step, froze in my tracks.

The kitchen was spotless but that wasn’t what gave me pause.

The lights were dimmed and rose petals led from the bottom of the stairs and through the kitchen.

I assumed I was supposed to follow them, so I did.

The roses stopped at the back door leading out to the rear patio. My curiosity was piqued. I pushed through the back door and gaped at the scene before me.

The patio table was covered with a white tablecloth, and topped with the roast and vegetables, rolls, candles, and a bottle of wine. It looked like a scene straight out of one of the movies Gertie had talked me into watching.

The sound of crickets and frogs filled the air, and the stars glinted brilliantly off of the bayou running along the edge of my backyard. It was really quite beautiful.

“You look amazing.”

I met Carter’s twinkling gaze.

“Did you plan all of this?”

He smiled. “I did.”

“You didn’t think I could pull this night off, did you?” I frowned.

“Whoa. Slow down there.” He said and stepped up to stand so close to me I could smell his unique scent.

“I had absolutely zero doubt that you could pull this night off, but I wanted to help. It’s not your place to make this a great night for me by cooking all day. You already made it a great night just by agreeing to spend it with me.”

I glanced away, but he tilted my face up to meet his gaze.

“I wanted to make this night special for you, too, to be a part of it, not just a spectator.” He said.

“What would you have done if you’d have arrived and I had everything under control?” I asked.

“Ida Bell, Gertie, and Ally were here. I have no doubt in your abilities. I adore those three, and I know that they always have the best of intentions, but there was no way on Earth that this night was going to go off without a hitch.”