The Ladybug Jinx (11 page)

Celia noticed Sam had disappeared when he heard his name. She didn’t want him to be uncomfortable.

“Let me see if he’s here yet.” Celia noticed Sam disappeared.

She left the lady out in the cold fall morning fog, and found Sam topping off his mug.

“Sam, there is a lady that wants to talk to you because of Mitch.”

“Tell her I’m not here.” Celia heard the chill in his voice, causing her to wonder why he was so against seeing a customer.

Celia wasn’t about to pry. She opened the door to find the woman vigorously rubbing her hands along her arms to keep warm. “He’s not here yet, but I’m the owner if you need some advice.” Celia said.

“No. I do a talk radio program on the local radio station and I wanted him to come on. It isn’t every day you hear a story about a man knowing what flowers mean. And I think my listeners would love a male perspective.” She handed Celia a business card. “Give him this.”

“Will do.” Celia took the card and walked back into the shop.

Sam was waiting in the dark room watching out the window. “What did she want?”

Celia handed him the card.

“Local celebrity.” Celia smiled wanting the same response from Sam, but he stood with a stone face.

*

I’ve messed up
was all Sam could think when Celia handed him the business card. Her words
“local celebrity”
didn’t sit well in his stomach and he could tell she was trying to read his reactions. Only he wasn’t good at hiding them from her. He was an actor for goodness sakes, but like Bianca, Celia was able to read the real Sam.

“I can’t do a radio show.” Sam tried to play it off.

“Yes you will.” Celia was printing off Map Quest directions to get to the hospital. He never used her directions, he kept his Garmin under wraps.

“A…no I won’t.” Sam didn’t like the sound of Celia’s voice.

“It would be great for business. All you have to do is talk about flowers for a hour or so and mention the shop.” Celia pleaded with Sam. “I really could use the exposure. Advertising is so expensive and I have little resources for that.”

It took everything in Sam for him to not offer her all the money she wanted. It did him no good just sitting around in the bank.

“Just give her a call and see what she has to offer.” Celia continued to look at Sam in a way it was hard for him to say no.

He took the card. “Only for you Celia—because you gave me a chance.”

Sam wanted to get out of the shop and start his day. He didn’t have a good feeling about this even though he knew it was something very important to Celia.

*

What in the world am I about to do
, Sam questioned his decision on taking the card and promising

He dialed the number, wishing he had been honest with Celia from the beginning about who he really was, but she would never understand him or his motives. She was sheltered in this town and he didn’t want to take that away from her. Sam tried to picture Celia in his life in Los Angeles and it wasn’t a natural fit.

With each ring, he almost hung up the phone. The last ring, his finger was on the red button,
just push it
. He wanted to push it.

“Hello 91.9 FM?”

“Hi.” Sam was at a loss for words. If they weren’t scripted or memorized, he was lost. “This is Sam Reynolds and I received a business card from my employer Celia Briggs.”

“Yes. I am so glad you called.” The lady at the other end of the phone was squealing in his ear. “One of my friends is dating the mayor, and he gave her some flowers. She told me the meaning of the flowers, and the story about you—I just knew I needed to have you on as a guest.” The lady went on and on about how she wanted Sam to come on the garden show and talk about flowers and put a male perspective on it. Even making it a monthly paying gig.

“I have one request.” Sam was trying to think of the best way to help Celia get the word out about the shop.

“Sure.”

“I want Celia Briggs to have a monthly guest spot too and she gets to advertise her shop.” Sam knew it was a big expectation. He would do it even if she only picked one of his two requests.

“I’ll tell you what, if you have a good response, I will give her a guest spot. If you come back, I will give her another guest spot. If her guest spot becomes popular, I will give her a monthly spot on Sunday mornings.”

“Deal.” Sam hung up the phone happy with the deal he just made. Now he had to talk Celia into it.

The hospital drive was just what Sam needed to get back on track. He no longer found himself looking in the rear view mirror to see if the paparazzi was following. He was no longer obsessed with his Blackberry. He used to check it religiously to make sure the arrows in the top right corner were continuously moving. He no longer made every second of his day in remembrance of Bianca.

Sam grabbed the big yellow smiley face mug with the white daisies and dozen yellow roses sticking out of the top. He knew this would make any kid feel better.

“Room 230?” Sam questioned the receptionist who point in the direction of an elevator.

The door was shut. He tapped lightly so he wouldn’t disturb the child. He opened the door and quietly walked over to the bed. There she laid, as still as the night. He could tell it wasn’t a child. If he hadn’t known better, he could’ve mistaken her for Bianca. The turban was hot pink as Bianca’s was, she was pale and thin.

He stood with his mouth open unable to put the flowers next to the bed.

“Can I help you?” Her words were almost a whisper.

Sam was taken back. He rushed out of the room with the smiling bug vase still in hand. The child in the waiting room was playing with cars underneath all the adult chatter.

“Here. These are for you.” Sam ripped the card off the flowers and bolted out before the child could refuse or anyone could catch him.

“What did you just do?” Sam beat the stirring wheel with the palm of his hands. He gripped it so tight he felt the blood rush up his arms. “Who sent that women yellow roses? What does she have to be joyful about?”

Bianca loved the yellow rose. She always said “only one yellow.” She would put it in the middle of an arrangement for the meaning of joy.

Sam had to get out of there. The wounds were still too fresh.

*

“Are you okay?” Celia watched Sam stomp into the shop. She hadn’t known him long, but she could tell by his mannerisms he was not the Sam she has begun to know.

“Fine.” Sam walked past her and picked up the rest of the deliveries for the day.

“Sure about that?” Celia stopped clipping the orange fall lilies.

“I said fine.” Sam didn’t look back. He used his foot to catch the corner of the door to slam it behind him.

She didn’t get a chance to ask him to have dinner with her and her father. She didn’t even get a chance to ask if he called the radio station. She could call the diner and have Mamie give him a message. Celia realized she didn’t have a number for him.

“Cee.” Marty yelled out. “What did you do to Sam?”

Celia felt her father’s stare as she put the finishing touches on her Autumn Accent Boutique. “He walked in mad.” Celia held the creation up in the natural light to make sure there weren’t any holes. Her soul smiled. “Perfect.”

“What do you mean?” Marty continued to press Celia about Sam.

“Dad, I don’t know. I asked him if he was okay. He said fine and got the deliveries and left.” Celia placed the arrangement in the holding freezer. “This one can be delivered on your way home after dinner.”

“I’m not staying for dinner. Didn’t I tell you?” Marty questioned.

“What do you mean?” Celia turned on her heels. His father had never cancelled on dinner and it made Celia fear he was slipping back into depression. “See this is exactly why I didn’t want to hire another deliverer. It keeps you going.”

“It’s nothing like that. I am going to be having dinner with some friends.” Marty opened the freezer door to get the arrangement. Marty admired the flowers. “You’ve outdone yourself this time.”

“Who are you meeting?” Celia wasn’t falling for his compliments. With a curious eye, Celia watched her father take a few dog treats from the jar and threw them to Charlie.

“Celia, I’m a grown man. I have friends. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He reached over and kissed her on the forehead.

Celia had cooked pork chops for three and no one was there to eat with her.

“Charlie there’s only one thing to do. Pack all this up and take it over to Sam’s.” Charlie’s ears perked up. She wasn’t going to waste a good meal.

Celia decided to park along the diner so not to run into Mamie. As far as she knew, Mamie didn’t tell anyone about running into each other the other night.

Charlie sniffed the crack along the bottom of Sam’s door causing his tail to wag ferociously. “Down, boy.” Celia smiled knowing exactly how he felt. She balanced the food in one hand and knocked with the other.

Sam answered the door in a pair of jeans and grey tee shirt. Celia sighed, he looked much more natural in the tee instead of the plaid shirt. She tried to focus on his face and not be so obvious looking at his muscular arms. She noticed how extremely tan he was.

“Celia.” Sam opened the door only for Charlie to jump on the bed and lay down. “Charlie.”

Sam smile made Celia’s knees buckle. Get control of yourself, Celia smiled back.

“My father had dinner plans with some friends and I wasn’t going to let these pork chops go to waste.” She held the food up under his nose to make sure he let her in.

“Oh thanks.” Sam took the food. He peeked under the tin foil. “There is a lot of food here.”

“Yes, I made enough for three.” Celia was hoping he would invite her in. “I didn’t want to eat alone. I was hoping we could eat together.”

“I’m not really good company tonight.” He handed the food back to her, but she didn’t take it.

“No, you need to eat and I will grab something else.” Celia peeked in at Charlie. Lucky dog, she envied him. “Come on boy.” Charlie bounded off the beds towards the door. “Have a good night, Sam.”

Celia could feel his eyes burning in the back of her head as she clunked down the steps. Normally she wouldn’t walk so heavy, but her heart was sitting in her shoes.

“Celia, wait.” Sam called out.

“Yes?” Celia’s eyes bugged with anticipation.

“Thank you.” He nodded his head. Celia’s heart fell again. She thought he was asking her back up, but he didn’t. She heard the door shut just as she reached the last step.

You’re silly
, Celia was bartering with herself.
You’re thirty-two years old
, she thought. She looked at Charlie, “You should be a cat.” She never imagined being single or even being single with her father.

The diner smelled delicious and Celia’s stomach reminded her not only did she just make a fool of herself, but she gave away her dinner. Charlie loved going in the diner. He knew Mamie would give him the scraps.

Celia scanned the diner for an empty table. The bar was full and the corner table was taken. Celia glanced at the table a little harder. She would know that head from anywhere.

“Hi, Dad.” She put on a happy face. “This is where you stood me…” Celia watched her father take his hand away from Kerri Ann’s hand. “What are you doing?” Celia’s eyes stung. She blinked back the tears.