Shades of Pink (Lola Pink Mysteries Book 1)

by Gina LaManna

  The high ceilings erred on the drafty side now, and the half-finished construction made it feel like ghosts whispered in the breezes as forgotten plastics hung from the ceiling and orphaned tools rested on the tables.

  To my surprise, Dane had hired a construction crew while I’d been staying with him at the castle and they’d just recently begun work. A bonus, he’d said, for helping to fetch double the asking price for his product.

  Padding downstairs, I looked at the clock against the kitchen and realized with a start that it wasn’t yet eight a.m. Normally, I’d never be awake at this hour, but Dane’s strict schedule had turned me into a bit of a morning bird instead of a night owl.

  I opened the front door, then fixed a cup of coffee with a full-on view of the Sunshine Shore. The glittering ocean and the hopeful morning light brought a smile to my face.

  This was home. My place was here, in the shop that Dotty and I had shared, serving the community that’d taken me in years and years ago.

  Wrapping my robe tighter around me, I made my way toward Dotty’s chair to finish my coffee and read the newspaper—something I hadn’t done in weeks. When I’d been living in Castlewood, life existed in a bubble. I’d almost forgotten about the outside lands. It was a wonder Dane Clark ever left his own community—a few weeks there, and I’d nearly been sucked into his world.

  As my fingers touched the edges of newspaper, however, a voice interrupted my thoughts. I swiveled around, hand on my chest as I came face to face with Nicolas Flanagan.

  “Oh, hi,” I said on a light laugh, dropping my hand to my side. “Sorry, still a little jumpy.”

  “May I?” Nick gestured toward the open doorway, and at my nod, he stepped through into Dotty’s former psychic shop. “So, this is it, huh? Dotty’s place? Hasn’t changed much.”

  “It has,” I said softly, gesturing toward the work in progress. “It wasn’t always like this—you know, unfinished and empty. When Dotty was alive, it was…well, it was perfect. Maybe you remember.”

  “It was a long time ago.” His eyes roved over the room, the kitchen, the living area, finally landing on her squishy chair. “If I remember right, this is where she would sit.”

  I confirmed with a nod.

  “Always regretted not coming back here,” Nick said, taking a seat across from her chair without an invitation. “She explicitly told me to come back, but I ignored her advice.”

  “Oh, I don’t think anything Dotty told you would’ve changed all that much,” I said, thinking about her most recent note. “Her predictions were mostly guidelines, encouragement, that sort of thing.”

  “It meant a lot to me, what she told me when I was fifteen,” Nick said, his eyes focused intently on mine. “I’m wondering if she left something for me, or if you might know what she’d been meaning to tell me, or… actually, never mind. It’s stupid.”

  “It’s not stupid,” I interrupted. “In fact, I have something for you.”

  “You don’t have to do this, Lola, really. I came here to see if you needed anything. You know you’re welcome at the castle anytime, don’t you? You don’t have to stay here alone.”

  “I know,” I replied softly. “Everyone made that clear, and I’m very appreciative. But I needed to spend a few nights by myself. Time to think, and all that.”

  “I understand.”

  “Do you want to hear what Dotty had saved for you?”

  “She…” He cleared his throat, adjusted his button-down shirt. “She actually left something for me?”

  “It’s in here.” I reached over to the small table next to her chair and removed the purple journal. It was completely blank, none of Dotty’s predictions left inside—her disappearing ink trick had expired completely, but Nick didn’t know that. He didn’t need to know that. “Shall I read it?”

  He blinked, straightened, and then gave a quick nod. “I guess, if she left it—probably makes sense to hear what she had to say.”

  Flipping open to a random page, I stared at the blank sheet for a long time, squinting a bit as I stalled for the words to come to me. I might never be psychic, but I’d eaten my fair share of cheap Chinese food and fortune cookies, and I knew I had one saved up in my head. I focused on it, trying to remember a random piece of advice that might help Nick in some tiny way.

  Nothing came to me, though, even after I squinted, thumbed through some more pages, and said a prayer for inspiration. Finally, I gave up, turning to apologize to Nick, to come clean with the full story, except that I couldn’t.

  When I looked up and met his gaze head on, I couldn’t bring myself to disappoint the shred of hope in his stare. The shred of belief that we all have, all need, in order to keep going, to navigate this mysterious, dangerous, confusing world.

  “It’s never too late,” I told him. I had no idea where the words came from, or why, but they popped out, and I couldn’t seem to stop. “Whatever it is you feel the need to do, the moment hasn’t passed. You have another chance, Nick.”

  To my surprise, a wash of relief flooded his eyes, and he gave the slightest shake of his head. “Dotty said that?”

  “Basically,” I said. “The general gist of it.”

  “That’s…” Nick stood, running a hand through his hair. He walked in a circle around the room, dodging the construction plastics before returning to face me. “Thank you, Lola. That is just what I needed to hear—I only wish I’d come back sooner.”

  “Well, we at the Psychic in Pink do our best to help,” I told him. “I hope that does the trick.”

  “Helps? It’s perfect. Unbelievable.” He moved toward the doorway, pausing there with his fingers pressed to the side. “Thank you, Lola. I’m going to go now, if you don’t need me—have to take care of some business.”

  “Godspeed!” I called after him. “Good luck.”

  “Oh, one more thing.” He stepped back inside, and returned his gaze to mine. “My dad—I’m going to find proof against him. We’ll put him behind bars, I promise you.”

  “I know,” I said, a smile on my face. “Dane said the same thing. I trust you both.”

  “Good.” Nick nodded. “I promise you, he won’t bother us anymore.”

  “I trust you,” I told him. “Now go. You have a prophecy to fulfill.”

  His face brightened with a grin. Turning, he ran face first into Babs and Annalise, who had appeared on the front steps in near-silence.

  “Hello,” Babs said, giving Nick the once over. “What brings you here?”

  “I’m just leaving,” he said. “She’s all yours.”

  Feeling much like a queen, or something of the sort with all of these visitors, I waved for my two best friends to come inside. That was where all semblance of royalty ended. Babs stole the coffee mug from my hands and plopped down on the arm of Dotty’s chair.

  “What’s crackin’?” she asked. “What brought Nick by?”

  “He was just checking on me,” I said. “Nothing important.”

  “Cool, us too,” Babs said. “Annalise wanted to pretend we were coming to get coffee, but we all know your coffee tastes like mud. We just wanted to make sure your first night alone went fine.”

  “If you hate my coffee, why’d you steal it?”

  “Mud coffee’s better than no coffee.” She sipped, handed it back, and gave me a one-armed squeeze. “So, how was it? First night back in your old digs!”

  “It was nice,” I said. Babs raised her eyebrow, and even I detected the slight hesitation in my voice. “Okay, fine. It was weird. I’m used to being at the castle, and it was like I felt—I don’t know…”

  “Lonely?” Babs finished. “That’s normal, buttercup.”

  “Yeah,” I said. “Plus, I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do for work now. I have money from the job for construction, but I have to live in the meantime. Eat, and all of that stuff.”

  “You’re not working for Dane?” Babs asked. “I thought you would’ve talked about that while you stayed there for weeks.�
�

  “It never came up,” I said. “I didn’t see him all that much. Plus, he…”

  “Kissed you!” Babs squealed. “I can read your mind. You guys smooched, and now it feels strange to work for him.”

  “Basically.”

  “Huh,” she said. “Well, good luck with that. If you really need work, you could probably open the sunglasses shop early, but I’m not sure it’d turn a profit.”

  I shook my head. “Nope, don’t think so. Maybe Darrel needs some temporary help at the donut shop.”

  “Do that.” Babs pointed at me. “Free donuts and an excuse to visit Darrel whenever I feel like it? I insist.”

  I laughed. “Well, we’ll see. I do need money, but…”

  “Dane will offer you something, I promise,” Babs said, reclaiming my coffee cup for one more sip of mud. “Don’t be afraid to take him up on it. Who knows? Maybe it’s what you both need.”

  “Why are you so quiet?” I turned to Annalise, since I didn’t have a response for Babs. Usually, she had a firm word of advice on all topics, yet this morning, she remained mysteriously mute. “What do you think?”

  “She’s having a pity party for herself,” Babs said, her voice gentle. “Her and Semi feel bad about the other night, even though I told her you don’t care. I mean, you’re all in one piece, aren’t you?”

  I pulled myself to my feet and spun around. “All in one piece,” I echoed. “And is that…” I paused, glancing out the window. “Is Semi waiting in the car?”

  “We feel horrible!” Annalise blurted out, her lips curling into a pout. “If we hadn’t been making out in his car, maybe Semi could’ve stopped this whole ordeal from happening!”

  “Look, everything worked out how it was supposed to,” I told her, resting a hand on her arm. “If Luke and I hadn’t gone on the Ferris wheel I might have never figured it out. Then, he’d have come after me when there was nobody around, and things would’ve been worse.”

  “See?” Babs chimed in. “That’s what I’ve been telling you all along. You saved the day by sucking face, Annalise.”

  Her face crumpled. “Must you be so crude, Babs?”

  Babs and I grinned at one another over her tight ponytail. Annalise was back.

  “Stay here,” I said to them both. “I have to go clear the air with Semi.”

  “I don’t think—” Annalise didn’t get the chance to finish because I’d already begun a march outside.

  I continued straight to the black SUV parked at the curb and rapped my knuckles against the window. “Hey, you.”

  The window slid down, silent and swift, revealing Semi’s stoic expression, marred only by a pair of cheap sunglasses pulled over his eyes. They looked like they were from some dollar bin at Target, and I made a note to upgrade his style, stat. Annalise could thank me later.

  “What?” he said.

  “Hi, to you too,” I said. “Now drop the attitude. You and Annalise are great together, and I don’t blame you for making out in the car the other night.”

  “Mr. Clark asked me to watch you, and I failed.”

  “He didn’t fire you, did he?”

  “No.”

  “Okay, then are we good? I’m alive. We caught the bad guy. We’re all happy, capisce?”

  White teeth appeared in a grudging sort of smile. “I hear you loud and clear, Miss Pink.”

  “Good,” I told him. “Now stop being weird and come inside with your girlfriend.”

  “She’s not my girlfriend—”

  “Don’t want to hear it!” I hummed over his protests and waltzed back inside, prepared to whip up a pot of coffee for the girls. Except, they were standing at the front door. “Where’re you both going? You just got here.”

  “It’s a work day,” Babs said. “She’s got practice, and I’ve got a job. Remember? I’m a lawyer. Some people listen to my counsel, even if you don’t.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “How about some coffee, first?”

  “If you’re lonely come visit babe, okay?” Babs said. “I won’t even make you bring your own mug.”

  I waved to them, pretending it did not sting a little to see them go. Obviously they had their own lives to take care of—there was money to be made and careers to nurture, but the silence of my home hit with a whoosh as I made my way back inside.

  Turning the tea kettle on, I mumbled, “Coffee for one.”

  “Make that two. Please.”

  I whirled around to find a man there—the very same man I couldn’t get out of my head all night, and all morning—every waking moment and every sleeping moment.

  “Dane? Hi! What… what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be working?”

  “I have a problem—I don’t have my assistant.” He smiled, stepping through the open doorway, and surveying the room through a set of critical eyes. “I’m lost without her.”

  “But—”

  “I know we kissed, Lola. I know I asked you on a date, and I know that I want something more with you,” Dane said, his eyes glinting blue under the morning sunlight. He took two more steps across the room. “I also know that we have a million things we need to figure out before we begin a relationship.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed. “I suppose we do.”

  “Therefore, I can’t think of a single reason that you shouldn’t remain employed by the Clark Company until we figure out those things.”

  “My contract is over, though.”

  “One of them. But, as my fake personal assistant, you accomplished more than any real assistant I’ve ever hired. Come back to the castle, Lola. If you don’t want to work for me, I understand. Maybe Mrs. Dulcet or Nick need help. There’s space for you wherever you choose.”

  “I don’t know, Dane. I have this to take care of.” I gestured around the room. “I know you offered to help pay for it, but… it doesn’t feel right. I want to pay for it myself. That’s why I took the job with you in the first place. It’ll be a lot of work to get this place running—”

  “It’s just an offer,” Dane said. “I figured you might need an income while this is re-vamped. You’ll probably even need a bed to sleep in when they tear half this place down.”

  “Yeah,” I said, glancing around the room and envisioning the place crumbled to the ground. “I suppose you’re right.”

  “Whether or not you want to work for the Clark Company, you have a place with us to stay. As a friend.”

  I swallowed, taking in the tall, handsome figure watching me with such care. “Thank you, Dane.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  I crossed the space between us and let my hands find his. “What happens after? After this place is up and running? It’s a business, and I’ll have to be here to care for it.”

  “We’ll cross all of those bridges when we come to them.” He inched even closer, and his suit brushed against my robe. “Please consider it an open invitation. I miss you, Lola. I just want you back.”

  “I miss you, too.”

  “Last night, the castle was empty. There are hundreds of staff, hundreds of employees that work ’round the clock, but I couldn’t sleep. Couldn’t stop thinking of you.” He lowered his head toward mine, brought a hand toward my face, his thumb lightly caressing my cheek. “I need you at the castle. I need you in my life.”

  “Okay,” I said. “It’s good to be back, boss.”

  His eyes danced, but he didn’t move from our position of closeness. “Do you mean it?”

  “Yes, of course. I don’t like being here alone,” I told him. “Last night was… I missed you, Dane.”

  Lowering his lips, he covered my mouth with his in an embrace of sweetness, a soft, tender touch that melted me into his body. My arms came up, circled his neck, and I clung to him like my last breath.

  His hands slid down my back, enveloping my waist and holding me against him for a long time as he dove deeper into the kiss, exploring, teasing out a laugh as he pulled back just enough to give me a smile.

  “You are beautiful,
Lola,” he told me. “And I’d like to show you what’s inside of Warehouse 11.”

  “Really? What is it?”

  “Not now, later.”

  “A hint?”

  “No. It’s a surprise.” He turned and faced me, a rare smile lighting his face. “Lola, I am going to love you.”

  “I think I’ll love you too, Dane,” I said. “But before we go back to the castle, I have one more thing for you.”

  “A gift?”

  He sounded so surprised that I laughed again. Then, I retreated to the back of the store and slid out the surprise from a drawer. Guarding it behind my back, I made my way back across the room. “It matches the gift you gave me.”

  Cocking his head to the side, a look of pure confusion crossed his face. “The necklace?”

  “Close your eyes.”

  He did as I said, and I moved quickly, situating the sunglasses on his face. “There. Now, look in the mirror.”

  His eyes flicked open—I could see them widen in surprise through the lenses of the pink sunglasses I’d rested on his nose. They were dorky and girly and everything that Dane Clark was not.

  “What is this?” he asked, his voice weak. “I don’t… I don’t wear pink.”

  “Tough guys wear pink.”

  “No, they don’t.”

  “Fine.” I grinned, pulling the shades from his face. “I was just testing you. A joke. How about these?”

  I slid a different pair onto his nose, sleek and black, oozing with the subtle flair of expensive accessories. Suave, sophisticated, polished—just right for Dane Clark.

  He surveyed himself in the mirror for a long moment, his eyes critical even through the dark lenses. “You know what? On second thought,” he said, reaching for the first pair again. “I think I prefer… pink.”

  My face must clearly have registered shock. “I was kidding, you don’t actually have to wear those. They look ridiculous on you.”

  But he ignored me, and instead slid them back onto his nose. “Turns out, black isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.” He reached for my hand, and held it tight as he led me through the front door, sunglasses and all. “I happen to like pink.”