Troublemaker

by Trice Hickman

  “Yes, without a doubt, Mom.” Alexandria smiled and looked at herself in the floor-length mirror.”

  “You’re not only a beautiful bride,” Victoria said with tears forming in her eyes, “you’re a beautiful person. Your father and I are so proud of you. We know that you and PJ are going to enjoy a wonderful life together. The journey won’t always be easy, and you’ll have a few bumps along the way. But if you keep God first, hold on to each other, and trust in the love you share, you’ll be just fine.”

  Alexandria nodded. “We intend to do just that.”

  Victoria delivered a perfect air-kiss to Alexandria’s cheek. “I’m going to walk out to the vestibule now so the ushers can seat me.”

  Alexandria looked over to her side and saw Allene smiling. Thank you, Grandma Allene, she said in a language that only Allene could understand. I know this day wouldn’t be possible if you hadn’t come into my life a year ago, and for that I’m eternally grateful.

  It’s me who’s grateful, Allene answered back. Now go out there and marry that handsome man waitin’ for you at the altar.

  The wedding directress, whom Victoria had hired, straightened out the bottom of Alexandria’s silk-and-pearl laced train. “Okay, it’s show time,” she said with a smile. “Let’s get you married.”

  They walked out to the vestibule where Ted was waiting. Alexandria smiled when she saw the pride and joy on her handsome father’s face. He wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace. “Other than your mother, you’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen,” Ted told her.

  “Thanks, Daddy. I think that’s the best compliment anyone has ever given me.”

  “It’s true. Your mother and I are so proud of you, and we want you to know that if you and PJ ever need anything, our door is always open.”

  “I love you, Daddy.”

  “Love you, too, princess.”

  The wedding directress motioned to Alexandria. “It’s time for you to make your grand entrance.”

  “All right, let’s do this,” Alexandria said as she laced her arm in her father’s. They stood in front of the sanctuary door and waited for their cue.

  When the sound of Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” filled the air and the doors opened, Alexandria was blown away. The fragrant flowers smelled like heaven. Large vases overflowing with roses, lilies, and gerberas were in every corner the eye could see, and looked more beautiful than the displays she’d seen two weeks ago at Nedine’s Flower Festival. Candles adorned the window sills giving a warm glow to the ornate space, and the smiling faces that filled each pew made Alexandria feel appreciated and loved.

  She walked slowly in her strapless, form-fitting ivory colored gown that had been handmade to highlight her bold curves. She chose to go bare at the neck, allowing the crystal teardrop earrings that dangled at her lobes to accentuate her flawless beauty.

  Butterflies fluttered in her stomach with each step she took. She was ecstatic to see Tyler, Samantha, and Chase smiling as they sat together, united as a family whose strength was in their love and commitment to be open and honest with each other, no matter the situation.

  Alexandria beamed when she saw Christian smile at her and mouth, “You’re beautiful, sis,” as she walked by. She could see that the last two weeks spent in rehab had done him a world of good. She knew he still had a long road ahead of him, and was glad that he was going to check himself back into the treatment center after the ceremony ended.

  A small tear fell from the corner of her right eye as she looked at her mother, who was bursting with happiness in the front pew to her left, and sitting beside her was Gary, adorable in a black suit and tie that she and PJ had picked out for him last week after he was released from the hospital. She blew a kiss to him as he smiled and giggled with joy. Alexandria’s heart felt another boost at the sight of Parker, standing at the front as PJ’s best man. She knew the love and pride on his faced matched the joy he felt in his heart.

  Now, she was only a few feet away from PJ, and she wanted to run up to him and say their “I do’s” right then and there. But she knew she had to be patient for a few more minutes. She smiled wide as she walked slowly toward PJ, who was smiling back at her.

  Alexandria could hardly contain her excitement when she looked at her handsome, sexy bridegroom decked out in his custom made tuxedo. Her body trembled with happiness as she approached the altar where PJ was waiting for her.

  Alexandria had known that because she was a spoken word artist, she was expected to deliver a rousing and sentimental oration for her wedding vow. But she’d decided against it. The words she wanted to tell PJ would be spoken and enacted later that night as they made love as husband and wife for the first time. So when the part of the ceremony came where they were supposed to recite their vows, she was shocked when PJ announced that he’d written something special for her that he wanted to say.

  PJ cleared his throat as Alexandria looked on in disbelief. “Ali, I wrote this for you and I hope you like it.”

  Alexandria as well as the church full of wedding guests listened with rapt attention as PJ began. He spoke from the heart without a written script as he looked into Alexandria’s eyes and smiled.

  “I’ll never forget the day we met at a Jack and Jill meeting. Even though I was only five years old, I knew what it meant to feel love and be loved. When I looked at you I felt both. You were my very first friend. My best friend. You were the prettiest little girl I’d ever seen, with long ponytails and a smile that made me smile. I was so happy when I found out you were in my kindergarten class. I credit you for the reason why I loved school and was eager to be there every day. It was because I knew I’d see you. We shared sandwiches, candy, traded snacks, and held hands at recess.”

  Alexandria smiled as tears fell from her eyes and from their guests’ too.

  “A year later I moved away,” PJ continued. “But I never forgot my very first friend because you’d cemented a place in my heart. More than twenty years later God’s grace and a meant-to-be love brought us back together. You’re still my best friend and the best part of the man I’ve become.

  “Your smile keeps me going when I’m down. Your encouragement and support give me motivation to finish whatever I start. Your understanding nature gives me peace in a world that can be full of challenges. And your love makes me feel like I can conquer the world.

  “I’m proud and honored to share this day with you, Ali. I love you. I cherish you, and I can’t wait to build a lifetime of memories with you by my side. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for allowing me to love you. And thank you for making me the happiest man alive by becoming my wife and partner for life.”

  When PJ finished there wasn’t a dry eye in the church. Even Parker, who was usually the epitome of cool, had brought out his handkerchief to wipe away happy tears.

  Alexandria was overjoyed and more thankful than she could put into words. Right before PJ had come into her life a year ago she’d been in an unfulfilling relationship, but once her grandma Allene helped her embrace who she was, her whole world changed. Alexandria’s gift allowed her to see that life was short but precious, and she was determined not to waste a single moment of it on anything or anyone that didn’t fulfill her, teach her, or help her grow. She was happy that PJ did all those things and more. She had a lot of living ahead of her, and she was ready to start doing it with her new husband and the children they were going to raise as they walked through life’s journey.

  A Note to Readers

  In this story, Christian Thornton battled drugs from an early age. Substance abuse, whether drug- or alcohol-related, affects millions of individuals and their families. The collective toll it takes can ruin the lives of the abuser and those around them. Addiction is a serious problem, but just as with any problem, there’s always a solution. Professional counseling and treatment can save lives. If you or anyone you know is dealing with substance abuse, please get help.

  For treatment and referrals please visit the Substa
nce Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at www.samhsa.gov. You can call their 24/7 treatment referral line at 800-985-5990, or reach someone by texting 66746.

  A READING GROUP GUIDE

  TROUBLEMAKER

  Trice Hickman

  ABOUT THIS GUIDE

  The questions that follow are included to enhance your group’s reading of this book.

  Discussion Questions

  Thank you so much for reading Troublemaker! I hope you enjoyed the story, and if you did, please spread the word!

  Here are some questions I believe will enhance your reading experience and spark some interesting dialogue. If you’re a member of a book club I’d love to join you at your monthly meeting, in person, by phone, or Skype (I LOVE book clubs!). If you’re interested please visit me at www.tricehickman.com, and we’ll make it happen!

  Happy Discussion!

  Parker’s presence was a long-standing bone of contention in Victoria’s and Ted’s marriage. Do you think Ted overreacted with regard to Parker, or do you think he was justified in some of the things he did?

  Allene and Alexandria both shared the gift of prophecy, which allowed them to look into the future and even read people’s minds. Do you think this ability is more of a blessing or a burden? Please explain your position for either choice.

  Tyler withheld information from Samantha about their son in his effort to avoid added drama. Do you think, given Samantha’s temperament, that he did the right thing?

  Alexandria and PJ share a love that began when they were five years old, and were blessed to be reunited more than twenty years later. Do you think some loves are meant to be (destiny) or do you believe it’s a matter of luck?

  Christian started drinking and using drugs at an early age and became an addict as time went on. How much responsibility do you think his family bore (if any) in his drug abuse?

  Tyler was upset and disappointed with his son’s decisions and actions. How do you think he would have reacted, given the same circumstances, if Chase had been his daughter and not his son?

  Who were some of your favorite characters in the book and why? Who were some of your least favorite characters and why?

  Webster’s defines a troublemaker as: a person who consciously or unconsciously causes trouble. Which characters in the book fit this definition?

  Finish this sentence. If I caught my spouse/mate and their ex-lover locked in an intimate embrace, in the middle of the night, while my spouse/mate was wearing their night clothes, I would . . .

  Do you think the love triangle between Victoria, Ted, and Parker has ended? Do you think there’s more trouble on the horizon for Samantha when it comes to David?

  Shelly Ellis continues her fun and sexy Gibbons Gold Digger series with her latest book,

  Another Woman’s Man

  On sale now!

  Chapter 1

  (Unwritten) Rule No. 5 of the Gibbons Family Handbook: Family always comes first—while men come somewhere between shoes and handbags.

  “He’s amazing!”

  “I know! Isn’t he brilliant?”

  “The show is wonderful! Just wonderful!”

  If they only knew, Dawn Gibbons thought as she glanced around the crowded gallery.

  She looked at the people strolling throughout the exhibition space, at the couples who stared at the canvases on the exposed brick walls and nodded in appreciation, and she wanted to give herself a toast. She hadn’t thought she would be able to pull this off, considering the limited amount of time she had to organize this exhibition, considering how much arm twisting she had to do to get tonight’s featured artist to just pick up a paintbrush and paint something! But she had done it. Despite all the obstacles she had faced, tonight had been a resounding success. Dawn didn’t toast herself, but she downed what was left of her Moët & Chandon and smiled.

  “Great work, darling!” said Percy, the gallery’s owner, in his British accent as he sailed toward her.

  He was wearing a leather jacket and faded jeans today—an outfit that was much too young for a man his age. His thinning gray hair was pulled back with a rubber band, leaving a knobby stub of hair at the end. The three top buttons of his silk shirt were open, revealing the wiry hairs on his pale chest. He wrapped a skinny arm around Dawn’s waist and gave her an affectionate squeeze.

  “Thanks, Percy.” She wrinkled her nose at the overpowering smell of his cologne and nodded. “It did turn out well, didn’t it?”

  “We should go somewhere after the show and celebrate, darling,” he whispered warmly as he leaned toward her ear. The smell of his cologne became five times stronger. The heat of his breath on her cheek almost singed her. “Maybe you’ll finally let me take you out to dinner.” His hand descended from her waist to her ass. He petted it gently—like he would a purring kitten—and winked one of his blue eyes at her. “What do you say?”

  “Oh, you don’t have to do that.” She slowly removed Percy’s hand from her bottom. “But thank you for the offer.”

  Percy was one of the few rich men in Dawn’s social circle whom she hadn’t dated, and quite frankly, she didn’t have any plans to ever date him. He was her boss! Her art and her work as gallery director were more important to her. Unfortunately, Percy wasn’t accustomed to women turning him down, which probably made him even more eager to get her to dinner and finally get into her pants. She was a challenge to him now, the Mt. Everest that he had yet to climb. But she desperately wished he would take his mountain boots and pick and climb somewhere else.

  “I should go around the room and mingle.” Dawn patted his arm soothingly, hoping to soften the blow of her rejection. “You know, make sure everyone is enjoying themselves and—more importantly—buying the artwork.”

  “Yes. Yes, of course, darling.” His smile tightened, barely masking his disappointment. “Mingle! Mingle! Don’t let me keep you.”

  She turned and walked away, handing off her empty glass to one of the waiters who strolled around the room with Lucite trays covered with hors d’oeuvres and champagne glasses.

  Her sister Lauren’s restaurant, Le Bayou Bleu, was catering the event with Southern-style, high-end cuisine that all the patrons couldn’t seem to get enough of. In fact, she heard whispers from the staff that they were dangerously close to running out of food.

  Lauren couldn’t be here tonight herself to supervise. She was still on maternity leave and was at home with her infant son, Crisanto Jr., but Dawn’s other two sisters had shown their support by coming to the event. Her very pregnant sister, Stephanie, had waddled through an hour ago. She had purchased one of the smaller pieces on display before leaving the gallery with a mouthful of shrimp. Dawn’s eldest sister Cynthia had left fifteen minutes later. She said she had a date with a very wealthy construction company owner and had to run home to change clothes.

  “He’s handsome, charming, and he pulled in seven figures last year, girl. You never know,” Cynthia had remarked. “He could be the one!”

  By “the one” Dawn assumed Cynthia really meant number three, since this would be Cynthia’s third husband if she managed to get this one down the aisle. Though, truth be told, Dawn had little room to talk herself. She had been married twice before also, continuing the long tradition in her family of women who married often and divorced just as frequently. But unlike Cynthia, Dawn had little interest in finding a third husband.

  Dawn had been doing some soul-searching and self-examination lately with all the changes that were going on around her. Two of her sisters had fallen in love. One had recently had a baby and the other had one on the way. Dawn felt like she had reached a point in her life when obtaining a rich husband wasn’t as important to her anymore. Besides, rich men were a lot like the temperamental artists whose work she featured at her gallery. They both required coddling and their egos had to be constantly fed. She didn’t have time to cater to both right now.

  Dawn continued her path across the gallery, adjusting the cowl neck of her maroon t
op and the hem of her asymmetrical wool skirt as she went.

  “Congratulations, dearest,” said Madison McGuire, a small-town girl who made good by marrying one of the most powerful lobbyists in Washington, D.C. Now the wealthy D.C. socialite patronized the local art scene.

  “Thank you for coming, Maddie!” Dawn said, leaning forward and lightly kissing the air beside Maddie’s rouged cheek.

  “Oh, I wouldn’t miss it for the world!” Maddie exclaimed. She took a sip from the champagne glass. “The exhibit is fascinating . . . and of course, I have to do my research!”

  “Research? You know, a little birdie told me that you’re thinking about buying Sawyer Gallery, but I wasn’t sure if that was just a rumor.”

  Maddie laughed. “Oh, it’s not a rumor. I can assure you of that! Martin Sawyer is ready to move on to a new venture, and I told him I’d happily take the gallery off his hands. We signed the paperwork a month ago. I plan to hold our grand opening sometime in the spring.” She leaned toward Dawn and whispered, “Do you think you would be interested in changing venues? I’d love to have you at the helm of my gallery.”

  Dawn glanced across the room at Percy, who was idly groping some bouncy young blonde as he stood among a circle of friends.

  Maddie’s offer was certainly tempting. Unlike with Percy, Dawn wouldn’t have to worry about Maddie patting her ass and trying to seduce her on a weekly basis. Plus, Dawn had always admired Maddie. If there was nothing a Gibbons girl loved more, it was a fellow woman who used her wiles and her wits to climb the socioeconomic ladder, a woman who knew how to “get her hustle on” but to do it with grace and style.

  But Dawn liked the control Percy gave her over the gallery. She loved her staff. She was comfortable here.