What To Do About Wednesday

by Jennie Marts

  “What? Who paid it?”

  “I really couldn’t say. The notes only show that it was paid in cash.”

  “Okay. Thanks then, I guess.” Dazed, she clicked off the call. What the heck? Who would have paid off her whole tuition bill? And in cash?

  Matt and Cassie certainly didn't have that kind of money, and they had their own two kids’ college expenses to worry about. There was no way Fitz could have done it. He was turning out to be a great boyfriend, but not that great. And if he had that much extra money, he wouldn’t have to work at the coffee shop.

  She rubbed the back of her neck as she tried to think. Who did she know who had that kind of cash laying around? There was only one person who had been flashing mysterious amounts of money around.

  But there was no way. It couldn’t be.

  Claire Denton was not known for her selfless acts.

  There was only one way to find out.

  Nola followed her as she walked into the living room, where Claire was sprawled out on the sofa, an array of lottery tickets spread across the table in front of her. Tonight was lotto night, and the television was turned to the local news station.

  “Hey Mom, do you have a minute?”

  “Sure,” Claire answered, muting the TV. “The numbers don’t come on for another few minutes. What’s up?”

  Piper sat on the sofa next to her. “I just got off the phone with the school, and it seems an anonymous person has paid my tuition for the rest of this year and next.”

  “Really? That’s crazy. Who would have done that?” It was a good thing she hadn’t tried for a career in acting, because her ‘I’m so shocked’ expression left a lot to be desired.

  “Cut it out, Mom. I know it was you.” She didn’t really know that, but she hoped Claire would fall for her bluff.

  “How do you know that?”

  “Because no one else cares about me enough to do something so kind and thoughtful.”

  Her mom stared at her, blinking, as her eyes filled with tears. “Well, Pip, I think that might be the nicest thing you’ve said to me in a long time. It’s not true, the part about no one else caring enough about you, but the kind and thoughtful part is an awfully sweet thing for you to say.”

  “Then it really was you?”

  Claire shrugged.

  Piper tilted her head and pursed her lips. She didn’t know how to deal with this Claire. She was used to the Claire who was selfish and only thought about herself.

  But maybe that was the old Claire. Maybe her mother really had changed.

  Which meant maybe she needed to change too—needed to give her mom a chance.

  She blew out her breath. “Thank you.”

  Her mom smiled. “You’re welcome.”

  “I’m still confused though. Where did you get that kind of money?”

  “I told you before. When I left Spider, it wasn’t under the best circumstances, and I didn’t take much, but I took what I deserved for putting up with that snake for all that time.”

  “I thought he was a spider.”

  Claudia shrugged again. “Same difference.”

  “So you’re saying you stole it?”

  “Stole is really an ugly word. Let’s just say I didn’t think Spider needed all of that money as much as I needed to get away from him and leave it at that.” She picked at a loose thread on the sofa. “And after all this time, I wanted to do something for my daughter—something that mattered. Something to make up for the harm I’d inflicted for not being there when she needed me.”

  Pain twisted in her heart. But something else bloomed there. Something that felt suspiciously like hope. “You’re here now.”

  Claire rested a hand on Piper’s leg. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

  “I’m glad.” And she was. Really glad.

  A knock sounded on the door, and Piper leaned in and gave her mother a quick hug before she got up to answer it.

  Her stomach fluttered in anticipation of seeing Fitz—his shift had ended ten minutes ago, and he was coming over to study.

  Nola raced behind her as she crossed the room. She opened the door and stepped into Fitz’s arms. He dipped his head and captured her mouth in a quick kiss as he pulled her to him.

  He tasted like caramel and coffee and cinnamon gum, and she melted against him.

  Nola let out a tiny yip. Fitz let go of Piper to kneel down and rub the little dog behind the ears. “How you doin’, girl?”

  Her tail wagged happily as she leaned into Fitz’s hand.

  Piper knew the feeling.

  “Hey, Fitz,” Claire called. “I hope you’re hungry. I’m making spaghetti and meatballs.”

  “Sounds amazing.”

  Her mom let out a shriek, and Fitz held out his hands, a bewildered expression on his face. “What? I said it sounds good.”

  Claire let out a whimper as she turned toward them. Her eyes were round, and her face had lost its color. Her mouth opened then closed then opened again.

  “Mom? Are you okay?” Piper rushed forward. “What’s wrong?”

  Claire shook her head then an impish grin stole across her face. “Nothing is wrong. Not a dang thing.” She held up the lotto ticket she was clutching in her hand. “The numbers on the ‘birthday card’ just hit.”

  Piper gasped and pressed a hand to her chest. She could almost feel her heart pounding against it. “All of them?” she stammered.

  “ALL. SIX. OF. THEM.”

  Ho-ly Buckets of Cash.

  Her mom let out a shrill bark of laughter then she flew toward her and swooped her into a hug.

  The two of them jumped up and down, clutching each other arms as Nola raced around them, and Fitz stood by, his mouth hanging open in dumb-founded shock.

  She’d thought she wanted normal, an ordinary life, but it turns out ordinary was really very just…ordinary.

  It’s not the life itself, but the people and the experiences that made life remarkable.

  As she and Claire drew Fitz into their group hug, Piper decided that’s what she wanted—not normal, not ordinary, but a life that was wonderful… and extraordinary.

  And it seemed like that was what she was about to get.

  THE END

  Thanks for reading my book. I hope you loved it! If you did enjoy it, please consider leaving a review.

  And be sure to check out all the other adventures in the Page Turners series:

  Another Saturday Night and I Ain’t Got No Body: Book 1

  Easy Like Sunday Mourning: Book 2

  Just Another Maniac Monday: Book 3

  Tangled Up In Tuesday: Book 4

  What To Do About Wednesday: Book 5

  A Halloween Hookup: Book 6 – A Holiday Novella

  A Cowboy for Christmas: Book 7 – A Holiday Novella

  Be the first to find out when the newest Page Turners Novel is releasing and hear all the latest news and updates happening with the Page Turners book club by signing up for the Jennie Marts newsletter at: Jenniemarts.com

  My biggest thanks goes out to my readers! Thanks for loving my stories and my characters. I would love to invite you to join my street team, Jennie’s Page Turners where you can become an honorary member of the Page Turners Book Club!

  ***

  If you enjoy small town contemporary romance with hot cowboys-

  Try the Hearts of Montana series

  In Tucked Away (Book 1), Charlie Ryan is a city girl who inherits a farm in small town Montana and when she gets there, she finds a lonely teenager girl, a goat named Clyde, a hunky cowboy, and a place she finally feels like she can call home.

  Hidden Away: Book 2

  Stolen Away: Book 3

  If you like hockey romance with cute hockey players and steamy romance-

  Try the Bannister Brothers Books

  Icing On The Date – A hunky hockey player meets a cute caterer who will change his entire game.

  Worth The Shot

  Skirting the Ice

  More small town rom
antic comedy can be found in the

  Cotton Creek Romance series:

  Romancing the Ranger

  Hooked On Love

  Catching the Cowgirl

  Meet three brothers that are hockey-playing cowboys in the Cowboys of Creedence:

  Caught Up In A Cowboy

  You Had Me At Cowboy – coming December 2018

  Thanks for reading and loving my books!

  Acknowledgements

  As always, my love and thanks goes out to my husband, Todd, for your steadfast love and support in my writing career and in our life together! We make the best team!

  Thanks to my sons, Tyler & Nick, for always supporting me, for listening to a zillion plotting ideas and answering all of my technical questions. I love you more than words can say.

  Huge thanks goes out to my mom, Lee Cumba, on this one. Thanks Mom for all of the plotting help and for spending the day feeding me and talking through tons of ideas about murder, red herrings, and deception.

  Thank you to the team of people behind putting this book together. Kim Killion of The Killion Group did an AMAZING job on this cover—you are a rockstar, Kim! I so appreciate the formatting talents of Cindy Jackson. And a big thanks to Alyssa Palmer for your awesome editing skills.

  Big thanks to my writing sisters, Beth Rhodes and Cindy Skaggs, who helped make this work possible through their constant support and lots and lots of writing sprints—whether I wanted to do them or not. Your accountability and support is invaluable!

  Special acknowledgement goes out to the women that walk this writing journey with me every day. The ones that make me laugh, who encourage and support, who offer great advice and sometimes just listen. Thank you Michelle Major, Lana Williams, Anne Eliot, Ginger Scott, Kristin Miller, and Selena Laurence. XO

  Big thanks goes out to my street team, Jennie’s Page Turners, my incredible Review Crew, and for all of my readers: the people that have been with me from the start, my loyal readers, my dedicated fans, the ones who have read my stories, who have laughed and cried with me, who have fallen in love with my heroes and have clamored for more! Whether you have been with me since the first book or just discovered me with this book, know that I write these stories for you, and I can’t thank you enough for reading them. Sending love, laughter, and big Colorado hugs to you all!

  About the Author

  Jennie Marts is the USA TODAY Best-selling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after. Readers call her books “laugh out loud” funny and the “perfect mix of romance, humor, and steam.” Fic Central claimed one of her books was “the most fun I’ve had reading in years.”

  She is living her own happily ever after in the mountains of Colorado with her husband, two dogs, and a parakeet that loves to tweet to the oldies. She’s addicted to Diet Coke, adores Cheetos, and believes you can’t have too many books, shoes, or friends.

  Her books include the contemporary western romances of the Cowboys of Creedence and the Hearts of Montana series, the cozy mysteries of The Page Turners series, the hunky hockey-playing men in the Bannister Brothers Books, and the small-town romantic comedies in the Cotton Creek Romance series.

  Jennie loves to hear from readers. Follow her on Facebook at Jennie Marts Books, or Twitter at @JennieMarts. Visit her at www.jenniemarts.com and sign up for her newsletter to keep up with the latest news and releases.

  Copyright © 2018 Jennie Marts

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  Thank you.