She laughed, so happy and relieved she'd sent for her father. Yes, she loved her mother, but her father was the one who she related to. "I love you. Come down and see my bakery."
"I can't believe my daughter is a baker. You know your great-grandmother was an excellent cook."
She smiled. "Come see what I've created.”
Franco hurried home to the vineyard where he saw his son, sitting on the wagon staring at the grapes. His horse galloped up to him and he slid to the ground. "What are you doing?"
"I'm thinking of burning the vineyard."
"No. This is your destiny. You must hold onto your dreams, but you can't destroy other people’s dreams."
"I know and I let my greed take over. All I could think about was what I wanted."
Franco nodded, his son was learning a hard life lesson, but he had to tell him about Bella.
"You need to go to town and see Bella."
"She won't see me. I've already tried."
"Well, you need to try again. Her father is here. He wants her to return to St. Louis with him."
"St. Louis?" Luca said. "She told me she was from Boston."
"Well, he's from St. Louis and he’s a very powerful man there. He wants her to come home with him. He wants her to marry some man."
Luca's eyes widened. "No, Papa. You have to help me. What can I do?"
"You go there and you get down on one knee and beg for forgiveness. You better pour your heart out to her or she will be gone."
Franco knew he was twisting the news just a little to his advantage, but he believed Luca and Bella were meant to be together. And he wanted their happiness.
Luca jumped off the wagon. "How did you propose to Mama?"
Franco laughed, feeling so much happiness inside. His son was in love and was going to ask this girl to marry him. His mama would be so happy if she were here.
"I took her flowers. I got down on one knee and told her she made me a happy man."
"But Mama was not angry with you."
"Yes, she was. I was a stupid pig-headed fool just like you. But she forgave me. If Bella is the right woman for you, she'll forgive you as well. Now go, son. Take my horse."
Luca climbed into the saddle, turned back to him, and smiled. "Thank you, Papa. Love you."
"Ciao," Franco said, watching as he clicked to the horse and headed to town.
Franco looked up at the sky. "Aw, Maria, I remember that day like yesterday. Miss you, il mio amore."
Bella didn't think this day could have any more highs or lows. Tim Barton was standing in front of her arguing about how he had paperwork to shut down the bakery.
"Let me see the paperwork," she said. "I'm not doing anything on your word."
His face turned red. "They're at my office. But by the order from the state, this bakery is to cease operations at once. You cannot own it."
"I don't own it," she said. She'd come down from visiting with her father to discover Tim harassing Callie and Diamond who just gave him a blank stare. "At least, not yet."
He sputtered. "You can't purchase the building because I already have a deal with Luca Ruffini. He's selling it to me."
"Good," she said. "But until my six weeks are up, you can't close me down. Now I'm sure you and he have cooked up some kind of deal to make certain I don't make a profit, but regardless, I get my six weeks. That doesn't end for two weeks. Now, either buy some bread or get out of my store."
"I'm not leaving," he said. "You can't throw me out."
"Fine. Stay if you want, but there is a barrel of flour that has your name on it if you don't leave."
His eyes widened. "You wouldn't."
"I probably wouldn't, but Diamond would. She's brasher than I am. She's already thrown out one man today and she wouldn't hesitate to make you the second."
Just then Diamond came from the back carrying not a barrel, but a sack of flour. "Sorry, but I couldn't lift the barrel."
"That will work just the same," Bella said.
She had put up with so much today, and she was at her limit, and this arrogant man who thought women were just objects to maneuver wanted her out of the bakery. If it had been anyone but him, she would have given up and gone home to St. Louis with her father, but this jackass made her realize what she was fighting for and he wasn't going to win.
"Last warning, leave or you will exit with flour all over you."
He drew up his body and started towards the door. "I will be contacting the sheriff and telling him about the threats you're making to me. You will be run out of town. My great-grandfather started this town, and as a member of the founding families, I don't deserve to be treated as such."
He whirled around and ran smack into the chest of her father. "Bella, is there a problem? I heard shouting clear up in the apartment."
"Yes, we have a rat we can't seem to get rid of."
"What's the problem," he said.
"I'm Tim Barton, a member of the founding family of this town, City Council member. Who are you, sir?"
"I'm George Francis, owner of the Francis Shipping Company out of St. Louis, soon to be governor of Missouri, and that's my daughter you're threatening."
Tim's eyes widened, and for the first time, Bella smiled. Her father was putting the family connections to good use.
"Now, you were going to talk to the law? And what was that I heard about shutting down my daughter’s business?"
Tim licked his lips nervously. He glanced at Bella who stared at him. "All right, she can have two weeks, but then I insist she vacates the building as I will be purchasing it from the owner."
Her father's mouth pursed as he looked at Tim. "Hmm...last I heard, Bella was going to purchase the building. You know, she has the funds, and I think she's grown fond of your little town and the bakery."
His mouth dropped open. "But, but I need this space to build my hotel."
"Sorry, but it's occupied. Now, I think you should take home some bread to your wife. In fact, why don't you also take home some of those shortbread cookies? Those are delicious and your kids will be so happy you thought of them. And then...wait a minute." He paused. "Bella how much for everything you have in the cabinet this evening?"
"Oh, I think ten dollars would just about sum up the total for the bread and cookies and apple turnovers," she said with a laugh.
"Well, bag them up for Mr. Barton here. He has so generously agreed to buy you out this evening."
Callie and Diamond were laughing behind the counter as they wrapped everything up and put it into a paper sack.
Tim glared at her father, but opened his wallet and took out a ten dollar bill. He handed it to her and then grabbed the sack.
"Thank you, Mr. Barton," she called as he stomped out of the bakery.
The women all looked at each other and burst out laughing. She went to her father and hugged him. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Chapter 11
Bella was in the back of the kitchen cleaning up after such a hectic day. She couldn't believe her father had made Tim Barton purchase the rest of her pastries, but felt like he deserved it after he'd treated them so badly.
The man was an arrogant ass whose wife was so sweet. Somehow they needed to convince that woman she should become a suffragette like them and learn how to stand up to that man.
Her father's confession that he'd been forced to marry her mother had made her sad. No wonder there was no love between them and that was exactly what she feared would happen to her if he found her a husband. She almost felt pity for her father and even for her mother.
Rolling out dough for tomorrow's bread, she heard the door open. What now?
She heard Callie say, "She doesn't want to see you."
"I don't care what she wants. She's going to see me."
Luca came storming to the back and Callie was running right behind him. "Give me a rolling pin. I’ll straighten him out.”
“No, let me take care of this. You stay out front.”
&nbs
p; “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” Bella said as she picked up a small portion of the gooey dough in her bowl and threw it at him. It smacked him in the face and he stopped shocked. "What the hell?"
"That's for trying to ruin my dream."
She threw another piece of dough at him and it hit him in the chest. "That's for lying to me."
She threw another one and he caught it in his hand and threw it back, hitting her in the chest. "You also lied to me."
"I did not." She threw more dough at him, hitting him in the face.
He scraped the sticky substance off his face and threw it back to her hitting her on the neck.
"Oh, so you're from Boston. Your family is still there. And your last name is Sullivan?"
Oops. She'd forgotten all about telling him she was from Boston and faking her name. She was going to tell him the truth that afternoon they'd gone swimming, but instead they'd done other things.
"I was hiding."
"From what?" he asked his voice loud and urgent. "Tell me the truth."
"My father. He's here in town," she said, knowing he was upstairs in the apartment waiting for her.
"Well, it's still a lie," he said dodging another piece of dough. "We both made mistakes."
She aimed another dough ball at him and he advanced toward her. It hit him on the cheek. He growled and caught her arm just as she was about to unleash another barrage at him.
"You didn't want me to succeed."
He sighed. "You're wrong. I wanted you to succeed, but I wanted to sell the bakery. You are my il mio amore. I love you with all my heart. Yes, I started out trying to get your focus on me and not the bakery, but the very first kiss showed me what a fool I was to think I didn't want you.
“Then I was in turmoil because I knew if the bakery succeeded, my vineyard would not have the funds it needed. But now I don't care. The bakery is yours, just marry me and make me happy. My dream can wait."
Bella started to cry. It was all too much. The day had been fraught with heartache and forgiveness and redemption. She couldn't take anymore.
"I love you, Luca. I was so hurt that you wanted me to fail."
"I was stupid. I never want you to fail. I love your baking. I love you. I want us to marry and have bambinos. You are the other half of my soul. I need you."
She threw herself into his arms and he melded her mouth to his in a kiss that was nothing but pure flames. He moaned deeply in his throat and suddenly pulled back. "So will you marry me?"
"Yes," she said. "I love you so much."
"And I love you, mia Bella. But please don't throw dough at me anymore."
She giggled and reached up to swipe the flour from his face. "We seem to like getting flour on each other."
Two weeks later, the entire town was present for the double ring ceremony of Abigail and Jack, and Bella and Luca as they said their vows outside in the town square.
"I now present Mr. and Mrs. Ruffini," the preacher said. "And Mr. and Mrs. Turner."
Bella smiled at her husband and they turned to their family and friends and walked down the platform to the waiting reception. Luca squeezed her to him. "I'm the luckiest man alive."
She laughed. "You know I have a wedding present for you."
"And I have one for you as well," he said.
They walked past their friends and family until they reached the street. "Where are we going?"
"While we were getting married, I had some men changing the signs out at the bakery." They continued walking down the wooden sidewalk.
"Why?"
They stopped across the street from the bakery and she opened her eyes. "Oh my God. I love it."
The sign above the bakery now read "Bella's Bakery."
She threw her arms around Luca and hugged him.
"The bakery is yours, sweetheart. I completely relinquish all control and any money you earn from it. It's yours."
She leaned back and stared up into his dark eyes. "You needed the money for your vineyard."
"I also want my wife to be happy and your happiness is more important."
She smiled. "I also have a wedding present for you.”
She grinned at him.
"Your father gave me the list of items you need for the vineyard, including the vines you wanted to order. They are on their way to you and I'm putting three thousand dollars in your new business account for the vineyard."
He stared at her, his eyes growing large. "Where did you get the money?"
She smiled. "My family is very wealthy. You married an heiress, and I want my husband who has sacrificed so much for me to also have his dreams realized. I want you to be even more successful than me."
Luca kissed her firmly, holding her body close to his. "You kept this a secret."
"Yes, my love. I wanted to surprise you. Now, you will have everything you need for the vineyard."
"Why didn't you buy the bakery from me when we first met?"
"I couldn't. I was hiding from my family and knew if I had any money sent to me, they would know where I was. After our fight, I went to the bank to try to get a loan, but they refused to lend to me because I'm a woman. But that will soon no longer be a problem."
He kissed her softly on the mouth. "Oh no...the suffragettes?"
Grinning, she gazed into his eyes and knew they were going to have a great life together. "Who else?"
He laughed. "I'm beginning to like these friends of yours. But I feel sorry for the Tim Bartons in this town. They have no clue about the hand they've been dealt."
Callie walked around the reception. Two of her friends married on the same day in the same service. When they had been in Boston, sitting in that jail, no one had planned on getting married. Now, just Callie, Diamond, and Georgia were single here in town.
Callie worried about Georgia. That girl was aching to find a man. And there were a lot of available men in town who would promise her the moon and the stars for a chance to marry a woman who would feed him and satisfy his sexual needs. But that wasn't what Callie wanted in life.
Her friends knew she had all the money she needed. Her mother had been one of the Randolph's and inherited more money than she could spend in a lifetime. And her father had invested his wife's money, tripling the amount. Unfortunately they died in a tragic carriage accident, leaving Callie alone.
Poor little rich girl, the papers had said. At seventeen, she'd inherited a million dollars, a passel of lowlife family members, and she'd awaken each morning to the yard in front of her house covered with men camping out wanting a chance to offer her marriage.
She'd been frightened, alone, and certain it was time to get out of town. So she'd gone from Los Angeles to Boston to attend school, hoping no one would recognize her. And for the most part, no one had. Then she'd become friends with Abigail and Bella. Together they'd marched for women's rights, gone to jail, and now were in Texas, still struggling for equality.
Gazing around at the wedding reception, she knew life had once again changed for them. But this time, she felt excitement. For suddenly, she knew what she wanted to do with her life. Like Abigail who'd learned she wanted to keep her inheritance, and Bella who loved baking, Callie realized what she could do to help bring change for women. She was just the woman to do it.
Glancing at Bella's father, she smiled. They had been talking and between the two of them they were going to change this little town.
"I handpicked your daughter for my son," Franco told Mr. Francis. "She won a baking contest and beat me. Then I got to know her and knew she was perfect for my Luca."
Bella's father smiled. "I like Luca and think he'll do great by my Bella. Her mother and I will be coming out often to visit."
"Very good. You know they will have beautiful bambinos. Your Bella's beauty and my son's strong will. Our families will be forever joined."
"And when Luca's vineyard starts producing good wine, then I will introduce his product to my friends."
Callie stepped up to the men. "W
ait, just a minute. Let's let them have a honeymoon before you start giving them children."
Franco threw up his hands. "Maybe. But I can't wait to hold them in my arms. I just wish my Maria was here."
Shaking her head, Callie couldn't help but smile at the two proud fathers. "And Luca's vineyard will have an account at the new bank Mr. Francis and I plan on opening in town."
Franco's eyes widened. "What?"
George held his finger to his lips. "I'm going to help Miss Chesterfield open a bank. Bella was denied a loan by the local bank and since she has money, I don't want her to have to worry. So Callie and I will be opening a bank. She will be in charge and running it, but because of the atmosphere in this town, I will be on the board helping her."
"But how? Do you have the money to do that?"
Callie smiled. "I have a little money. This is my destiny."
Franco spoke rapidly in Italian. "Oh, you suffragettes are going to keep this town jumping." He laughed. "And I get to see it all. You need a husband. Too bad my youngest boy is too young."
"No, I don't need a husband. But I may need a guard."
Look for Callie's story coming soon!
Afterword
Dear Reader,
Thank you for taking the time to read Bella. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a few words on your favorite vendors website. Whether or not you loved the book or hated, it-I’d enjoy your feedback. Here is a link to my author page on Amazon. You can find all my books listed there along with a video on My Lipstick and Lead series. Click the follow button to learn when a new book is released.
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Sylvia McDaniel
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