by Noelle Adams
There was a lot to take care of, and Belinda could hardly begrudge Fitz finally committing to a job for real. He called her morning and night and sent her texts throughout the day, but she still missed him.
She must have gotten spoiled because she didn’t like sleeping alone anymore.
Plus she had a day full of appointments without any time to work on her own. So she felt like she hadn’t gotten anything accomplished all day except adding more work to her pile. She’d always been a doer, and she hadn’t been able to check anything off her to-do list today.
She was about to leave at five after she finished with her last client when a couple came in without an appointment. They were really upset about their finances and wanted help, so of course she stayed to get started on their case. It took a long time, however, so she wasn’t able to head home until almost seven in the evening.
It was dark outside as she walked home. Chilly. It felt like she hadn’t seen the sun in days. Tomorrow was Valentine’s Day. Fitz had promised to be home by then so he could take her out. She just had to make it through tonight. Tomorrow would be better.
She trudged down the last block until she saw her house with its cute picket fence and familiar porch. It made her smile. She could collapse as soon as she got in, and then Fitz would be back tomorrow.
When she unlocked the front door and pushed her way in, she gave a little squeal and jumped backward.
Someone was already inside. He’d started a fire in the fireplace and spread a blanket on the floor and prepared a romantic picnic dinner and lit candles next to a huge bouquet of roses and orchids.
She stared speechless at the unexpected scene. It was like something out of a romance movie.
Fitz was sitting on the blanket, wearing a decent black shirt with gray trousers. He grinned at her through his beard. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Belinda.”
“But that’s tomorrow!”
“I know. But I figured we could get a head start. I’ve got a lot of time to make up for, and I want to make sure you get everything you feel like you’ve missed out on.” He peered at her, searching her face. “Are you feeling okay? If you’re too tired, we can just—”
“No! It’s perfect. I just never dreamed anyone would really...” She got choked up, so she had to clear her throat. “I never thought anyone would really do something like this for me.”
He stood up and walked over to her, taking her face in his hands. “This is only the beginning. Wait and see what else I have planned for you, sweetheart.”
It might be nice to be mature and lucid in a moment like this—like the Belinda she pretended to be—but she gave a silly giggle instead and hugged herself.
Fitz chuckled and went over to close the front door. “No sense in letting the whole town see what’s going on in here. Now.” The warm promise in his eyes made her shiver. “What would you like to do first?”
Epilogue
A FEW MONTHS LATER, Belinda was staring at herself in a full-length, three-way mirror in the lush, spacious dressing room of Ariana’s dress shop.
She looked like Cinderella on her way to a ball—complete with a silvery-blue gown. She looked pretty. And unrecognizable.
“This is ridiculous,” she called through the door. “I look like a cartoon princess.”
Ariana laughed from outside the dressing room. “That’s the point of the dress. It’s supposed to make you feel like a princess.”
“Maybe. But I feel stupid in it.”
“Well, let me see it before you take it off.”
Belinda hesitated, genuinely torn about whether she wanted another soul to see her in this particular dress. It was gorgeous. No doubt about that. But it was also... not her.
She finally opened the door and stepped out.
Ariana scanned Belinda from head to foot and clapped her hands in delight. “Oh my God! You look beautiful! It’s too big, of course, but if you ordered one, we’d tailor it just right for you.”
“I look like a doll. This is definitely not me, and it’s not just about the size. And my face doesn’t seem to fit with this dress.”
“It does too. With a little makeup and your hair up, you’d be out-of-this-world beautiful.”
“I don’t want to be out-of-the-world beautiful. I want to look like me. And I really don’t think this is appropriate for Skye and Matthew’s wedding. It’s not going to be a truly formal event.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s appropriate or not. If you have a dress like this, you wear it whenever you get the chance.” Ariana’s pretty face was warm and laughing. Her dress shop had opened just last week, and so far she hadn’t had a lot of business. Belinda wasn’t surprised it was a slow start, but she wanted to support her friend as well as a local business, so she’d come today to buy a new dress for next weekend’s wedding.
“I’m sorry to disappoint,” she said, “but I’m not going to have a dress like this. It’s really not me.”
“I know. I mostly just wanted to see if I could get you into it.”
“What?”
“Just think about how far you’ve come that you’re willing to put on a dress like this.” Ariana’s eyes glinted. “Now, I’ve got one more dress—even more over the top than this one—that I want you to try on. Then my victory will be truly complete.”
Belinda rolled her eyes, but she was having a good time despite the surreal look of herself in the dress. “Which one is that? I’ll try on anything. I just won’t buy it or wear it in public.”
“Here. Let me get it for you.” Ariana disappeared into the back room of the shop and reappeared with a long ball gown–style dress with a full skirt and lace and beaded bodice.
A white dress.
“That’s a wedding gown!” Belinda said indignantly.
“I know that. But look how gorgeous and over the top it is. You’ve got to try it on. I’m dying to see it on someone, and you’re so tall and slim it will look perfect on you.”
Belinda groaned. “I’m not going to try on a wedding dress. Fitz and I are still just dating.”
“Oh please. You two aren’t just dating. I’ve never seen people more in love in my life. It’s really quite sickening how happy the two of you are.”
Belinda shot her gaze over to Ariana’s face to check her expression. “Are we really obnoxious about it? It used to always bother me when people kind of threw their relationships in other people’s face, like they were bragging about them. I never wanted to be like that.”
“You’re not like that.” Ariana’s face was sincere. “Not at all. And I’m really glad to see you so happy. I’m just saying that you two are way more than dating, even if he hasn’t popped the question yet.” Before Belinda could object, Ariana continued, “But this isn’t about you getting married. It’s just about you trying this dress on to see how it looks. You said you’d try on anything. Are you really going to chicken out on me?”
Belinda made a face, but she took the dress from the other woman’s hand. “Fine. I’ll do it. But I’m going to look ridiculous.”
“No, you won’t. You’ll be beautiful. Let me know if you need help getting it on.”
For a fancy dress, it was actually fairly easy to put on. It was a standard sample, so it was a size too big, but even loose Belinda could see how it was supposed to look. She stared at herself in the mirror.
“Is it on?” Ariana called.
“Yes.”
“Then come out right now and let me see it!”
Belinda opened the door slowly and stepped out.
Ariana squealed. “It’s gorgeous! I told you so!”
It was beautiful. Even Belinda had to admit it. And it didn’t look as wrong on her as she would have expected. She looked like someone else—someone from glittering romantic fantasies—as she went over to the large mirrors and turned around to check herself out from all angles.
“Absolutely stunning!” Ariana was fussing around her, pulling the bodice tight in the back to see how it was supposed
to fit. “I wish I could pull off a dress like this.”
“You could wear this if you wanted. It’s not like I’m really the kind of person who was made to wear this—” Belinda broke off abruptly when she realized someone else had come into the shop.
He was standing in the main room, looking through the wide doorway at where they were talking. He wore an old pair of khakis, a black T-shirt, and a battered Army jacket. He had a trimmed beard and intelligent blue eyes.
She gasped and raised her hands to her chest, hiding herself the way she would have if she were naked. “Fitz! What are you doing here?” She turned to Ariana. “Why didn’t you tell me he was here?”
“I didn’t know!” Ariana stepped back and looked over toward Fitz. “I definitely need to get a bell on that door.”
Belinda believed her friend, but she was filled with a rush of embarrassment and anxiety. She walked over to Fitz, who was standing there staring with a dazed expression. “We were just playing around. Trying on this dress. I wasn’t assuming anything or getting impatient or anything like that.” She searched Fitz’s face. “Are you getting all spooked now or something? Talk to me.”
Fitz cleared his throat. “I... uh...”
“Shit. You are spooked. I’m sorry, Fitz. I was really just playing around. Ariana wanted to see someone in this dress. I’m really happy with the way things are between us right now. I’m perfectly happy. I’m not getting antsy for more. I promise.”
“I... know.” He cleared his throat again. “I know, sweetheart.”
Belinda let out her breath with a rush of relief. “You do?”
“Of course I do.” He lifted a hand to her cheek. “You look beautiful.”
“I look like a little girl playing dress-up.”
“No, you don’t. You look beautiful.”
Her cheeks warmed and she glanced down. “Thank you. But now I’m worried you’re going to feel pressure to... to do something. Because you caught me in this stupid dress. And I really don’t want you to feel pressure.”
“I don’t feel pressure.”
“You don’t? Not even a little? Why not?” Belinda’s voice might have gotten a little bossy in the end.
Fitz burst into warm laughter. “You really think I’m going to get spooked or stressed thinking you want to take the next step forward. I’ve been in love with you for ages. There’s nothing you could ask from me that I don’t want to give.”
Okay. Belinda wasn’t a particularly sentimental person, but she might have melted a little at that.
“Anyway,” Fitz went on. “I was going to wait on this, but you’re dressed up so pretty right now that it seems this might be the right moment.”
Belinda stared speechlessly as he stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out a velvet pouch. Then she gasped loudly as he pulled out an antique gold diamond ring.
“This was my grandmother’s,” Fitz said, his eyes moving a little self-consciously from the ring to her face. “The necklace I gave you was hers as well. So I thought it might be nice if you’d... you’d have this too.”
Belinda stared and stared some more.
Fitz shifted from foot to foot. “I’m not feeling pressured. I was already going to do this. That’s why I had the ring in my pocket. I love you, sweetheart. I’m not sure I’ve ever loved anyone else, and I know for sure I never will. Will you please marry me?”
Belinda tried to say something, but no sound came out.
Fitz lifted his eyebrows. “Okay. Now I’m getting stressed. Is it too soon? If so, I can—”
“No!” she said. “It’s not too soon. I want to marry you. Yes. My answer is yes!”
Fitz’s expression cracked slightly. “Really?” he rasped.
She nodded and kept nodding. “Yes. Really. My answer is yes.”
Fitz made a rough sound in his throat and pulled her into a tight hug. Belinda returned it, as best she could in the awkward dress. Then they pulled apart and he slid the ring on her finger.
They both gazed down at it in pleased silence.
“Wow,” Ariana said from the other room. She’d backed off as soon as she’d realized what was happening. “This must be some sort of magic dress. Everyone who wears it gets immediately engaged.”
Belinda laughed, letting Fitz wrap an arm around her again. She giggled into his jacket. “It does feel kind of like a miracle.”
“It’s not a miracle,” Fitz murmured. “It’s just us.”
“Yes. It’s just us.”
A HALF HOUR LATER, Belinda was back in her normal clothes, and she and Fitz were leaving the dress shop. They started down the block because she wanted to go to the flower shop to tell Ria the big news.
The ring on her finger fit perfectly. It was beautiful and full of character and history. The diamond was large and princess-cut, and the band was intricately engraved. She couldn’t remember ever wearing anything she loved more.
They’d only gotten partway down when they saw a group was gathered in front of the entrance to Second Chance Flower Shop. Belinda saw Ria immediately, standing next to Jacob, who was holding Luke in his arms. Madeline and Ken were there too (Ken in his sheriff’s uniform), talking to Skye and Matthew. They were all good friends, but it was strange to see them gathered in the middle of the afternoon.
Belinda took Fitz’s hand as she approached. “What’s going on?” she demanded when she was close enough not to shout.
Ria turned in surprise, smiling when she saw her sister. “Hey, perfect timing! Jacob has some news.”
“What news?” Belinda and Fitz had reached the others by now. She leaned against him, and he put an arm around her.
“I’ve leased out another storefront,” Jacob said, pointing across the street to the building next to Anna’s Diner that had been empty for at least eight years. “That one. It’s going to be a bookstore.”
“A bookstore! Wow! Do they really think they can make it here in Azalea?”
Jacob shrugged, although his expression was excited. He’d been working so hard to bring businesses back into downtown, and he’d done a remarkable job. “I don’t know, but they’ve got a good business plan. It’s going to be used books mostly, and they’re going to include a coffee shop. With the other places that’ve come in, the whole downtown area will be elevated. I’ve got some more ideas.”
Belinda was intrigued and excited by this news and was about to ask another question. But Ria just then caught a glimpse of something.
“What is that on your finger?” she exclaimed, staring at Belinda’s left hand.
Belinda flushed slightly as she raised her hand to inspect the ring. “Oh. Uh, yeah. Jacob isn’t the only one with big news.”
That announcement led to a series of squeals and hugs and congratulations. But it was clear no one was remotely surprised.
Belinda exulted in the feeling. The excitement. The evidence of how much these people loved both her and Fitz. She felt at home here. In this town. With these people. It felt like family.
Like she wasn’t alone.
Fitz reached for her hand again, and she looked up to meet his gaze. She could see the truth in his blue eyes.
He loved her, and he no longer felt alone either.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: The Remake is the final book of the Second Chance Flower Shop series. If you enjoyed it, be sure to check out the earlier books in the series. The Return is about Ria and Jacob, The Rebound is about Madeline and Ken, and The Reunion is about Skye and Matthew. My next series is Bad Bridesmaids, which is a loose spin-off from Second Chance Flower Shop and will feature Ariana Kensington’s new bridal shop. The first book in that series is The Mistake. You can find an excerpt from it on the following pages.
If you want to keep up with my new releases and sales, you can sign up for my monthly newsletter.
If you want book discussion and insider information on my books, you can join my Reader Group on Facebook. Just ask to join and I’ll approve you.
If you want a complete list of my boo
ks, including series and tropes, you can go to my Printable Book List.
Excerpt from The Mistake
“AMANDA!”
She turned toward the sound of her mother’s voice, steeling herself for what was likely to be an annoying conversation. Her smile never wavered as she said, “Did you need something, Mom?”
Amanda’s mother was still an attractive woman—with the same blond hair and blue eyes as her daughters. She’d always taken great pride in her appearance. Her designer shoes and diamond jewelry were perfectly chosen, and her wine-colored gown was sleek and immaculate. “Can’t you do something?”
Blinking, Amanda mentally culled through possible sources of complaint. “Do something about what?”
“The servers are slacking. Our glasses have been empty for more than five minutes now.”
“They’re doing a good job overall. You can’t expect two servers to be omnipresent.” Amanda was used to this attitude. Her mother didn’t have a bad heart, and she did love her husband and daughters, but she was spoiled and entitled and generally expected the world to cater to her every need.
It had always been a frustrating characteristic in a parent, and it had been making Amanda’s life miserable for the past month as she’d been organizing a somewhat extravagant wedding for her sister in very little time.
“Well, they need to do a little better than this. Can you talk to them please?”
“Yes. Of course I will. Why don’t you try to relax and get off your feet? I’m sure you must be exhausted after working so hard to pull this wedding off.” Amanda’s words were strategic rather than genuine. The only work her mother had put into this event was constant nagging about ridiculous details. Amanda had done all the work, on top of her full-time job as a marketing executive for a Richmond-based retail company.
“Yes. Thank you, dear. I think I will. I’ve been worn down to the bone this month. It’s been so hard.” Her mother’s eyelashes had gotten extra help from extensions today. She batted thick, darkened lashes with exaggerated aggrievement.
