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  My Sinful Valentine

  By Anna Snow

  Chapter One

  I was sitting beside Carter on a stool in Francine’s Café when it happened.

  Celia Arceneaux waddled up behind us and made her presence known. By the expression on her face, I knew she was feeling her snarky, sarcastic self.

  “And I supposed you’ll be taking Valentine’s Day off, Deputy? She sniffed indelicately.

  Carter glanced at me, sat down his fork, then turned toward Celia and smiled. I continued sipping my sweet tea and figured that I’d let Carter handle this one. He could handle people better than I could. I wasn’t really what you would call a, “people person”.

  “I’m never really off duty around here, but to answer your question, yes. I’ll be away from the station tomorrow night.”

  “Hmm.” She glanced in my direction.

  I ignored her to the best of my ability but it was near impossible to ignore Celia, especially once she got started. Celia was a thorn in everyone’s side. She liked to get under everyone’s skin, especially the skin my best friends Ida Bell, Gertie, and myself.

  I think she penciled it in on her daily agenda.

  “Spending the evening with this one, I suppose.” She hiked a thumb in my general direction. “Although I can’t see why.”

  “Now that’s enough Celia. There’s no need for insults.” Carter defended me, but instead filling me with that frilly little fuzzy feeling most women get when a man defends their honor, it had quite the opposite effect.

  “I bet she isn’t even feeding you dinner like a real woman would.”

  Now, I’ll admit that I’m not the most domestic woman on the planet, and that is a serious understatement, so dinner at Francine’s wasn’t an uncommon occurrence for me.

  Carter and I had been seeing each other for a little while and often met at Francine’s after his shift for dinner.

  Carter, and the best chicken fried steak with gravy in the world?

  It was a win-win situation for me.

  “Lord knows she isn’t real girlfriend material. Just look at her.” Celia continued.

  I glanced down at my dark blue t-shirt and jeans. I knew I didn’t look my best, but I didn’t look like a gutter rat either. Her insults started to grate on my nerves and I twisted on my stool to face her.

  “Is there a reason you stopped by other than to insult me, Celia? Because I have better things to do right now than to listen to your nonsense.”

  She shrugged. “Just saying hi to Carter, and maybe help nudge him in the right direction.”

  “And what direction would that be?” I asked, setting my glass down on the bar.

  She shrugged her rounded shoulder, her suitcase-sized white purse swinging from her wrinkled hand. “All I’m saying is that there are plenty of women in this town who’d be better suited for him. Women who can cook and clean, and get dressed up from time to time. Women more…feminine.” She crinkled her nose.

  Now, normally I let Celia’s insults roll off my back but this time, something inside of me snapped. Maybe it was just an off day for me, maybe Celia was being extra obnoxious, or maybe it was because she was running me down in front of Carter. Whatever it was, she had flipped my switch. I wanted to pummel her, but as much as I wanted to smack her I knew that I couldn’t. That act was completely unacceptable because not only was she the mayor of Sinful (We still hadn’t figured that one out.) she was as old as sin itself.

  Instead, I heard myself say, “Who say’s I can’t cook? I’m just as feminine as the next woman.”

  The truth was, I could barely cook toast without setting the toaster of fire. If it hadn’t been for my friend Ally and Francine’s Café, I would have starved by now.

  I almost choked on the words when they flew past my lips but they were out there and there was nothing I could do to take them back now.

  Celia latched onto them like a dog on a bone.

  “So you are cooking for Carter tomorrow night?”

  Everything was suddenly in slow motion around me as I heard myself reply, “Yes. Yes I am. We’re having Valentine’s Day dinner at my place.”

  Carter’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head and I heard him struggle not to choke on his coffee. I cast him a sideways glance hoping he’d keep his comments to himself. He knew I couldn’t cook, all of Sinful had figured out by now that I was no domestic goddess, but the way Celia was talking me down to Carter stirred me up something fierce.

  “Well,” she smiled in a way I could only describe as evil. “I hope the fire department is ready. Looks like they’ll have quite the job on their hands. Be sure you call one of your minions and have them get a cot ready for your impending stay.”

  I’d had enough.

  “Listen you old—,”

  Carter hopped off of his stool, grasped my elbow, and pulled me off of my stool alongside him.

  “We should be going. Goodbye, Celia.”

  He brushed past her and led me out of Francine’s before I could let my mouth get me into any more trouble than it already had.

  We walked down the sidewalk toward my house in silence and all the while I was wondering what in the heck I’d been thinking. This was the first Valentine’s Day I’d spent with a man, and I’d already ruined it before it started.

  As we reached the edge of my driveway Carter grasped my hand. “I thought you knew better than to let Celia get under your skin?”

  “Was it that obvious?”

  I glanced up and found him smiling down at me with the teasing sparkle I’d grown to appreciate glowing in his eyes. I couldn’t help but to smile in return.

  “You told the woman you could cook.”

  I laughed.

  “I normally ignore her. Normally, I do. But she just hit a nerve tonight. I can’t even explain why”

  “She has a way of goading a person to the very edge. Don’t let what she said hurt you. You are feminine, Fortune. Others just don’t take the time to look deep enough to see it.”

  I felt a little shift in my chest and glanced away. “Thanks, Carter.”

  We made our way up the driveway, then up the steps, and onto my front porch.

  Carter tugged on my hand and stopped me before I could open the door. “You didn’t mean what you said about trying to cook for me tomorrow night did you? I mean, I know cooking isn’t your forte and we had a reservation in New Orleans.”

  The thought of going to New Orleans while still in hiding wasn’t at that top of my list, I’d been drawing a lot of attention to myself lately and I really didn’t want to take the chance of blowing my cover.

  But it wasn’t like I could tell Carter my reason for not wanting to go. He was still in the dark about who and what I really was. What was I supposed to say? “Oh, I’d love to but I’m a CIA assassin hiding in Sinful under an assumed identity and I’d rather not take a chance at blowing my cover?”

  I knew Carter liked me, but I wasn’t blinded by a false impression that he would just smile and go along with that bit of information about myself. The truth was a lot to take in.

  And besides that, it sounded a lot like Carter didn’t think I could pull off a single dinner, and that grated across my
nerves almost as much as the thought of blowing my cover.

  Almost.

  “Actually, I’m serious.” I nodded. “I think having a quiet dinner here at my place would be a great idea.” I said and hoped he couldn’t see the uncertainty swimming below the surface of my fake smile.

  He stared at me for a long moment, before allowing a grin to spread across his face. “Well, if you’re sure.” He shrugged. “I haven’t had a home cooked meal in a while and with you doing the cooking, this should be quite an experience.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  He leaned down, pressed a soft kissed my lips, and smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Martha Stewart.”

  I swatted his arm playfully as he turned and made his way back down the porch steps.

  I watched him stroll back down the sidewalk towards town until he was out of sight. Then and only then did I let the panic I felt rumbling inside me erupt.

  I burst through the front door and ripped the cellphone from my jeans pocket as I headed straight for the kitchen and the lemon-berry cake my dear friend Ally had left there for me when she visited the night before.

  Ida Bell answered on the first ring.

  “You better get over here. We got trouble.”

  Chapter Two

  “You agreed to do what?” Gertie asked around a mouthful of cake.

  Ida Bell shook her head. “You know better than to let Celia get to you like that. What were you thinking?”

  I leaned my head into the palm of my hand. “I know. I know, but she was running me down, telling Carter how he could do better, and I just lost it.”

  Ida Bell shook her head. “Talking you down to Carter got your blood boiling because you care about him. I understand that and so does Celia. That’s why she went after you the way she did.”

  I started to open my mouth to argue, but there was really no point. I did care about Carter. Possibly more than care but it was too early in the game for me to even contemplate opening that can of worms just yet. I’d cross that bridge if and when we came to it.

  “We need a plan of attack.” Gertie said as she finished her slice of cake. “Do you know how to cook anything at all?”

  “And don’t say raviolis from a can or Top Ramen.” Ida Bell grinned. “They don’t count.”

  I frowned. “In that case, no. I was kind of thinking about borrowing one of Ally’s cookbooks and just winging it. How hard can it be to follow a recipe? Besides, with you two by my side, I’m sure we can knock it out with no problem.”

  Ida Bell and Gertie exchanged a glance.

  “What?” I asked.

  “We aren’t the best of cooks either.” Ida Bell admitted. “I mean, we know enough to take care of ourselves, but cooking a big meal like this one for Carter, well, that’s out of our range of expertise.” Ida Bell explained. “I think we should call in the big guns on this one.”

  “Ally.” We all said in unison.

  Ally was young, chipper, and could cook Wolfgang Puck under the table. At least in my opinion. She was an aspiring pastry chef, and I had no doubt that when she made it, she’d make it big.

  “Unless she has plans.” Gertie piped up. “Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day after all.”

  “I’ll call her and ask. I don’t want her to cook the meal for me. That would just prove Celia right. Maybe she can supervise us so we don’t burn down the house or send Carter to the hospital with salmonella.” I said.

  “Now, that sounds like a plan.” Ida Bell nodded.

  I pulled my cellphone out of my pocket, dialed Ally’s number, and waited for her to answer.

  “Hey, Fortune! What’s up?”

  “Do you have plans for tomorrow night?” I asked.

  “Unfortunately, no.” She sighed. “Why? Did you need something?”

  “Actually, yes.”

  I explained my situation to Ally and when she was finished laughing, she finally answered me. “I can’t believe you let Celia get under your skin. Of course I’ll help you. I’ll bring some recipes over first thing in the morning. We’ll need to do some grocery shopping.”

  “No problem.” I said. “Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it.”

  She laughed. “You’re welcome. Honestly, I didn’t have anything better to do, and teaching you how to cook with Ida Bell and Gertie’s help is bound to be an adventure. See you in the morning,”

  “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  I ended the call and answered Ida Bell and Gertie’s curious expressions.

  “We’re on.”

  Chapter Three

  Ally was at the door bright and early the next morning looking as chipper and carefree was ever while I was certain I looked like a sleep deprived train wreck.

  Sleep had eluded me and the only thing I could think about was what if I failed. What would Carter think of me if that was the case? And that thought led to more unpleasant thoughts such as when did I start fearing anything, especially what anyone, including Carter, thought of me?

  I feared I had started becoming soft since arriving in Sinful but after careful thought, I knew that wasn’t the complete truth. I was still as deadly as ever, the only softness that had developed in me was a softness for Carter.

  Ally’s voice broke me away of my unwelcome thoughts.

  “I was thinking I could teach you to make a roast in your slow cooker. It’s incredibly easy and comes out tender and delicious. We can put it on when we get back to your place. It really cooks itself so I’m certain you can manage it with no problems. Then maybe some rolls, and for dessert, red velvet cupcakes with heart shaped sprinkles.”

  “Heart shaped sprinkles?” I raised a brow.

  She laughed. “Ah, come on Fortune. It’s Valentine’s Day. You can’t have Valentine’s Day dessert without heart shaped sprinkles and,” she grinned. “Carter will never expect them.”

  “I’m pretty certain that the only thing Carter is expecting tonight is to go home with a case of food poisoning or a Tupperware dish full of left over Top Ramen.” I pointed out.

  “I doubt that, Fortune. Carter has more faith in you than you think, and not just where cooking this meal is concerned. He listens to you. He really seems to care about you.” Ally smiled, then turned and tossed a bag of potatoes in the shopping cart.

  I thought about what Ally said as I followed along behind her while she tossed all of the ingredients needed into the cart.

  We went through the checkout line, exited the store without incident, then hopped into my jeep and started off in the direction of my house.

  As I rounded the corner to my house I spotted Ida Bell and Gertie hustling up the walk to my front porch. Ida Bell wore jeans and a gray t-shirt but Gertie looked like she’d dressed in the dark. She sported lime green sweatpants, pulled up her calves to make them into capris, a hot pink t-shirt, and to top the ensemble off, a bright yellow apron adorned with penguins wearing swim trunks and sunglasses.

  The duo saw us approaching, waved, and then let themselves into my house.

  “What on earth is Gertie wearing?” Ally asked.

  “She seriously needs some glasses.” I answered as I pulled my Jeep into the driveway.