Sweetie Pie: I Was A Teenage Fortune Teller Romance, #1

By Mattie Fern Worrix

Teen fortune teller Samantha Clementini is seeing valentines from the Universe — EVERYWHERE! Clouds, rocks, leaves, and even a recently discovered mole on the tummy of her pitbull, Sweetie Pie, are heart-shaped.

 

Could cute Gabe Arnold, a new neighbor, be the reason why?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mattie Fern Worrix
• Release date: Feb 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393517399

Book preview

Dedication

"I love pitbulls because their hearts are as big as their heads."

~ spotted on a tee shirt

Chapter 1 - Sam

PERSONALLY, I THINK it’s pretty darn rude of the Universe to send my Intended at this particular time. Jeez Louise. I’ve got braces on my teeth, my hair is a frizzy mess from Granny Suke’s home perm and now I’ve got a big zit sprouting on my chin. 

I sat in my mom’s nail salon chair, with my 41 pound pitbull, Sweetie Pie, cuddled in my lap. Mom’s name is Celeste and she’s owned the salon even before I was born.

Sweetie Pie looked over her shoulder at me, giving me a flirty look with her almond-shaped brown eyes.

You don’t count, I said. You love me no matter what. That’s your job on the planet.

Which is absolutely true. Even in gray sweatpants and a faded shop tee shirt with Celestial Bodies Nail Spa Salon emblazoned across my chest like a comet, Sweetie Pie loves me like I’m the coolest thing ever. 

Come to think of it, dogs could teach us all a thing or two about unconditional love. 

I held Sweetie Pie against my pounding heart. The truth is, I’m scared spitless and nowhere near ready to invite a cute boy into my life. Especially being such a white hot mess. 

Even Mom has been trying to get me to stop biting my nails and, at least, put on some clear nail polish. Or maybe seashell pink. 

I guess I’m bad for business with my nails chewed down to the nubbins. I looked down at Sweetie Pie’s pretty bubblegum pink painted nails. She has a beautiful pedi and a mani—and she’s a freakin’ pitbull.

I scooted forward in the chair a bit to get a better look. As I surveyed the neighbor’s yard just across the small white picket fence that separates our property, I tried not to be too voyeuristic, as the moon and stars and rain cloud chime made a soft tinkle in the early summer breeze just outside the shop window. My eyes caught the spinning sparkles as the crystals gently twirled in the sunshine. 

I swung us to and fro in the swivel chair, and scratched Sweetie Pie behind her cropped ear. Just touching her ear made my heart hurt. Such an icky reminder of her life before we rescued her from the Olive Branch dog pound.

When we first adopted her she had bloody wounds on her ears and face and we found several scars on her neck. She’d been rescued from bad people who did dog fighting for fun.

The new family, the Arnolds, have been buzzing in and outside the house for the past few days. And that big stack of Love is in the Air steer manure over by the picnic table and garden wheelbarrow means they’re getting serious about landscaping. And that brand of manure is yet another everyday oracle I’ve been seeing for the past month. Yet another sign my True Love will soon be on the scene. 

I giggled. Nothing like a 50-pound sack of cow pucky to make my eyes go all starry and my heart go thumpity thump.

I swallowed hard. It’s a little unnerving too, because I’ve been seeing valentines from Goddess everywhere. 

And as if on cue, Sweetie Pie leaned back in my lap for me to pet her pink tummy. 

On that belly is a heart-shaped mole she’s probably had her entire life. Funny thing, I just noticed it yesterday.

Yet another sign. 

And the other day I crashed on my bike. I plowed into a curb near Frankie’s Superette and was airborne for a bit before I got a good taste of a cement sandwich. But instead of seeing stars when I fell, I saw spinning hearts. A bunch of tiny perfectly shaped hearts. 

More valentines from the Universe.

I readjusted Sweetie Pie on my lap and focused my attention hard on getting a glimpse of my Intended. That’s why we’re hiding out in my mom’s nail salon. The place used to be our garage, and now we have to park our cars outside in all that Oregon rain—Dad’s silver truck and Granny Suke’s metallic green Honda Civic that doesn’t seem to age or slow down. Just like my grandma herself. 

So far, over in the neighbors yard, I’ve seen the dad and the teenage girl but haven’t seen the boy. And THAT boy is the one.

I haven’t even laid eyes on him but I know it’s him. And yes, it’s weird to think about falling in love with someone you haven't even met, but I know the Universe wouldn’t play matchmaker if it wasn’t meant to be. 

I looked down at the old tabletop mirror on the table in front of me. It’s an ornate fake-gold gilded one Mom probably found at Goodwill for three bucks. Or maybe it’s real gold and Granny Suke pulled it out of that magic trunk she never lets me take a peek inside of, no matter how much I beg.

I let out a long heavy sigh. There’s no point really in looking in the mirror, of course, because I already know what I look like.

And it ain’t pretty. 

I cuddled Sweetie Pie closer against me as I leaned forward to adjust the mirror. 

Yep. Braces still there. Frizzy hair. My glasses sliding down my nose as usual. Nice little zit turning into a gross whitehead on my chin.

Mirror mirror on the wall, I whispered.

And stuck my tongue out. 

Chapter 2 - Gabe

I FOLLOWED MY TWIN sister, Sara, through the front door of our new house, past the dining room table overflowing with cardboard moving boxes, and into the kitchen. I carried a big ceramic garden rabbit, which felt heavier by the moment. If Sara doesn’t move it a bit I’m gonna drop the thing on my toe.

Our dad stood in