Finally: The Red Hat Club

By Cynthia Hickey

Iris Blossom, owner of Blossom's and More, has just broken off her engagement with the mayor's son. Just in time for the return home of Brock Samson, the man who jilted her at their senior prom ten years ago. Despite the sparks that fly between the two, they agree to help the ladies of the Red Hat Club beautify Main Street and participate in an old-fashioned dance off competition. Problem is ... the red hat's club has decided Iris and Brock should get married and set out to get wed.

What Iris and Brock don't expect is how dance practice ignites the blood and threatens to topple the vows they made years ago.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cynthia Hickey
• Release date: May 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201016043

Cynthia Hickey

Multi-published and best-selling author, Cynthia Hickey, has taught writing at many conferences and small writing retreats. She and her husband run the publishing press, Winged Publications, which includes some of the CBA's best well-known authors. They live in Arizona and Arkansas, becoming snowbirds with two dogs and one cat. They have ten grandchildren who them busy and tell everyone they know that "Nana is a writer."   

Book preview

FINALLY

A Red Hat Club Romantic Novella, book 1

By Cynthia Hickey

Copyright 2013

Written by: Cynthia Hickey

Published by: Winged Publications

Cover Art: Cynthia Hickey

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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1

Don’t call me anymore. Iris Blossom slammed the phone onto its receiver. After leaving her virtually stranded at the altar, with a church full of people, her ex-fiance had a lot of nerve calling her at Blossoms and More. She didn’t care that he was sorry. The humiliation would never leave. It hovered over her like a cloud. She ripped at the curling ribbon on a gift box. Someday, true love would find her. That’s what Mama always said.

Iris swallowed past the mound of cotton in her throat. Dear Mama. She’d found her one true love while feeding the ducks at the lake when she was eighteen. Maybe she was right, and there was a love for Iris in the future. One thing was for certain, it wasn’t Daniel Barton.

She didn’t even know why she’d said yes to his proposal unless it was because Mama had wanted to see her daughters married before she died. Well, Ivy managed, but Iris had let Mama go into the hereafter a big disappointment.

The phone rang. She took a deep breath and forced her voice to be pleasant. Blossoms and More, Iris speaking. How may I help?

This is your sister. Did you know there is a hunky man hanging over the door of our shop trying to untangle some kind of wire from our sign?

What? Iris started to run to the door. The cord on the ancient phone yanked her back. Where are you?

In my car watching the eye candy.

You’re married.

I’m not blind, either. Click.

A handsome man outside the window? Iris needed something to brighten up her day. She hung up the phone and rushed for the front door. She slammed it open and into a ladder.

Hey! A man’s foot rammed into her eye.

Ow! She held one hand over her face and fumbled with the other for the swaying ladder.

Get out of the way! The man let go, landing in front of her and tackled her, rolling into the flower shop all in one swift move.

They hit the tiled floor with enough force to knock the breath from Iris’s lungs. Outside, a crash reverberated through the open door. Iris opened her good eye and stared into the face of her high school prom date, Brock Samson.

He grinned down at her. Hello, Iris.

Get off me. She planted both hands against his chest and shoved. She couldn’t help but notice the defined muscles under the black tee shirt he wore. You gave me a black eye.

You knocked me off the ladder. He held out a hand to help her to her feet. I saved you from being crushed by your sign.

My sign! That was hung just last week. She dashed back outside. Sure enough, the huge glass bouquet that lit up at night lay in shattered pieces on the sidewalk. Ivy stood next to her Volkswagon bug, red to Iris’s baby blue one, and laughed. Shut up. You’re a lot of help.

This is the most fun I’ve had all week, Ivy said. Don’t worry. Insurance will cover the sign.

After we pay the thousand dollars deductible. Tears pricked at the back of Iris’s eyes. She whirled to confront Brock. You pay for it.

Me? He held up his hands. I was almost killed, at the very least maimed, and you want me to pay for a sign that wasn’t properly installed.

She planted fists on her hips. Yes, I do. You owe me. She stormed back into the store.

For what? He followed.

Standing you up at the prom? I told you I couldn’t help that.

Being stood up was the story of her life. You never explained why.

He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. I was just a stupid kid and scared to death of a beautiful girl. I chickened out, plain and simple.

She stared up into eyes the color of a summer sky. Dark lashes any woman would die for matched the hair on his head and made the eyes stand out in sharp contrast. You were afraid of me?

Oh, yeah.

She grinned. Brock Samson, star quarterback, afraid of studious Iris Blossom. What a hoot. Her smile faded. Wait a minute. What do you mean my sign wasn’t hung properly?

I noticed some screws missing when I was untangling my extension cord.

Then the sign company should pay for it.

Brock shrugged. Hopefully, of course, my having to hang on to it because of a wobbling ladder didn’t help. Why did you come barging outside anyway?

Oh, uh, my sister called me. Not exactly a lie. She did call, and he didn’t need to know what their conversation was about. You shouldn’t put a ladder in front of someone’s door.

It wasn’t in front of the door, it was to the side. You ran out and turned. He frowned. Are you refusing to accept your part of the responsibility?

No, of course not. I intend to make the sign company replace the sign at no charge. Why were up there anyway?

I’m renovating the store next door. The owner wants to put in a bookstore and wants it to look ... vintage. He crossed his arms and glanced around her shop. This place is cute. Guess you went into the flower business because of your name?

Iris rolled her eyes and then glared at her sister when she waltzed through the door. Hello. She held out her hand for Brock. Ivy, the other half of the business.

You were two years ahead of us in school, if I remember correctly. Brock grinned. I never forget a pretty face.

Why, thank you very much. Ivy sailed past him and into