Hotel Ladd (34 page)

“
And what do you think about
my suggestion?”

“
Building on Casey’s
land?”

“
We could offer to buy a
section from her. With that and the money from the logging, she
would be set for quite some time. You don’t think she’d object, do
you?”

“
No.” Not really, though it
was probably not the right time to broach the subject with her.
Lately, she’d been moody, ornery. Annie took it as a sign she was
ready to move on from Fran’s and choose a real direction for her
future, partly due to Cal’s promise of building her a space of her
own, partly due to Jimmy’s eagerness over the whole college
adventure thing, as he called it. Casey didn’t talk about Troy
anymore. Never mentioned his name, perhaps dropping any and all
hope for his return. Annie believed her daughter had finally come
to accept that it wasn’t meant to be and it was time for her to
move on with her life. Annie was thankful for the change but
saddened at the same time. She wished her daughter could look ahead
with a bigger sense of excitement, but instead Casey appeared to
become a cold realist. If she needed a degree, she’d get one, so
long as Jimmy went to school with her. They were talking about
starting this summer, with a few science classes of all
things.

But Annie wasn’t about to argue. Jimmy
had done right by Casey and their friendship was something Annie
valued. Delaney’s input with Casey helped too, and these days,
Annie would take any help she could get. It was ironic, but where
Delaney had been her biggest opponent when it came to recognizing
Casey as family, she now stood as her biggest ally. She seemed to
want nothing more than to see Casey and Felicity grow close, paving
the way for the next generation of Ladds. She gulped.
Grandchildren.

“
Are you opposed to the
idea?” Cal asked.

“
No. It’s just a reality I’m
still getting used to.”

Cal hugged her to him. “Don’t take too
long. I’m getting’ mighty impatient to settle down and get cozy by
the fireplace.” His slightly crooked smile made her laugh. “What?
You can’t blame a man for wantin’ to snuggle with his woman, can
you?”

A flush of warmth rose to her cheeks
and she pushed into him. “No.”

“
Well, alrighty then. Get
busy with your thinkin’ and give me an answer soon, will
you?”

Annie felt the buzz of her cell phone
within her coat. As she reached for it, a swarm of angst streamed
through her. Lacy was due to deliver any day now and was to call
the minute she went into labor. Annie pulled out her phone,
concerned to see Casey’s number on the screen. She was supposed to
be at work. Annie pressed the phone to her ear. “Casey?”

“
Mom.”

“
What’s a matter, honey?”
She glanced at Cal. “You sound sick.” He released her and
immediately she felt the loss of his body heat. “Is everything
okay?”

“
I’m pregnant.”

Annie felt the blood drain from her
head. She gripped the phone. “Pregnant?”

Cal returned a stunned look.

“
What am I going to do?” she
cried.

“
I don’t know...” Annie
closed her eyes. She could only pray it was Jimmy’s.

# # #

The End

Frannie’s Boiled
Peanuts

2 – 3 lbs. green peanuts (fresh from
the garden, not roasted)

2 gallons of water (enough to cover
peanuts 1 – 2 inches in pot)

1 – 2 cups salt (approximately 1 cup
per gallon, your taste preference)

Smoked ham hock (optional, for added
flavor)

Rinse unshelled peanuts well, then
place in large pot, cover with water. Add salt and ham hock. Bring
to a boil. Cover pot and continue cooking on medium heat for 2 – 4
hours, more a gentle boil than rolling boil ~ length of time will
depend on how “green” your peanuts are to start. After 2 hours,
check. Peanuts should be soft to chew, but not over-mushy. Continue
to cook until desired doneness. When done, remove from heat and
cool, then drain. Eat warm or room temperature.

You can alter recipe by
adding Cajun seasoning, adjust salt content—your choice! Just be
sure to enjoy this southern tradition. Despite what Lacy thinks,
these are
gems
from
the kitchen.

Thank you for reading Ladd Springs. As
an author, reviews are a wonderful way to help future readers
discover my books. Will you take a moment to review Ladd
Springs?

Ladd Springs
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Appreciate your time and effort on my
behalf!

About the Author:

Dianne Venetta lives in
Central Florida with her husband, two children and part-time Yellow
Lab Cody-boy! An avid gardener, she spends her spare time growing
organic vegetables, surprised by what she finds there every day.
Who knew there were so many amazing similarities between men and
plants? Women, life and love and her discoveries provide for
never-ending fun on her garden blog:
BloominThyme
.

You can also find her on twitter
@DianneVenetta and facebook.com/DianneVenetta. Plus, learn how you
can become a member of her street team, Bloomin’ Warriors, where
you’ll be eligible for special discounts, advance excerpts, author
swag and unique gift items throughout the year. For full details,
be sure to check out her website,

Dianne
Venetta

Other novels by Dianne
Venetta

Romantic Women’s Fiction
series:

JENNIFER’S GARDEN

LUST ON THE ROCKS

WHISPER PRIVILEGES

Women’s Fiction:

CONDEMN ME NOT

Romantic Mystery/Suspense
Fiction

Ladd Springs Series:

LADD SPRINGS #1

LADD FORTUNE #2

HOTEL LADD #3

Watch for book #4 in the Ladd Springs
series...

LADD HAVEN

October 2013