Fools Rush In (35 page)

“Remembered? Are you kidding? I’ve spent hours on the Web. I could name any song Dean Martin ever sang. Try me.”

We spent the next ten minutes doing just that. I was finally convinced he’d memorized Dean’s entire repertoire, so we shifted gears. He gave me that now-familiar “come hither” look, and I quirked a brow. “Come with me?” he whispered.

“Sure.” I followed him through the crowd of people to the back door.

Once outside, he led me to the back of the house, where we sat together on a bench near my uncle’s garden. The landscape looked a bit dried out and barren. Still, it was quiet.

D.J. gave me a gentle kiss on the end of my nose. “I just needed to get out of there for a minute,” he admitted. “I want you to myself. Is that selfish?”

“No way.”

He slipped his arm around my shoulder, and I gave him a tender kiss.

“So, I have a favor to ask.” I reached up with the tip of my index finger and traced D.J.’s cheek, loving the feel of the stubble under my fingertip.

“A favor?” His brow wrinkled. “What? You want me to come up with a tofu pizza? Something with a quirky name?”

“Nah.” I laughed.

“What? You don’t think I can do it?” He gave me a playful frown. “I think we’ve already established that I’m a jack-of-all-trades. So if you need me to take over your family’s restaurant or help Marcella at the flower shop or maybe learn how to make coffees, I’m your guy.”

“Oh, you’re my guy all right.” I offered him a playful wink. “But I really just wanted to ask you to deejay the next wedding.”

“Is that all?” He laughed, the relief evident on his face. “I thought it was going to be something scary.”

“Well, there is this one little thing . . .” I bit my lip, trying to work up the courage to tell him.

“What’s that?”

“You, um . . . you have to wear tights.”

“Say what?” He paled. “You want this good ol’ boy from Splendora, Texas, to wear tights in public? Like little girl lacey tights?”

I doubled over in laughter. “No. They’re more like leggings. Part of a medieval costume. You’ve seen the guys at the Renaissance festival, right?”

D.J. shrugged. “Yeah, in pictures. But I’ve never—repeat, never—worn tights, and I never plan to.”

I shrugged. “Well, think about it. Stranger things have happened, you know.”

“Um, yeah. They have. And most of them over the past few weeks, if memory serves me correctly.” D.J. ran his fingers through my hair, and I rested my head against his shoulder. “Bella, you’ve done something to me. I can’t think straight anymore.”

“I hope you mean that in a good way.”

He chuckled before responding, “I do. You’ve brought me out of my shell. I was perfectly content to spend my days building things with my hands, but you . . . ” He smiled. “You’ve got me building things with my heart.”

“O-oh?” I stared up into his gorgeous blue eyes, mesmerized.

“Yeah.” His breath felt warm against my ear as he whispered, “I’ve got plans, Bella Rossi. Plans that include you. I hope you’re up for ’em.”

“I . . . I . . .” A lump formed in my throat, and I couldn’t finish.

“Don’t get any ideas that you’re gonna run off and break my heart,” he added. “You’re my girl now.”

“Yeah?” I teased.

“Well, sure.” He wrapped me in his arms and whispered, “Possession is nine-tenths of the law, you know.”

Indeed, it was. And right now D.J. Neeley possessed my heart, every square inch of it. Might as well put a Sold sign on that property. He’d captured me, and I’d never be the same.

Sure, we had our differences. He was a little bit country. I was a little bit Italian. But oh, mama mia! What a delicious combination!

Sister Twila’s Beauty Secrets

For soft, wrinkle-free hands, Twila recommends bag balm (commonly known as udder cream). Apply liberally on hands and feet at bedtime, then cover with socks.

To clear up those annoying wrinkles around the eyes, Twila and the other full-figured sisters suggest dabbing on hemorrhoid cream. Voilà! Wrinkles disappear!

Wishing you had soft, bouncy hair? Mane and Tail (located at all trendy feed stores) will do the trick. It’ll put the “giddyap and go” in your hair—and your step!

Sister Twila loves to use sugar mixed with a bit of olive oil as a facial scrub. Be sure to rinse with cold water afterward. (According to Twila, a woman can never be too sweet.)

Worried about cellulite? Twila understands! She recommends you rub used coffee grounds on problem areas. (Warning: folks are liable to ask, “Where’s the coffee?” in your presence.)

Looking for a great makeup remover? Crisco is the best! Twila also recommends it to treat psoriasis and eczema. She’ll be happy to show you her elbows as proof of its effectiveness. Crisco also bakes up a great piecrust.

If you’re like Twila, you love a great face mask. Unscented kitty litter mixed with half a cup of water is the cat’s meow!

Twila can’t say enough about her favorite facial peel—Pepto-Bismol. Apply liberally, allow to fully dry, then peel away for soft, luscious skin.

Struggling with dark circles under your eyes? Twila has the solution! Try raw potato slices. They’re loaded with potassium, the perfect antidote for tired, puffy eyes!

Twila recommends that all you women, young and old, apply liberal amounts of sunscreen before going outside, whether you live on Galveston Island or elsewhere.

Finally, Twila’s best beauty secret of all—water! Be sure to drink eight to ten glasses per day to keep your skin and your body hydrated. Here’s Twila’s rule of thumb: If you’re 130 pounds or less (and frankly, she doesn’t know many women who are), drink 64 ounces a day. If you’re heavier than that (like most gals), Twila recommends you drink half your body weight per day in ounces of water. In other words, a normal-sized woman (say, Twila’s size—approximately 200 pounds) should drink 100 ounces of water a day, and so on. Twila is quick to add that you must memorize the location of all restrooms at local shopping centers before adopting this practice.

Acknowledgments

Though I’ve been writing for years, I truly feel the Weddings by Bella series is a first in many ways. Through this wacky tale, I was able to share both my love of weddings and my love of comedy. And what fun to have such a lively cast of characters! Bella and her quirky family members boot-scooted their way into my heart!

To my editor, Jennifer Leep—thank you for falling in love with this story. You get my writing voice, and it shows in the way you constantly encourage me. What a blessing you are!

To my agent, the awesome Chip MacGregor—I can never thank you enough. You believed in Bella, and you believe in me. Thanks for finding the perfect house for my comedies! Here’s to many more years—and projects!—together.

To my copyeditor, Jessica Miles—girl, I appreciate you so much! You added that extra sparkle to my words. (Here in Texas, we call that a “spit shine.”) You’re a true wordsmith!

To my critique partners, Kathleen Y’Barbo, Martha Rogers, and Linda Kozar—you are the wind beneath my wings. Thanks for taking the time to read through my story and offer critique. I value your input so much! And thanks for laughing in all the right places.

To my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—only you saw the personal struggles leading up to this book. You finally swung wide the door for me to write the kind of story I’d been aching to write all along, and I’m so grateful!

To my readers—praise the Lord and pass the pasta!

Janice Thompson
is a Christian freelance author and a native Texan. She is the mother of four grown daughters, three beautiful granddaughters, and a brand-new grandson. She resides in the greater Houston area, where the heat and humidity tend to reign.

Janice started penning books at a young age and was blessed to have a screenplay produced in the early ’80s. From there she went on to write several large-scale musical comedies for a Houston school of the arts. Currently, she has published over fifty novels and nonfiction books for the Christian market, most of them lighthearted and/or wedding themed.

Working with quirky characters and story ideas suits this fun-loving author. She particularly enjoys contemporary, first-person romantic comedies. Wedding-themed books come naturally to Janice, since she’s coordinated nearly a dozen weddings, including recent ceremonies and receptions for her four daughters. Most of all, she loves sharing her faith with readers and hopes they will catch a glimpse of the real happily ever after as they laugh their way through her lighthearted, romantic tales.

When
Hollywood’s
most eligible
bachelor sweeps into town,
will he cause trouble for
Bella
?