Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 61268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Read Online Books/Novels: | Ex for You - Fated To Love You |
|---|---|
Author/Writer of Book/Novel: | Lindsey Hart |
| Language: | English |
| ISBN/ ASIN: | B097LNTMM4 |
| Book Information: | |
We are the Cromwell Heirs, and we made a pact to never fall in love. We don't even believe in that BS. But I was nearly tempted to break our sacred pact for her. Instead, I broke her heart and sent her away. I never expected to see her again, Nor lay eyes on my mini-me. I know she hates me. But what we created together four years ago is too precious for me to stay away. And when she urgently needs a nanny, guess who forces his way in for the job... **** THIS BOOK IS PART OF A SERIES BUT IS READ AS A STAND-ALONE. NO CHEATING. NO CLIFFY. JUST LOADS OF SWOONS, SPARKS AND BEDROOM STEAM JUST FOR YOU! | |
| Books by Author: | Lindsey Hart |
CHAPTER 1
Luna
It all started with a meddling granny and a bracelet I didn’t know was cursed until it was too late.
It had been mailed to me, ostensibly for cleaning. I thought it was because I ran a jewelry shop, where I made my own custom pieces and specialized in antiques. The bracelet was at least a century old, so it made perfect sense when I opened up the package and saw it, along with a note.
Dear amazing jeweler,
I’m very dirty. Cursed to be dirty, or maybe just plain cursed and dirty. Please clean me. My rightful owner will come and pick me up on Friday, at noon. Please have me ready, sparkly clean, and wonderfully pristine.
Yours truly,
The very dirty wrist grabber
Yeah, okay, it was a super weird note, but this is New Orleans, and it’s not the first strange thing I’ve received in the mail. Obviously, whoever sent it had a dry as dust sense of humor and was just trying to make things fun. I could do with a little more fun. Everyone could. There was a hundred-dollar bill tucked in with the note, so I knew the sender was serious. I know, I know. Who sends cash in the mail?
The envelope might not have had a return address, but it did have a tracking number, so whoever sent it was sure to know it was sent to the right place and received since I did have to sign for it.
The bracelet itself is no dirty wrist grabber. It is old, and it looks to be from the mid-eighteen-hundreds. It is made of tiny rubies surrounded by even tinier clusters of diamonds, and the gold is an ancient, magnificent kind of gold. The bracelet certainly looks its age, which is a marvelous thing in my opinion, as I happen to have a thing for antique jewelry.
The bracelet didn’t look very dirty to me when I pulled it out of the purple velvet bag, but then again, people who own antique stuff are often meticulous about it, as they should be. I was instantly dazzled when I saw the bracelet.
I own a jewelry shop right off the French Quarter. I’m far enough away that my little bright blue stucco building costs me far less than it would just a couple of blocks over in any direction, but I’m not so far that both tourists and locals can’t find me. I’ve been doing this for a few years now—okay, I’ve been fascinated with antique jewelry for my entire life—but I’ve had the store for three years.
I’m the store’s owner and only employee. Unfortunately, it means that when an emergency comes up, or I need a sick day, I have to close. I do have a good online following, though, and a ton of orders for custom-made jewelry come through there—far more than the walk-in traffic I get—so most of the time, it works out okay.
I do close the store on popular auction days and Sundays. I close at six every night, and I don’t open until eleven in the morning. I’ve always had a love for vintage and old things, so the store is full of vintage and antique furniture and artwork. Even the display cabinets are antique. I find most of my jewelry—the antique stuff at any rate—at estate sales, auctions, and online. I don’t always get a good deal, but I get what people want. I guess I’m a bit of a middleman in that sense. I don’t do that bit for the money, though. I do it because it’s a passion, it will always be a passion, and I can’t ruin it by calling it work.
The other part of the business is the jewelry I design and make. If you’ve ever seen the raw kinds of rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings on handmade sites or on apps where you can scroll for those kinds of things, that’s me. It’s what I make. Half the time, the stones look like they’ve just come out of the earth, though I suppose they’ve been polished, so maybe not so earthy, but their cut often reminds me of a stone just freshly picked from the dirt, a rare and incredible discovery. Oh, and I also only use ethical stuff. I don’t want any bad voodoo in my shop, and I definitely don’t want to be putting bad karma into the world. There are enough terrible things going on out there already.
I glance at the pocket watch I always wear around my neck, which I also made. It’s a beautiful antique piece from the 1880s. I changed out the chain since it was meant to be fastened to a man’s vest or coat, and then I added a few opals set in gold to dangle down beside the watch. I actually designed it to be sold, but once I saw the completed piece, I had to keep it. Opals are my favorite.