That Lucky Old Sun (The Bella Novella Collection Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

the same. As we clinked our glasses together in a toast, I saw the most amazing look in her eyes—complete and total peace.
    Yep, my work here was done, at least for today.
    Now, to deliver on my promises. I’d have to pull off the perfect wedding for this extra-special bride-to-be. And somehow, I’d have to do it without further upsetting any of the family members.
    For now, though, I just wanted to sit still in this peaceful garden room and enjoy a glass of peach tea and a very plain salad with a new friend.
     
     

CHAPTER FIVE
    She Knows Me Too Well
     
    Exactly one week before the Pappas-Nguyen wedding was to take place, Galveston Island celebrated a yearly tradition called Summer on The Strand . My family’s restaurant, Parma John’s, sat smack-dab in the middle of The Strand, directly across the street from Super Gyros, the Pappas family restaurant, so we took this summer celebration very seriously.
    On this special day Galveston’s children paraded up and down The Strand wearing their colorful bathing suits, beach floaties, goggles, flippers, fins, and the like. Afterwards, the throngs of people, tourists and locals alike, disappeared into restaurants—like ours—for sustenance. Most business owners along The Strand counted on this day for a huge jump in sales.
    Not that Parma John’s or Super Gyros really needed more customers, like in the old days. No, thanks to a television show patterned after our two restaurants—a show that starred Hollywood hottie Brock Benson—most people in America now knew about Galveston’s most famous eating establishments. Still, other businesses along The Strand thrived on days like today and we did all we could to make the event fun and safe for all attendees.
    In spite of the overwhelming heat, folks gravitated out of their shops to watch the parade go by. Police Chief Nguyen headed up the show, marching with a police baton in hand, goggles over his eyes and fins on his feet, quite a contrast to his pristine uniform and shiny badge. In that moment, I saw a lighter side of the man. Anyone willing to put on fins and goggles and march down The Strand had to have at least one ounce of imagination.
    My kiddos laughed with glee as several of the island’s older women came down the street pretending to do a synchronized swimming routine. I had to laugh, myself, since Mama and Aunt Rosa were in the group. Turned out Aunt Rosa was pretty coordinated. And her old-timey bathing suit really took the cake.
    Mmm. Cake. I’d have to check in with Scarlet to see how Ling’s wedding cake plans were coming along.
    The synchronized swimming act was followed by a float carrying our island’s star swimmer, Eva Pappas, who wore a cute one-piece. Nearly a dozen swimming medals hung around her neck. She raised them triumphant and waved as she went past. The crowd roared with excitement. From across the street, her parents let out a whoop.
    “That’s our girl!” Mr. Pappas hollered.
    The parade came to its eventual end, as all good things do. D.J. and I were just gathering up our children to take them into Parma John’s when something distracted him. He pointed toward the front of the confectionary where a larger-than-life woman stood in the open doorway, waving at us.
    “Who is that?” D.J. asked. “Does anyone know? She seems to know us.”
    I gave him an incredulous look. “D.J., that’s Twila.”
    “Twila?” He looked at her, as if not quite believing it. “ Our Twila? From Splendora?”
    “Well, of course. You don’t recognize the bouffant hairdo?” I glanced her way and noticed the hair had fallen. . .a lot. Probably the humidity. And something else about her seemed very, very odd.
    D.J. squinted and gave her another look. “Bella, she’s. . .orange.”
    “Um, yeah. Very orange.”
    “I’ve never seen a human being that color before.”
    “Me either, actually.”
    At that very moment Twila took notice of us. She gave us a big wave and began to saunter toward us. The