The Ladybug Jinx Read Online Free PDF Page A

distracted by the way she chewed her gum. He’s never seen someone who was able to talk and pop bubbles at the same time.
    “You got kids? What does your wife do?”
    Sam started to root through the jeans. She was right. There wasn’t much in his size.
    “I’m not married.”
    “Here.” She held the jeans way up over her head allowing the pants to roll out. “Try these.”
    Sam walked out with two pair of jeans, three pair on order, a couple plaid shirts, a couple colored shirts and some bare essentials. He was shocked at what a thrifty shopper he’d become. Not only did he get a super cheap truck, maybe not a good deal, but he did get about twelve items for under fifty bucks. Sam was used to spending fifty dollars on a pair of socks.
    He put the clothes in his truck, and glanced across the street. The Thirsty Turtle would definitely quench his thirst, but alcohol wouldn’t do him any good in the state he’s in. If he thought long and hard, it’d seem he’d lost his ever living mind, leaving a world people dreamed about in the dust.
    Instead of a beer, he settled for some more conversation with Mamie at The Fatted Pig.
    The restaurant was buzzing with customers. He would’ve never eaten in the diner if the sun was out this morning when he pulled up. In the sunlight, the diner looked a little more dingy. He hadn’t noticed the bricks cracking and the paint peeling off.
    “Cali, you still in town?” Mamie was still serving up. “You gonna have to take a seat at the bar!” she shouted over the patrons.
    Sam did as he was told. The Fatted Pig might not be the Ivy, his favorite restaurant in Los Angeles, but damn the food looked good. If the lunch is anything like his breakfast, he would walk out a satisfied man.
    “What you been up to, Cali?” Mamie filled the coffee cup without Sam even requesting coffee. He noticed everyone in the diner had coffee.
    “Sam.” Sam didn’t like being called Cali. He wanted to forget California and everything that came with it. “Well, dear Mamie, you are looking at The Ladybug’s new delivery boy.”
    “Hot dang.” She smacked her hand on the counter. “Good for you, Sam.”
    Sam thumbed through the rental magazine he picked up off the counter, looking for some type of house to rent. There didn’t seem to be a ton to choose from in his price range. He didn’t realize Grandberry Falls was a destination spot for vacationers.
    “What’s all this about?” Sam pointed to the picture of the lodge on the gorgeous lake.
    Mamie leaned over the counter and Sam pushed his coffee aside. He didn’t want any of her hair falling into it.
    “That’s Grandberry Falls State Park.” She poked at the picture. “We get all sorts of families in here during the summer paying big bucks to hang out at the beach, hike the trails for a little peace and quiet.”
    Sam cocked his head to the side. “People pay this to spend one week here?” Sam realized the price he was seeing next to all the cabins was a weekly rate, not a monthly rental.
    “Yep,” she said grabbing for a calculator.
    “Do you know anyone needing a month to month renter?” Sam couldn’t pay those prices on what little money he was going to be making. Sam whispered, “This is going to be harder than I thought.”
    “Maybe.” Mamie continued to add up a few of her tickets. “If you don’t mind living on top a diner.”
    Sam’s day was coming together. “Yea, that would be great.”
    “Come on. I’ll show you up.” Mamie said something to the other waitress and motioned for Sam to follow her out the door and around the building to a set of steel steps. “I’ll have to clear it with the owner, but I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”
    The one room efficiency was all he needed.
    Mamie waited while Sam walked around the room. The bed wasn’t the king he was used to and the kitchen sink was next to the bed, which he wasn’t used to, but it was his and nothing reminded him of California or his beloved