Fixer-Upper (Spinning Hills Romance 3) by Inés Saint

know how I love diamonds.”
    “I know.” Marissa laughed. “And it went really well. Johnny even adopted five abandoned puppies, just to make the kids happy. He let them name them, and he even promised to bring them to school once in a while.”
    Sherry’s eyes went round. “ Five puppies? ” she echoed.
    Abuela Rosa looked unamused. “You are joking.”
    Ruby stiffened. “Where in the world is he going to keep a litter of puppies? He lives above Sam’s office! And there’s a town ordinance. Even if he bought a house, he’d still have one dog too many. When will that boy stop courting trouble? How will he keep his promise to those kids now?” She gasped. “Unless he moves away. Is that what he’s planning on doing?” Ruby turned to Rosa with an accusing glare. “Maybe you drove him out!”
    “Me? I haven’t even spoken to him.” Rosa glared back.
    “Exactly!” Ruby fell back and folded her arms across her chest.
    Marissa managed a smile. They were angry at him and they’d make him pay, but they loved him, too. He was like the town’s leprechaun. A cute troublemaker who carried around a heart of gold instead of a pot. “Nobody drove him out. He has a plan. Of sorts.” She hesitated. “He, uh, mentioned one property here in Spinning Hills that could accommodate five puppies.”
    There was a long silence. It was as if she’d hit a magical mute button that managed to quiet all three of them at once. Many people in town would pay big for such a button.
    “No.” Sherry shook her head. “He wouldn’t. It’s too crazy. Even for him.”
    Abuela Rosa shuddered. “It’s too crazy and too wrong. His own great-great-great-grandfather burned a woman to death in that house!”
    Ruby slapped her hands on the table, hard. “It’s perfect. He’ll break the curse! All he has to do is find his mystery woman. We’ll help him!”
    Abuela Rosa sent Ruby a frustrated look. “ What are you talking about now? If he moves in to that godforsaken house, I tell you he will be cursed for real. And trust me, I will not be helping him. I think it’s finally time we butted out. Look at what happened on Saturday. I talked to Melinda to confirm Johnny’s conclusions, Michelle found out, became too excited to keep it to herself, told everyone and their mother, and the whole world witnessed the debacle.”
    Marissa gave her grandmother an assessing look. So that’s what it was. Her grandmother and mom were probably feeling guilty for their own part in the farce.
    Ruby got up, swept over to the counter, and took out a box from behind it. “Look. When I read Dan’s tarot cards, the first card read Creative Project , and it had a picture of angels fixing a harp. And Dan and Sam both rehabilitated houses for women they loved! The next one said, Activation , and it had a picture of an angel blowing fire. Their creative projects were the catalyst for breaking the curse. See? The last card, if you remember, was the Three Elements card that had three angels, one hovering within a spiral of wind, one swimming underwater, and one planting seeds, its hands full of earth.
    “Dan was moving around, blowing wherever the wind took him, until he met Holly. Sam was underwater, both in his business and personal life, until Cassie came along and helped him breathe again. And now Johnny must finish the work so the curse can finally be broken and our Amador boys can have love! He must make the house that someone else nearly burned to the ground rise again. That is his seed!”
    Sherry and Abuela Rosa burst out laughing. Marissa felt bad for Ruby and didn’t join in. They waited for them to stop, but the two women were having a real fit. They at least looked guilty about it, but they couldn’t seem to stop. Marissa cleared her throat and, wanting to say something nice, commented, “I’m surprised Dan let you read his fortune. Although I guess he’s changed. I can’t wait for the wedding next month.”
    “You’re invited?” Ruby