“Oh no, don’t do this to me now,” Ivy Valentine told her rental car as it hiccupped its last breath with a jerk. She coasted to the side of the exit ramp and hung her head. “Why me?”

     She jammed the car in park and pulled out her cell phone to call the rental company. A minute later, she hung up with their promise to send a tow truck and reassurance that they’d drop off another car at her hotel.

     Ivy glanced at her quartz watch. She had thirty minutes to register for her convention. Her red-tipped nails drummed the steering wheel. “Could this day get any worse?” She knew she shouldn’t ask that question. It always invited disaster but her day was already that and more.

    Her phone rang. She glanced at the incoming number and sighed. Yep, she shouldn’t have asked that question. “Hello, Mom.”

     “What? You couldn’t pick up the phone and let me know you arrived safely?”

Ivy rolled her eyes and prayed for patience. “I’m still on my way to the hotel. I was going to call you after I checked in.” It was just a small lie.

     “Oh, well how was your flight?”

    “The flight from hell? Wonderful. It shook and dropped until all one-hundred-and-sixty-eight passengers were blended together to emerge as one well versed, cross-dressing doctor of business with a penchant for acting who sells perfume to entrepreneurs with children.” Ivy drew in a breath then added, “And it was two-hours late.”

     “That’s nice dear.”

     She pulled the phone away to look at it. Her mother hadn’t heard a word she’d said. She put the phone back to her ear.

     “…make sure you go tonight.”

     She closed her eyes. “Yes, Mother.” No need to ask her mom to repeat what she’d missed. Ivy already knew it was about the charity Masquerade party at her hotel. The last thing she wanted was to socialize with a room full of Valentino-wanna-be’s.