He brushed his fingers over my forehead, then down along my cheek. “Technically, I pulled the needle out before I hooked up the IV bag. Now you only have a soft plastic catheter in your arm.”
“Sorry, but that doesn’t make me feel better,” I said, though having him linger over me for a moment was soothing. And his gentle touch wasn’t hurting either.
“How about this, then?” He leaned down and brushed his lips over mine, soft and tender, and way too briefly.
“That helped a whole lot,” I said, wishing he’d do it again.
“Good.” He straightened. “I ought to get back to work. You’ll be careful?”
“I’ll make sure she’s settled in and the locks and alarms are set before I go home tonight,” Honey said.
“Call me if you start to feel sick or dizzy again,” he told me.
A nurse entered and Jack greeted her by name, then moved out of her way. “See you later,” Jack said.
“Yeah.” I watched him walk away, and let out a sigh. I hadn’t realized it was loud enough for anyone else to notice until Honey started chuckling. “What?” I asked her.
“You. And Jack. You’re so cute together. He’s so worried about you and you just play right into it.” She pushed her braids behind her shoulder and grabbed my shoes from the floor, loosening the ties.
“What can I say? He’s adorable.”
“You can say that again,” the fifty-something nurse said under her breath. When I looked at her, she shrugged. “I’m married, but I still have eyes. He’s not only easy to look at, he’s nice and really good with patients. You could certainly do worse.”
“I have done worse,” I admitted, thinking of, well, just about every guy I’d ever dated.
“Most of us have.” She taped a cotton ball to the inside of my elbow where the IV used to be and folded my arm so my hand was by my shoulder. “Hold it there for a couple of minutes while the blood clots. I’ll finalize the paperwork and get it for you to sign.”
“Thanks.” I was ready to go home.
Honey made me a cup of pomegranate tea and brought over a plate with cinnamon rolls from my bakery, then sat across from me on the sofa in my cozy living room. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay, actually. I’m bummed about my Outlander.” Considering I could have been dead, bummed was a comparatively acceptable outcome.
“Apparently someone isn’t happy about your search,” Honey said.
“You can always figure that out when they start trying to kill me.” I blew on my tea and tried to think about what set off the killer. “I just wish I had some idea what it was.”
“Well, what do we know?”
“Someone was stalking Francine, someone besides Cole, and they were strong enough to subdue and haul Cole to the lake, ergo most likely a man,” I said.
“It could have been two women instead—they could lift a man together.”
“Yes, and if his was the only death, then I’d consider that, but I doubt a woman stalked her with a friend and referred to herself as Your Prince Charming.”
“True.” Honey didn’t seem bothered to have her theory shot down. “He followed her from Abilene, so he hasn’t been living here all that long.”
“And he obviously didn’t like the fact that Cole was telling everyone how he and Francine were in love. At least, I can’t think of another reason for him to have killed Cole.”
“Maybe there’s something we don’t know about?” Honey suggested.
“Must be. Must be a whole lot of things we don’t know about.” Thinking about it made my headache worse.
“Maybe the killer isn’t the same person, but they strangled Cole so people would think they were the same.”
I lifted my brows. “Or we’re just not connecting the dots right.” We sat in silence for a minute as we considered the plethora of details we were missing. At least I was thinking about that, Honey’s next question said she wasn’t.
“What are you going to do about transportation?”
“I don’t know.” I traded my teacup for a cinnamon roll, which she had warmed slightly in the microwave. It was soft and gooey and loaded with cinnamon and frosting—making it nearly the perfect food. “Luckily I live above my work, so I can walk as usual.” I smiled. “I have a couple of weddings—counting Lenny’s—and an anniversary cake to set up next Wednesday, so I’ll probably ask to commandeer your vehicle for that—especially since you’ll be watching the shop for me part of the time anyway.”
“I can probably handle that,” she agreed.
“And then I’ll find something new after Lenny gets back. I should be able to survive for a few days without a vehicle of my own.” I’d miss the feeling of independence that came with my own wheels.
“Do you know what kind you might buy?”
She distracted me from the killer with the positives and negatives of different models of vehicles and I decided I’d have to do some research before I started test driving—I definitely needed something that I could do deliveries in for work, but with the price of gas, good fuel efficiency was a must.
When Honey finally got up to leave, it was because I was yawning wide enough for a root canal and almost asleep on my feet.
“I’ll pop in tomorrow and see how things are going. Maybe we can grab a minute to go over plans for the wedding set up while I’m there,” she said as she slung her purse over her shoulder.
“Are you excited to have Jack as your date?” she asked me when she got to the door.
My stomach fluttered. “It makes me nervous, bringing him to something like a wedding. It’s the kind of thing you only do when you have a boyfriend, and we’re not officially there yet.”
“You will be soon enough; this is just one more step. I have a good feeling about you two.” She winked and left.
I had a good feeling about us, as well, and he was definitely interested. I supposed I would have to wait to see what happened.
Friday morning was thankfully quiet. Or, quieter than it had been in any case. I put together the cake for the girl’s night, added the finishing touches to that day’s wedding cake and we filled the orders coming in. Lenny was subdued, helping customers or going about his business in the back, baking and decorating.
“You’re awfully quiet,” I said when there was a lull around eleven.
“There’s a lot on my mind.” He was adding details to the groom’s cake he’d decorated for his wedding and assembling the whole thing.
“Want to talk about it?” I took the second stool and shifted closer to him, easing myself onto it—I was stiff all over.
“If I have to hear Kat’s family pick on her and me tonight and all day tomorrow, I might end up punching one of them. They think Kat only got lucky that someone actually wants to pay for her paintings. They think now we’re getting married that she’s going to put that silly hobby aside and start popping out babies like Jasie did.”
“Do you want kids?” I hadn’t asked him about it, but he was great with Honey’s little ones, and I knew he’d make a good dad.
“Sure. In a while, not right away. And why should she give up her painting for that? She loves it, and she’s terrific. She makes way more money at it than I do here.” He shot me an apologetic glance, as if he were complaining about his paycheck, which was considerably less than it had been in Chicago. Though their place here was much bigger and nicer, and still cost less than their cramped cracker box in Chicago had, I still felt guilty. “Why should she have to give up what she loves just because she’s the woman?”
“She shouldn’t,” I agreed. “Her priorities might shift—kids take a lot of time and energy—but she doesn’t have to give it up just because her family thinks she should. And you’re good, excellent, even, at this job. Soon you’ll be able to claim a much higher salary almost anywhere you choose. Stick with it. Heck, as busy as it’s getting, you may be seeing a raise soon.” He’d started out part time in July and was now working full-time. The business’s
bottom line was improving every week and his Christmas bonus would probably make him weep with joy. That was my plan, anyway.
He nodded, but the worried look never left his face.
“What else is bothering you?” I asked.
“What am I doing, Tess? Am I making the right decision?” He set down his gum paste tool and turned to me.
Panic slid into me as I realized he wasn’t sure about getting married. “Come on, Lenny. You don’t think marrying Kat is a mistake, do you?”
He shrugged, focusing on the fondant he was rolling into little balls. “Is her family right? Do I drag her down? Am I going to ruin her life?”
I stared at him. “Are you worried about her, or are you worried about you? Because I’m pretty sure she knows what she wants. She loves you, you make her happy and you support her dreams. Why are you worried about ruining her life when it’s so obvious she’s happy?”
“I’m not exactly easy to live with.”
“And that’s going to come as a big surprise to her when you’ve practically just met.” They’d been together for years, so I felt entitled to my sarcasm.
“I can be irritable, argumentative and I don’t have a good history. I’ve been to jail.” He said it as if it would be a revelation to me.
I managed not to roll my eyes. “I’m pretty sure she already knows all of that. It doesn’t seem to be enough to make her think this is a mistake.”
He huffed, as if annoyed that I didn’t understand what he meant, but honestly, I wasn’t sure what he was trying to say. None of it seemed like an insurmountable problem to me. “You don’t get it,” he finally said.
“Then tell me.” I grabbed his arm and turned him toward me. “What’s going on in that messed up psyche of yours?”
“That’s just it—I’m messed up, Tess. How do I know she’s going to stick with me? No one has ever stuck with me. Why would she choose me, really choose me forever? I can’t stop thinking that someday she’s going to figure out what a bad deal she got and then she’s going to bolt.”
Ah, I got it now. His dad had cut out when he was a kid. His mom dropped him at his grandma’s for extended periods of time while she was out doing her own thing. Grandma had mostly neglected and ignored him. The fact that he hadn’t gotten caught up in drugs or something was a miracle. I wasn’t sure what to say to make him feel better, especially since I couldn’t fix the way he felt. He needed more than platitudes or pithy advice.
After a long moment, I touched his arm so he’d meet my gaze. “I guess you’ll have to live your life to fool her, then. Live to deserve her. She loves you just the way you are, and if you work to put her first, she’ll overlook the problems and see the person she sees now. You do deserve her, Lenny. Considering her family’s attitude, she knows she lucked out with you. Just keep it up and she’ll have no reason to leave. She’s not like anyone else.”
He shifted his gaze away, staring at the table in front of him. I don’t think he saw it or the cake. “What if it’s not that easy?”
“It’s never that easy,” I said. When he looked at me in confusion, I explained, “Are things perfect now? Do you just hold hands and skip through meadows of flowers because everything is so perfect? I’m pretty sure you’ve had irritations and struggles since you got together, and you made it through everything anyway. That’s what happens when you both put your relationship first. I think the only way you’ll lose her is if you turn into someone you’re not, or you forget to treat her like she’s number one. Otherwise, you’ll be fine. Just give it a chance.”
He nodded, but he didn’t look entirely convinced.
The bell over the door rang and though I wanted to stay and talk longer, I turned toward it. Work waited for no woman.
School was out, and mothers and children had been visiting my shop for the better part of an hour. The steady stream of customers had slowed to a trickle, so I stepped back into the kitchen to get the last batch of chocolate peanut butter cupcakes for the day. Lenny had left them for me before heading out to prepare for the wedding rehearsal—which was happening in a couple of hours.
The bell over the door rang and I looked up with a smile for my customer, despite the fact that I was ready to drop. The slightly weary smile turned real when I recognized the blond hair, chiseled features and mile-wide shoulders of Shawn Plumber.
“Hey, Tess. Long time, no see.” He grinned and sauntered into the building.
“Hey.” I set the pan of cupcakes on the counter and lifted the counter flap to go to him. “How are you? What are you doing here?” Four hours was a long way to travel for a quick visit, so I knew it had to be something more.
“I had an appointment in town.” He slid his arms around me and pulled me into a tight hug, dropping a kiss on my forehead. “I couldn’t come this close and not stop to see you.”
He leaned down, angling for a real kiss, but I nudged him away, still shocked at his sudden appearance. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and glanced up to see Jack and Sadie entering, and Jack’s expression showed incredulity and worry. His eyes kept darting between me and Shawn, as if he were trying to figure out what was going on. Since I felt the same way, I just gave him a look that I hope conveyed my own confusion.
“Tess!” Sadie greeted me with her usual enthusiasm. “We came for cookies. I read all the way through Junie B. Jones without any help today!”
“Wow!” I used her arrival as an excuse to remove myself from Shawn’s embrace. I snagged Sadie around the waist, twirling her around and biting back a groan when the movement taxed my aching muscles. “That’s so awesome. Are you sure you’re old enough to read a book all by yourself?”
She giggled and clung to my shoulders. “Yes!”
I stopped with my body facing Jack, but kept my gaze on his daughter as she giggled. “You must be the hardest-working kid in your class.” She was barely in first grade, so reading a chapter book alone was a big accomplishment.
“I worked real hard,” she agreed.
“Then you totally deserve a cookie.” I set her on the ground before my arms gave out. She was getting heavy.
“Yay!” She moved to tug on her dad’s hand, pulling him toward the display case to make her choice.
He kept watching me. “Been busy?” he asked.
“Pretty steady.”
“How are you doing, Jack?” Shawn asked, oblivious to the tension in the room. “How are things?”
“Great. Terrific. And you? What are you doing in town?” His tone was just barely polite.
“I’m in town for a couple of days.” Shawn grinned and took my hand. “I interviewed for an opening at the police department. I’m K-9 trained and bilingual, so the chief said it was just a formality and offered me the job. Isn’t that great?” He turned a sunny smile in my direction, clearly expecting an enthusiastic response.
“Wow, that’s terrific,” I said, trying to sound happy when my head was still reeling.
He chuckled. “Don’t overwhelm me with your excitement.”
I shook off the shock. “I’m just surprised. You mentioned that you might look for a job closer to here, but I didn’t know you’d applied for something. And isn’t that a big drop in salary?”
“It is a drop, but it was time for a change and I miss being here at home. The K-9 and bi-lingual bonuses will help off-set the costs some and my grandpa has some extra room at his place, so I’ll move in there. I’ve been applying for everything within an hour of here for the past couple of months.”
Was he actually moving here because of me? He’d talked about it once before, but we didn’t really know each other that well. Now if things didn’t work out with him—I was starting to date Jack—then I’d feel guilty if I was the reason he moved back to Silver Springs.
“What time do you close up here?” Shawn asked. “We could grab dinner.”
“I can’t,” I said, glad for the excuse, even though I’d like to catch up with him. “Lenny’s getting married tomorrow. We ha
ve wedding stuff tonight. The rehearsal and bachelorette party. Maybe we can chat before you go home.” At the very least, I needed to tell him that I was seeing Jack. But I wasn’t sure how to say it when Jack and I hadn’t talked about what we were doing, where things were going, or how we felt about it.
“You’ll need to bring someone with you for the wedding, won’t you?” Shawn asked.
“I’m taking Jack, actually,” I said, gesturing to him, then scooting back behind the counter to get the cookies. “How about if I buy for all of you today? A cookie on the house for the super reader, one for her super dad who works so hard to help her, and one to celebrate Shawn’s new job.” I pulled out Sadie’s treat, happy to have something to distract me.
I glanced up at Shawn to see him studying Jack. He looked curious, but when he turned back to me, his expression was as warm and friendly as ever. “I’ll catch up with you Sunday, then, before I head back to start packing.”
“Sounds nice.” I looked over to Jack, whose mouth formed a grim line, but he didn’t say anything about it. I needed to have a word with him before I talked with Shawn alone on Sunday.
Several teenaged girls came in then, giggling and talking. They ordered treats and took the table next to Jack’s, settling in for the long haul. Both men left before the girls did, which had the advantage of giving me a chance to think before either got me alone.
By the time I locked up for the night, my brain felt like mush.
The wedding rehearsal was total chaos, despite the fact that Honey stepped in to help smooth the path. The baby screamed, the older boy—who was to be the ring bearer—ran down the aisle at full-tilt, and Kat’s brothers glared at Lenny every time they looked his way. She’d mentioned that they were over-protective, but even dinner the previous night hadn’t fully prepared me for this. It seemed an ominous portent of what was to come.
Muffins & Murder (Sweet Bites Book 3) (Sweet Bites Mysteries) Page 15
