He squeezed my hand. “You said you were sorry for getting mad at my heart.”
My face burned and I pulled at my fingers, wanting to cross my arms over my chest, but Luke didn’t let go, instead he pulled me closer to him, resting his arm on my shoulder. “I’m not making fun of you.”
“Yes, you are.” I kept myself apart from him by a half-inch.
“No, I’m not. You also told me that I have a strong heart. But what I thought was interesting is that you thanked me for saving you.”
“Well, if you hadn’t been there, Jon would never have known I was there. I would have drowned.”
“True. But he’s the one who saved you with some pretty fantastic swimming.”
“I’m grateful that both of you were there,” I said.
“You also told me you didn’t think my heart was broken,” Luke murmured. “I’ve been thinking about that for the past two days.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. Luke had told me enough times that the death of his wife had basically ruined things for his future love life, he just didn’t feel capable of loving someone like that again. He was almost like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde because one moment, he could be sweet and sincere and show his vulnerable side and the next he had clammed up and let the anger at his loss boil over again, mad at the world and those who were happily married.
“I think you’re right.” Luke pivoted so he could look me in the face. “My heart isn’t broken anymore. And you were right when you said that Dana wouldn’t want me to live my life this way. I was angry because those words pierced my soul. The reason I came to talk to you today is because I wanted to tell you I’m going to do better from here on out. I’m leaving the old Luke behind, and I’m going to take a chance on happiness.”
His blue eyes were intense, the familiar spark between us sizzling. I thought of the time we’d spent together, and how much I’d wished that Luke would open up and quit hiding behind the facade of the angry divorce attorney. I wasn’t sure, but it seemed like he was asking something and that made my throat tighten.
Luke pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. “You’re thinking about Jon, aren’t you?”
I shook my head.
“I didn’t know you two were that serious.”
“No, we’re not. Actually, I was going to tell him I needed space, but before I could, he said that he’d changed his mind about moving to Idaho. And I wasn’t thinking about him just now. I was thinking about you.”
Luke’s face brightened. “That is the best thing I’ve heard today.” He studied me. “But what’s wrong?”
My heart pounded as I thought about what I wanted to say to him. “It’s just, you scare me Luke.”
His eyes widened. “Really?”
“Well, not like that. More in the sense that I’m afraid of what you’ll do. Every time you get close to feeling something, you run and usually get mad at me in the process.”
“I’m sorry, Adri. I never meant to hurt you.” He let his head fall into his hand. “I have a real problem with timing, I guess.”
I decided to be just as blunt as Lorea would in this situation. “Luke, what are you really saying? Are you asking me something?”
He lifted his head and placed his hands on my shoulders. “I want to know if you’ll go on another date with me—if you’d consider dating me?”
I couldn’t say no to the hope in his face. “I would love to go on a date with you again, on one condition.” I held up my finger. Luke nodded before I even spoke. “If I say something you don’t like, you can’t get angry at me. You have to think about it and talk to me about it.”
“That sounds like a tough condition, but I’ll do it.” He pulled me in to his chest and hugged me. “I want you to be happy, so I’m willing to give you space to figure out what you want, but I’m also ready to date you if you’re ready.”
I encircled his waist and hugged him back. We stood there for a few more seconds and Luke let his arms drop to his sides. “My flight is scheduled to leave in the morning, but I’m worried about leaving you. I’m also bummed that you tried to be shark bait to get out of hiking with me.”
I laughed and slapped his arm. “I would much rather have been hiking with you, but don’t worry about me. I won’t be far behind you. I’m leaving Monday.”
“Will you be up for the flight?”
“Neil transferred me to first class, so that will help.”
Luke touched my cheek. “I want to take care of you. I’m going to change my flight so I can travel home with you. Would that be okay?”
“That would be nice. I don’t want to mess up your plans though.”
“Adri, the only plans I have right now involve you.”
Warmth spread throughout my body as his words sunk in. Our pasts had plenty of hurt but I was confident we’d both come out stronger because of our trials. I just didn’t know what the future held.
Luke had been confusing me since the first day I’d met him, and he told me he was against marriage. I rolled my eyes when I thought about how he’d made fun of my wedding planning business, and I’d let him know how ticked I was about that. But he had changed and I believed it was an honest change.
There was a spark there, and we were both finally ready to see if it might ignite. Part of me worried that his heart might never heal enough to love. There would be time to figure it out, and maybe if he wasn’t wearing his cynic’s armor, things would be different on our next date.
“I’m willing to take a chance on you,” I said.
Luke dipped his head and kissed my cheek. “See you soon.”
My face warmed with his kiss. I smiled as I opened the door. “Mahalo.”
Book Club
Discussion Questions
1. How would you feel if you discovered a body or stumbled onto clues in a murder case?
2. Have you visited any of the islands of Hawaii? Kauai? If so, how would you describe the difference between the islands?
3. Compare and contrast your own home town with a tropical paradise like Kauai. What would you miss about your hometown?
4. Adri is hesitant about dating because of her past. What advice would you give to her in regards to starting a new relationship?
5. Discuss the clues that you noticed as the mystery unraveled. Which characters did you suspect?
6. A red herring is a tool used to misdirect a reader’s attention and suspicions. Discuss the red herrings you noticed in this book.
7. How do you think Luke’s childhood and subsequent experiences in adulthood have shaped him into the person he is? Think about your own life experiences, what traits would you attribute to certain experiences in your past?
8. Adri enjoyed creating crafts and wedding tips with a Hawaiian theme in this book. Check out the chapter headings and discuss any that you’ve tried.
Learn more about Adri and her crafts at
www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com
Sneak Peek of Proposals and Poison
Enjoy this sneak peek of the third book in the Wedding Planner Mysteries available now.
Chapter 1
Date Idea Jar
Set a jar with popsicle sticks next to a sign that says:
DATE JAR
Share your BEST date idea for the new Mr. & Mrs.
Instruct guests to share their ideas and put each popsicle stick in a decorative jar to give to the bride and groom.
Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com
The afternoon sun had the asphalt steaming when I closed the door of my wedding shop on my way to run errands. Summer was notoriously busy for weddings, and July promised no respite from the work ahead. I couldn’t complain about my workload, though, because it made me happy to finally be in a place where my life was falling into a somewhat predictable routine. It also kept me from obsessing over my relationship status with Luke Stetson.
At the moment, Luke was in court, working a messy divorce case that was ballooning into so much drama he’d had to cancel on m
e three times in the past two weeks. The case involved the sister of Lily Rowan, one of my new clients. Lily was the happy part of the story, because she just got engaged to Tim Esplin—the vet I would take my cat to this afternoon. Lily wanted a November wedding, and since it was already July ninth, I was pushing to get the most important decisions made so we could progress with the rest of her plans.
My phone beeped, and I looked at the reminder on my calendar. In one hour I would be meeting with Lily to talk about the theme she and Tim wanted for their celebrations.
Sliding my finger across the screen, I dismissed the reminder, only to once again see the text from Luke. He’d canceled our lunch date by text this morning and still hadn’t called. I wondered when the case would be over, and if he’d have more free time or get bogged down in another case.
Well, my work almost kept me from obsessing about Luke for, like, two minutes, I thought, frowning. As I slid into my car, I considered the question that had entered my mind right after Luke canceled our lunch date. Would Luke Stetson, divorce attorney, ever be able to love again? And should I, Adri Pyper, wedding planner, be spending time (a.k.a. pursuing a relationship) with him?
The elusive answer shimmered like the heat from the pavement, just out of reach. I shook off thoughts of Luke and cranked the air conditioner up on my way to the consignment store located just a mile from my shop. Everybody’s Closet had a summer fling sale going on with new merchandise, and Necia kept me in the loop since I was always on the lookout for vintage and unique decor to use in my weddings and parties. It was the height of yard-sale season, and Necia usually got in all the leftovers from people’s garage sales. I loved going to yard sales and finding great bargains, but too many weekend weddings had me missing the early morning sales. Everybody’s Closet was the next best thing.
The parking lot only had one other vehicle, a single-cab white pickup that didn’t belong to Necia. She usually walked to work in the summer months. I pulled in next to the pickup, right in front of the store, and put my car in park. When I looked up, my eyes locked with those of a man standing in front of the doors, holding a rifle.
The silver metal of the stock gleamed in the hot afternoon sun, and I blinked, waiting for my brain to catch up to the strange sight before me. The man was short and stocky with dark brown hair, and as I studied him, he smiled and moved his rifle, pointing it toward the sky. I sucked in a breath when the man stepped forward. My windows were down, and the sound of robins trilling cheerfully carried across the parking lot. He said something in a different language. It wasn’t Spanish—I spoke a little, and his words had a Slavic sound to them. Regardless of the language, I was pretty sure he was swearing.
I fumbled for the window and door lock controls. My throat went dry as the man looked at me again and fired a shot into the air. I covered my ears and screamed, reaching for the gearshift to back out of the parking lot. My hand slipped and my car went into neutral. When I moved to put it in gear, the car died.
By then I was in a full-on panic. I turned the key, and thankfully my car started back up. I pumped the gas and put the car in reverse, but the gunman was faster than my frightened wits: by the time I backed out of my parking space, he was already peeling out of the parking lot, heading for the main road.
What had just happened? I wasn’t sure whether I should call the police department or dial my friend Tony Ford, the local detective. Then, with a start, I thought of Necia. What if something had happened to her? I jumped out of my car and ran through the front doors of Everybody’s Closet, the bronze bell clanking as I charged in. “Necia!” I called out.
“I’m right here, and I’m okay.” She came around the corner, wearing a red-white-and-blue-striped apron. “Did you see that man with the gun?”
“Yes, and my brain froze. I didn’t know what to do. It all happened so fast. Was he in here?” I pummeled her with questions, breathing hard.
“No, I just came from the back and saw him standing there holding a gun,” she said, her breaths coming in short gasps. “Then he walked off and I heard a gunshot. I already called the police and they’re sending someone over.” Her light-brown hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and a few strands framed her heart-shaped face. She was in her late thirties and practically lived at her store.
“That was so weird. What do you think he was shooting at?” I turned to look at the parking lot. My hands shook, and my heart thumped hard in my chest. I took a deep breath, proud of myself for not freaking out after witnessing the man discharge his gun.
Necia raised her eyebrows. “I have no idea, but I don’t suppose it would hurt to go outside and look around.”
We stepped outside and I shielded my eyes against the sun, tucking one of my blonde curls behind my ear. The parking lot was empty, and a few trees lined the edge of the property. The birds were quiet, and besides the occasional passing car, there was hardly any noise. Necia and I looked at each other, and my fear was mirrored in her eyes.
“I can’t imagine what he was doing with a rifle in town like this,” I said. The Sawtooth Mountain Range that loomed around Sun Valley attracted its fair share of hunters, but that guy was completely out of season. I didn’t know of many hunts held in the sweltering heat of July.
“Let’s go back inside while we wait for the police.” Necia held the door open for me and followed me inside.
“I came here to look at your new items, but now I don’t feel like I can concentrate.” I glanced at my watch—already past two—and grumbled. “I’m going to have to reschedule an appointment, because I’m sure Tony or whoever comes from the police will make us fill out a statement.”
“That’s true.” Necia took out a ballpoint pen and clicked it a few times. “Wasn’t it last year around this time that a policeman came to my store to see you?”
“Uh, yeah, and now Tony is dating Lorea, so I’ve been seeing even more of him lately.”
Necia chuckled. “That’s good to hear. She’s a great match for him.”
“I think so too.” Lorea Zubiondo was my assistant and partner in crime when it came to planning weddings and creating stunning wedding gowns. Over the past year and a half, we’d helped plan over twenty weddings, solved a few mysteries, and created fantastic crafts and recipes for my website, Mashed Potatoes and Crafts. Her first date with Detective Tony Ford had been sort of a pity date to her sister’s wedding, but they’d hit it off, and I’d never seen Lorea quite so twitterpated before.
The clanging of the bell interrupted my thoughts, and I looked up to see Tony standing in the doorway. He was well over six feet tall, with a full head of light-brown hair. In his dark suit and tie, he was an imposing figure, but his boyish smile was what made Detective Ford so good at what he did. He disarmed people with that smile and the smattering of freckles across his nose, but I knew better than to underestimate him. Tony was smart, and an excellent detective. “Good afternoon,” he said. “I’d say it’s a pleasant surprise to see you here, Adri, but it’s not a surprise at all. You are always in some kind of trouble.”
“I am not.” I held up my hands. “I didn’t do anything. Didn’t even get out of my car and some crazy guy started shooting.”
“Hmm. Why don’t we start with a few questions?” Tony gave us his signature smile. “Necia, were you inside the store when the incident occurred?”
“Yes.” Necia told him what she had seen.
“What about a description?” He looked at both of us. “The most important detail I need right now is his vehicle. Did either of you see what he was driving?”
“Yes, I pulled right up next to his pickup.” I pointed out to the parking lot. “It was white.”
“I thought it was gray,” Necia said.
“No, I’m sure it was white.” I looked at Tony and then at Necia. She furrowed her brow and looked at the ground, as if trying to conjure up an image of the vehicle.
“Extended cab?” Tony asked.
“No,” both of us answered in unison. I smiled
at Necia as I added, “I’m pretty sure it was just a two-door, regular bed.” I paused, trying to recall any other detail about the pickup. By that time, my blood pressure had skyrocketed and my memory was saturated with fear, not leaving much room for other details.
“Ford, Chevy?” Tony prompted.
I shook my head. “I don’t know. Maybe a Ford?”
Necia rubbed her forehead. “I didn’t get that good of a look, and I’m not really great with truck models, anyway.”
“Anything else in particular you remember about the vehicle?” Tony pushed the button on the radio attached to his shoulder and gave a quick description of the pickup, citing that it was possibly white or gray. That sort of bugged me since I knew it was white, but maybe he had to report what both witnesses thought they had seen.
Thinking about the pickup cleared away some of the fuzziness in my head. I willed the memory to come into sharper focus. “I think there was something in the back of his pickup. Maybe something red?”
“Something?” Tony repeated, and he gave me a half smile.
I resisted the urge to smack him in the arm like I did so often to my older brother Wesley, who happened to be Tony’s best friend. “I know it’s odd, but I don’t know what it was. Just that something was in the back of his pickup, hanging over the edge.”
Tony nodded. “That could actually be an easy thing to spot if it was there. Necia, did you notice anything?”
“I can’t be sure.” She clasped her hands together and rocked back on her heels. “My view from inside the store was limited.”
“Hang on.” Tony spoke into his radio again, reporting the possibility that I’d just brought up. How many policemen were roaming the semi-quiet streets of Hailey right now, looking for this mystery vehicle?
Veils and Vengeance Page 26
