Kiki Lowenstein Books 1-3 & Cara Mia Delgatto Books 1-3: The Perfect Series for Crafters, Pet Lovers, and Readers Who Like Upbeat Books!

by Joanna Campbell Slan

  “How is that poor woman?” asked Skye.

  “Still touch-and-go. Mr. Fernandez praised me for saving her life. Even though I’m still not sure whether I helped her or not, he says I did the right thing.”

  “Go back to your visit to Binky’s house,” said MJ. “What exactly did she say when she gave you back the dress?”

  “She pushed it through the opening in the door and told me to wear it in good health. Then she slammed the door in our faces.”

  “But she never invited you inside? Even for Jupiter Island, that’s downright weird.” Skye raised an incredulous eyebrow. “Who acts like that?”

  “People who have more money than manners,” said MJ, as she crossed her arms over her bounteous chest and let her multiple bracelets clank. “They’re a pretty snooty bunch over on there. But even for them, that’s tacky, tacky, tacky.”

  I lifted one shoulder and let it drop. “Honora is totally convinced that her friend is in trouble. After all, Binky wasn’t in attendance at bridge, and that’s practically sacred to her. So Honora gave Mr. Fernandez an earful. As soon as Mr. Fernandez got done looking over his squad car for damage, she launched into a diatribe about Binky’s special dress. She insisted that Binky would never skip bridge. Finally, she went on and on about our visit to Binky Rutherford’s house. I have to give him credit: He acted like he cared. I was hoping the earth would swallow me.”

  “Could Honora be right?” Skye frowned. “I would know if either of you were in trouble. At least I think I would. Friends notice details because they care.”

  “Trust me, that woman is perfectly fine. We were face to face and she didn’t say a word. Didn’t even grimace! I am not giving this dress away again. I really, really like it, and I’m obligated to pay for it. In fact, I intend to wear it tonight when I go out with Nathan Davidson.”

  “Might as well. That’s twice Binky has tried to dump it,” said MJ. “Besides, it looks great on you.”

  “You oughta call it the boomerang dress,” said Sid, hobbling toward us. His pallor created a vivid contrast to his jet black hair. “The owner tosses it and it comes back.”

  “I didn’t want to interrupt you while you were working, but I was wondering, have you had any luck tracking down my computer?”

  “Yup.”

  Now that was a pleasant surprise.

  “You’re kidding!”

  “Nope. I’ve been calling around, because Amberlee still hasn’t returned my calls or my text messages. Turns out, she dropped it off at the trailer right before everyone moved out. Clyde—he used to be one of my roommates—told me he’s been keeping it for me. He figured I’d stay with him when I was released from the hospital, but I went to live with Poppy, so he didn’t know I’d been released.”

  Sounded pretty fishy to me, but lately I’ve noticed how eighteen-year-old boys resemble inert matter. They don’t move until they have to, until all the forces of the universe give them a hearty push. Clyde’s lack of action perfectly matched what I knew of their age group.

  “This old roommate has been sitting on your computer for nearly a week? Does he know your password?”

  “He would only know it if he looked over my shoulder while I was logging on. Believe me, Clyde’s too lazy to pay attention to something like that.”

  Our conversation was suspended when two customers walked into the store. I put aside all thoughts about my financial information and did my best to ring up a sale.

  At five twenty, I raced upstairs, changed into my new Lilly Pulitzer dress, and ran back down to the cash station to prepare the day’s deposit.

  “Where are you and Nathan planning to go tonight?” MJ asked. “That dress looks terrific on you.”

  Skye glared at her. Whatever they’d been arguing about, it was still a bone of contention. Skye had been working on a chest of drawers in the back, changing out the hardware while other projects dried as she prepped them for Valentine’s Day. After she and I carried the piece onto the sales floor, she gave MJ a look so withering I almost burst out laughing.

  “Riverwalk.”

  “Why? You eat there all the time.”

  “I eat there because I love it. You have another suggestion?”

  “Caliente. It’s this hot Mexican restaurant over on PGA Boulevard. Every Friday night they have mariachi bands strolling through.”

  Skye’s jaw stuck out as she practically snarled, “Yes, but Riverwalk is always nice, and it’s close by.”

  “Mexican sounds fun,” I admitted.

  “Caliente gets really, really crowded. You hate crowds,” said Skye.

  “But she loves music and atmosphere. Cara would love the décor, and she’d pick up new ideas for us to use for Cinco de Mayo. It would be nice to plan ahead, wouldn’t it?”

  “She doesn’t need to go to Caliente for that!” Skye nearly shouted.

  My friends glared at each other. I opened my mouth to ask why, but before I could, a rap-tap-tap on the front door interfered. Nathan Davidson had arrived, so I hurried to let him in. “MJ was just telling me about a Mexican place over on PGA. It’s called Caliente.”

  “But it’s such a long drive, and it’s really, really noisy,” volunteered Skye. “I also think it’s horribly overpriced.”

  “No, it’s not,” MJ said. “They make guacamole right at your table. The salsa is to die for. Cara, you really need to go. Think of the ideas you’ll get.”

  “Which you don’t need,” Skye said. “We’ve got enough ideas already. What if you get salsa on your dress?”

  “You can always use new ideas,” MJ said.

  “I’ve spent hours on Pinterest. I have an entire file of ideas and recipes we can certainly—” Skye started.

  “Those won’t be enough. Besides, she’s going out to eat anyway,” finished MJ.

  “But it’s a long drive down to PGA.” Skye fisted her hands on her hips and scowled.

  “We can figure this out in the car,” said Nathan, taking me by the elbow. His cologne was expensive, and I sniffed the air appreciatively. He’d taken care to change out of his police uniform and into his version of dressy casual clothes. Like Mitt Romney, Nathan wore his jeans with a sharp crease down the middle. Although he wasn’t wearing a tie, his stiff white shirt suggested he’d be more comfortable with one. His tweed jacket looked like it was brand new.

  He tugged me gently toward the door.

  “Have a good time, Cara. I’ll take care of your pets,” MJ sang out. Her chipper attitude was totally at odds with the scowl on Skye’s face.

  Curious. Usually, their roles were reversed.

  “Right,” I said, turning my back on my friends.

  27

  In his capacity as a captain with the Stuart Police Department, Nathan drives a police cruiser. But in his off hours, he tools around in a black Denali SUV, an incredibly macho vehicle if there ever was one. As we walked out to his car, a knot in my pocket brushed against my outer thigh. While I waited for him to open my door, I fished around in my pocket and pulled out an earring. The heft confirmed it was not a piece of costume jewelry. I held it up and examined it carefully.

  “Lose an earring?” Nathan offered me a hand up as I climbed into the car.

  “No,” and I told Nathan about my odd visit with Binky Rutherford. “I guess I’ll be making another trip to her house so I can return this earring. I could have sworn it wasn’t in the pocket the first time I tried on the dress. Must have missed it. Honest to gosh, this is getting tiresome. Honora insists there’s a problem, but I know there isn’t. So Binky didn’t invite us in. Big deal. I’ve never been inside MJ’s place, but we’re still friends.”

  “It’s common for older people to get paranoid. There certainly are plenty of thugs who prey on them,” he said. “Speaking of which, Lou told me about you finding that half-drowned woman on the beach. Cara, you really shouldn’t be out walking alone at such an early hour.”

  “So I’ve been told.”

  “Hey, if you’re accusin
g me of being protective, I plead guilty. I don’t want anything to hurt you. I see the reports. I know what happens on our Treasure Coast beaches. Sure, there’s a robust police presence on Jupiter Island, but they can’t be everywhere all the time. Recently, there’s been a lot of illicit activity.”

  “Smuggling people.”

  “Yes, and drugs. That woman you found was lucky to be alive. Sharks swim in our waters all the time. Jellyfish, too. Worst of all, you could have found yourself face to face with one of the creeps who takes money from illegals and turns them into sex slaves.”

  I shivered. Nathan reached over and turned on the heat in the car. His hand touched mine and he intertwined our fingers. I found him very attractive because he was a guy’s guy, and yes, the cliché rings true: There’s something about a man in uniform. Even when they are in civilian clothes, law enforcement agents exude a command presence that’s profoundly masculine.

  The stress of the day melted as the world moved past us in a blur. I told him about Honora’s concerns for her friend.

  “Binky Rutherford?” he repeated the name.

  “Yes,” I said sleepily. “She’s on the island. Been around forever, I guess.”

  “I know.” He chuckled, a low bass rumble of a laugh. “I wouldn’t worry about Binky. She can handle herself. A walking stick is a lethal weapon in Binky’s hands.”

  “A lot of the Jupiter Island residents are old guard, aren’t they? Accustomed to having their own way? I suspect Binky acts the same way. Doesn’t suffer fools. Sharp tongue.”

  “It’s more than that. Binky has a lot of, um, life experience. I’m sure she’s fine. Like I said, you shouldn’t worry about her.”

  “I won’t.” My computer had been found. Sid and Poppy would retrieve it. I’d confirmed that Binky had willingly let go of my new dress, and at last I was wearing it. Sid was safe with Poppy and getting better. My son would be calling on Sunday afternoon to touch bases, and he’d be home with me late Monday. The store seemed to be doing better, and Valentine’s Day would surely mean a spike in sales. My mermaid was alive. My friends were seeing to my fur babies, Jack and Luna. All was right in my world. With those problems solved, I could relax just a little.

  Nathan knew the greeter at Caliente. Otherwise, we would have stood around for an hour and a half. The place was absolutely packed. A line of waiting patrons extended out the door. Others waited in the bar area where folding glass doors opened to the outside patio. The weather was mild, so the greeter led us to a table half in and half off out of the restaurant proper. Like so many eateries in Florida, when business was good and the weather cooperated, Caliente simply expanded outdoors.

  “You’ll be sitting on the threshold of the doorway,” she apologized. “Sorry about that. But at least you’ll have a table. There are lots of people milling around the outside bar, hoping for seats, and we’re really crowded. This is the best I can do.”

  Nathan thanked her while I admired the fabulous decorating scheme. Wrought iron tables on a plain tile floor contrasted nicely with stucco walls that had been painted with amazing images. Particularly impressive was the lavish use of the color red in a full spectrum of shades. These fiery colors contrasted nicely with white, black, and sunflower yellow, all appearing in accent items.

  “Is this okay with you?” asked Nathan. He couldn’t move his chair back very far without bumping into a knot of patrons.

  “Sure,” I said. I would have preferred some place quieter, but for a change, this was fine. The tantalizing odors of cooked meat, onions, and spices made me very hungry.

  The waitress brought us tall glasses of water and menus emblazoned with dancing skeletons dressed in outlandish garb.

  “I don’t know much about this tradition of fancy skeletons. These are what they call sugar skulls, aren’t they?” I looked around us.

  “Right. I’ve been to Mexico more times than I can count,” said Nathan. “As I understand it, the tradition started in Italy with sugar replicas made to adorn altars around Easter. Missionaries brought it to Mexico in the 17th century. Families order them or make them to put in their home altars or ofrendas on November 1 for Day of the Dead celebrations. Of course, we celebrate Halloween—”

  “Nathan!” A voice from behind me interrupted him.

  While he responded to the interloper, I concentrated on guiding a corn chip loaded with salsa into my mouth without spilling it on my new dress. Chewing as quickly as I could, I watched as my date half-rose out of his seat. His eyes were wide as he shook his head and raised his hands as if to fend off an intruder. I’d never seen Nathan with such an expression of horror.

  “Nathan, sweetie, I haven’t seen you in ages.” My sister, Jodi, grabbed Nathan’s face in both hands and gave him a long, deep kiss.

  He struggled against Jodi’s grip, but he had little choice in the matter. The crowd behind him had his chair pinned in place. Short of giving my sister a shove and sending her flying, there was little Nathan could do. He was on the back foot, and Jodi was definitely milking the situation.

  After what seemed like hours but could only have been seconds, Jodi turned loose of Nathan and rubbed her lipstick into his skin. She then beamed a nasty grin at me. “Hello, little sister. Bet you didn’t know that Nathan and I were close. Very, very close. In fact, we were engaged to be married for a while. I broke it off.”

  “Jodi? That’s enough.” Cooper Rivers bumped my chair as he reached around me. Although he was angling to grab Jodi by the elbow, she danced away from him too fast.

  “I’m just saying hi to a very old and very intimate friend, Coop. What’s your problem?” Her voice was petulant as she pouted becomingly. “What a cute dress you’re wearing, Sis. Second-hand, isn’t it? I’ve always found Lilly to be rather dowdy. But it suits you perfectly.”

  By contrast, she was wearing a stunning aqua silk sheath with a deep V-neck that showed a lot of tan cleavage. When she tossed her long auburn hair, large silver hoops winked from her earlobes. Matching sets of bracelets jangled on her forearms.

  Emotions slapped me like angry ocean waves preceding a storm. First came chagrin, then embarrassment, followed by self-pity, and at long last, anger rose triumphant.

  Nathan avoided my eyes.

  When had he been planning to come clean with me? Before or after he tried to get me into his bed?

  28

  “You did what?” MJ’s eyebrows flew up to her hairline. Even though she goes out every Friday night, she shows up first thing Saturday to meet Skye and me for breakfast. It’s our tradition, and I love it. The best part of moving to Florida has been the new friends I’ve made. MJ stared at me and said, “Repeat what you did. I could not have heard you right! This time I plan to take notes.”

  Skye lifted her tea cup to her mouth to cover her smirk. She’d heard my story and reveled in it the night before, after I left Nathan back at the restaurant.

  “I ordered a pitcher of margaritas made with Cuervo Gold, four different appetizers, a double helping of the most expensive thing on the menu, guacamole, more chips and salsa, plus a dessert. Nathan didn’t say a word, even though my portion of the bill alone would be almost two hundred bucks with tip. When the waitress walked away from the table, he seemed a bit stunned, so I went on and on about how hungry I was.”

  “Did he try to talk about what happened with Jodi?” MJ asked. “Tell me again how her visit to the table ended.”

  “I managed to smile and laugh even though she was practically sitting on Nathan’s lap. Cooper acted as if he wanted to die on the spot. My sister was drunk as a skunk, and Cooper’s mother is an alcoholic. Jodi’s behavior must have brought back bad memories.”

  “Cooper’s mother is dead,” said Skye. “Two years ago. No, three or four actually. Died of liver failure from drinking. I remember because he came into Pumpernickel’s shortly thereafter, and we talked about it.”

  Sadness swept through me. Cooper and I had often talked about his mother. He never knew his dad, so he
and his mother had been very close, except that you can’t be really close with an alcoholic. They’ll always love booze more than they’ll love you. But still, it being only the two of them, they had an unusually tight relationship. Even when he was young, he’d wanted to protect his mother from the inevitable result of her lethal habit.

  “Jodi was drunk?” MJ asked.

  “Totally. She could barely stand up. Part of it might have been play-acting to give her an excuse to hang all over Nathan, but mostly she seemed too plowed to stand up straight. Cooper kept trying to slip an arm under hers and haul her away, but she’d dodge him. No mean feat considering how little room there was around our table.”

  “Tell her what your sister said that almost caused the fight,” Skye urged me.

  Squeezing my eyes shut, I exhaled, preparing myself. When I opened them, MJ and Skye were both staring at me, expectantly. “Jodi said something about how both men—Cooper and Nathan—were getting sloppy seconds with me. She laughed and suggested they were passing me around like a bad case of…well…disease. And she was loud, broadcasting it to the entire restaurant. Fortunately, the place was noisy and hardly anyone noticed, but the men did. I thought for a moment that Nathan was going to explode. Cooper grabbed her and jerked her toward him, and she slapped him in the face. Then she started talking in this really spooky voice about how she was going to see me ruined. Cooper was trying to move her away from me, but she refused to cooperate.”

  “Ugh.” MJ winced. “She acted even worse than I would have imagined.”

  “But not surprising,” said Skye. “Considering the source.”

  “Still,” said MJ. “It’s good that you know about her and Nathan.”

  Skye gave MJ a stern look that I couldn’t interpret.