Read Online As Gouda as Dead by Avery Aames - Free Book Online Page A

insensitive? Of course he needed change.
    Jordan took my hands in his. “The food at La Bella Ristorante is right up my alley. The place has an established clientele. And I have fond memories from there.” He and I had met at the Italian restaurant while taking a cooking class. Ever since Jordan had moved to Providence, he had been aching to get back inside an industrial kitchen.
    â€œOkay,” I said. “If you need to start anew, tackle whatever your heart desires. I’m on your side.” I rolled my lower lip under my teeth, hesitant to ask the next question. But I had to know. “What about us?”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œWill we set another date?”
    He kissed me on the forehead. “We’ll discuss that soon, okay? I can’t talk about it right now. Do you understand?”
    I nodded, but I didn’t understand. His words made my heart go pitter-pat, and not in a good way. Despite my earlier feeling that we, as a couple, would come through the tragedy unscathed, I was worried.

CHAPTER

    Canceling the wedding would take a bit of work. There were so many vendors. Neither Jordan nor I were worried about the cost; we could take the financial hit. But the burden for Tyanne . . .
    On the way back to the shop, I phoned her and reached her voice mail. I left a message for her to call me. The moment I entered Fromagerie Bessette, I drank in the aroma of cheese and drew strength from the fact that this was what I knew; this was my past and my future. Jordan and I would figure out what was in store for us, given time. I weaved between the display barrels, greeting customers as I passed before moving behind the cheese counter.
    Fridays at The Cheese Shop can be hectic. Everybody is getting ready for the weekend, stocking up on platters and buying cheese to use in recipes they’ll have time to make.
    Rebecca, whose cheeks were rosy red from working so hard, was designing one of the many Valentine’s baskets that customers had preordered. “Morning,” she said as if last night hadn’t happened. I could tell by her tight jaw and sharp focus that she was keeping up appearances for the customers. She jutted a pair of scissors. “Check out the decorations I put up.”
    The walls of the shop were a Tuscany gold. Hardwood floors and rustic shelving enhanced the shop’s old-world charm. Rebecca had hung strands of sparkling gold hearts across the glass-enclosed cheese case and had set a foot-high gold Cupid on top of the granite tasting countertop.
    â€œNice,” I said.
    â€œDo you like what I did in the display window?” She had set three baskets in the window, each filled with jams, honey, crackers, and a pretty cheese-cutting board. She’d attached gold and silver helium balloons to each.
    â€œVery nice.”
    â€œWhat about the cutouts?”
    In each of the windows, she had hung silhouettes of hearts, flowers, and lovebirds.
    â€œIt all looks great,” I said. “By the way, thanks for covering this morning.”
    â€œYou bet.” She looked as if she wanted to corner me and ply me with questions, but a fresh flow of customers entered the shop.
    When the customers dwindled to six, Rebecca ushered me toward the kitchen. I stopped short of entering.
    â€œSpill,” she rasped. “What happened? Who did it? You found Tim? It’s so horrible. I can’t believe it.” Tears pooled in her eyes. “By the way, everyone in town is talking about it. You don’t need to keep it a secret. The word is out. Do you know that farmer who makes the baby Swiss cheese? He attended Jordan’s bachelor party. He came in earlier and was blabbing.”
    Swell. Now tales would spread all over town.
    â€œI called Devon. He hasn’t returned my call.” The tears leaked down Rebecca’s cheeks. She wiped them off. “I sensed something was wrong. Last night. When you ran out with Devon. Delilah and