doesn’t realize he’s shouting. “Did she ever give that a thought? Did she ever for once in her life think about anyone other than herself?”
Tyanne and I exchanged a glance. She knocked on the bar and said, “Hello?”
“You have a customer,” the man said.
“Be right there,” the woman called. Then, “If you would get out of my way, Leo, I could tend to business. And clean up that glass.”
An elderly woman with wavy white hair emerged through swinging saloon-style louvered doors. She carried a wooden tray that held empty wineglasses, and her wide smile gave away nothing of the bickering we’d overheard.
“Good day, ladies.” She placed her tray on the bar. “What can I help you with on this lovely afternoon? Would you care to sample our new cabernet?”
She was an attractive woman, closer to eighty than seventy I’d say, and her face was expertly made up. She wore an elegant burgundy sheath dress with layered beaded necklaces that drew my attention.
“Not today, but thanks.” Tyanne introduced us and mentioned that she owned the bookstore next door. “Is Claire in?”
The woman’s smile dimmed a watt. “Not at the moment. I can leave her a message if you like.”
Tyanne shook her head. “That’s okay. I believe I know which wines she would recommend. I’m having a gathering this weekend, and I need to place an order.”
“I can help you with that.” The woman walked over to the sales counter and pulled out a pad and pen.
The louvered doors swung open a second time, and a portly man approached us. He wore olive slacks that had seen better days and a green plaid shirt. His bald head contrasted with bushy gray eyebrows that drew together as he looked from me to Tyanne. “Which one of you is from next door?”
Tyanne raised her hand. “I am.”
Before the man could say more, the woman turned to him and put a hand on one hip. “Leo, please, I’m in the middle of taking an order.”
He ignored her and addressed Tyanne. “Claire is our daughter,” he said, “and I’m sure my wife is about to kick me in the shins to shut me up, but I’m not gonna listen to her with our girl missing.”
The woman looked up at the ceiling. “Heaven help me. I told you, Leo, she’s not missing.”
She turned to us and smiled. “I’m Felice Dubois, Claire’s mother, and don’t be alarmed. She’s not missing.”
“Then where is she?” Leo yelled, throwing his arms out. “She’s not here, is she?”
Felice rolled her eyes. “Claire is an adult, and she asked me to take care of the store today. We don’t need to know every little detail. I’m sure she’ll be back to work soon. In the meantime . . .” She picked up the pen and smiled at Tyanne.
Leo looked like he wanted to shove his wife out of the way. He stared at us. “Are you two friends of our daughter or not?”
“I don’t know Claire very well,” Tyanne said.
He focused on me. “How about you?”
I felt uncomfortable under his scrutiny. “Um, I’m pretty new around here.” I thought of Aunt Rowe’s mention that Claire had come by to see her the day before, but I didn’t intend to bring that up. “Claire and I have waved to each other a few times, that’s about it.”
“Is there cause for concern?” Tyanne said.
Felice shook her head.
Leo said, “A father’s always concerned, especially when his daughter hangs out with a no-good—”
Felice cut off his words by grasping his forearm tightly. “Stop now, and let me proceed with this young lady’s order.”
If looks could kill, Leo might be on the floor and burnt to a crisp. Instead of continuing the discussion, he stomped out of the room.
“I apologize for my husband’s behavior,” Felice said. “Would either of you care to taste-test some wine while you’re here?” She reached under the counter and came out with a bottle that had already been opened, a silver filigreed topper stuck where the cork would have been. “I could use some
Tyanne and I exchanged a glance. She knocked on the bar and said, “Hello?”
“You have a customer,” the man said.
“Be right there,” the woman called. Then, “If you would get out of my way, Leo, I could tend to business. And clean up that glass.”
An elderly woman with wavy white hair emerged through swinging saloon-style louvered doors. She carried a wooden tray that held empty wineglasses, and her wide smile gave away nothing of the bickering we’d overheard.
“Good day, ladies.” She placed her tray on the bar. “What can I help you with on this lovely afternoon? Would you care to sample our new cabernet?”
She was an attractive woman, closer to eighty than seventy I’d say, and her face was expertly made up. She wore an elegant burgundy sheath dress with layered beaded necklaces that drew my attention.
“Not today, but thanks.” Tyanne introduced us and mentioned that she owned the bookstore next door. “Is Claire in?”
The woman’s smile dimmed a watt. “Not at the moment. I can leave her a message if you like.”
Tyanne shook her head. “That’s okay. I believe I know which wines she would recommend. I’m having a gathering this weekend, and I need to place an order.”
“I can help you with that.” The woman walked over to the sales counter and pulled out a pad and pen.
The louvered doors swung open a second time, and a portly man approached us. He wore olive slacks that had seen better days and a green plaid shirt. His bald head contrasted with bushy gray eyebrows that drew together as he looked from me to Tyanne. “Which one of you is from next door?”
Tyanne raised her hand. “I am.”
Before the man could say more, the woman turned to him and put a hand on one hip. “Leo, please, I’m in the middle of taking an order.”
He ignored her and addressed Tyanne. “Claire is our daughter,” he said, “and I’m sure my wife is about to kick me in the shins to shut me up, but I’m not gonna listen to her with our girl missing.”
The woman looked up at the ceiling. “Heaven help me. I told you, Leo, she’s not missing.”
She turned to us and smiled. “I’m Felice Dubois, Claire’s mother, and don’t be alarmed. She’s not missing.”
“Then where is she?” Leo yelled, throwing his arms out. “She’s not here, is she?”
Felice rolled her eyes. “Claire is an adult, and she asked me to take care of the store today. We don’t need to know every little detail. I’m sure she’ll be back to work soon. In the meantime . . .” She picked up the pen and smiled at Tyanne.
Leo looked like he wanted to shove his wife out of the way. He stared at us. “Are you two friends of our daughter or not?”
“I don’t know Claire very well,” Tyanne said.
He focused on me. “How about you?”
I felt uncomfortable under his scrutiny. “Um, I’m pretty new around here.” I thought of Aunt Rowe’s mention that Claire had come by to see her the day before, but I didn’t intend to bring that up. “Claire and I have waved to each other a few times, that’s about it.”
“Is there cause for concern?” Tyanne said.
Felice shook her head.
Leo said, “A father’s always concerned, especially when his daughter hangs out with a no-good—”
Felice cut off his words by grasping his forearm tightly. “Stop now, and let me proceed with this young lady’s order.”
If looks could kill, Leo might be on the floor and burnt to a crisp. Instead of continuing the discussion, he stomped out of the room.
“I apologize for my husband’s behavior,” Felice said. “Would either of you care to taste-test some wine while you’re here?” She reached under the counter and came out with a bottle that had already been opened, a silver filigreed topper stuck where the cork would have been. “I could use some
Similar Books
