Read Online Dead Before The Wedding: A Carly Keene Cozy Mystery (Carly Keene Cozy Mysteries Book 1) by Ruby Blaylock - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ruby Blaylock
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it had been vacant for some time. Various local families had tried to keep it up, but eventually the Georgia Trust had intervened, and now the home was used strictly for state functions and private parties, apart from the monthly tours.
Carly parked behind the three-story antebellum house and walked around to the front, her camera hanging from her neck and her camera bag swinging loosely from her hand. She glanced at her phone and verified that she was early. She’d told Mona 9:00 am, and it was barely 8:30. That should give her enough time to figure out the best place to do the group photos and other outdoor shots.
She strolled across the perfectly manicured lawn. It was still wet from last night’s downpour, but it would be dry soon enough. Today was supposed to be a scorcher, so there might even be another thunderstorm later on in the day. She was glad they’d decided to do this early, because Saturdays were fairly busy at Sweets & Eats, and she didn’t want to leave Shell there all by herself, though her BFF would undoubtedly claim she could do everything single-handed.
Carly peered through her camera and snapped a few pictures of the front of Moore House, then she zoomed in and took a few of the gorgeous pink and white roses growing along the front. This would be the perfect place to get married. She could see its appeal to the marrying kind in Parker’s Mill, but she knew it came with a steep price tag. Again, the question of how Mona planned to pay for having her wedding here came to mind.
According to the house’s website (which seemed so odd for a historic building to have), its rental fees started at $6000. Carly could never see herself spending that much on a wedding, let alone a wedding venue. She was a firm believer in keeping control of her finances, and spending that much money on one day of your life just didn’t seem to sit right with her.
Carly glanced up in time to see the door to the house open silently, and she watched as a redhead stepped outside, accompanied by an elderly man and a small child. Carly’s eyes widened. It was Tina Nicholls, and the child was obviously Larry’s son.
Trying to make herself look invisible, Carly began walking back towards her car, fiddling with her camera so she wouldn’t make eye contact with Tina. It didn’t work.
“Hey, wait a minute!” Tina sounded like she was running. Carly slowed, then stopped.
“Hey, Tina, how are you?” She smiled, but Carly was pretty sure it didn’t quite seem believable. She didn’t want to be rude to Tina, but she didn’t really want to get caught up in all that drama this morning, especially since Mona and Larry were due to show up any minute now.
“Carly, isn’t it?” Tina had caught up with Carly pretty fast. The little boy was standing beside the older gentleman, looking up at him with great affection. Tina noticed Carly looking at her son. “He just turned three, but he’s big for his age. And smart. I just came by to get some money from my dad, he works here.” Carly nodded and smiled again, more genuinely this time.
“He’s precious. Your son, I mean, not your dad.” Oh, lord, Carly, just stop talking. Carly glanced at her phone quickly. “Hey, Tina, I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m meeting some clients here any minute now.”
“Yeah, I know.” Carly stopped in her tracks. Here comes the drama , she thought. “My dad had to come in early to get the inside organized in case they want to go in and take some pictures. It’s a small town, and I know it’s not every day your ex-boyfriend and baby’s father marries the girl he cheated on you with at a big old mansion.”
Ouch. Tina’s vitriol was admirably contained, and Carly was impressed that she wasn’t foaming at the mouth by now. “Tina, you know it’s not a good idea for you to be here when they arrive. I mean, Mona is not a nice person.”
Tina shrugged her shoulders. “I’ve
Carly parked behind the three-story antebellum house and walked around to the front, her camera hanging from her neck and her camera bag swinging loosely from her hand. She glanced at her phone and verified that she was early. She’d told Mona 9:00 am, and it was barely 8:30. That should give her enough time to figure out the best place to do the group photos and other outdoor shots.
She strolled across the perfectly manicured lawn. It was still wet from last night’s downpour, but it would be dry soon enough. Today was supposed to be a scorcher, so there might even be another thunderstorm later on in the day. She was glad they’d decided to do this early, because Saturdays were fairly busy at Sweets & Eats, and she didn’t want to leave Shell there all by herself, though her BFF would undoubtedly claim she could do everything single-handed.
Carly peered through her camera and snapped a few pictures of the front of Moore House, then she zoomed in and took a few of the gorgeous pink and white roses growing along the front. This would be the perfect place to get married. She could see its appeal to the marrying kind in Parker’s Mill, but she knew it came with a steep price tag. Again, the question of how Mona planned to pay for having her wedding here came to mind.
According to the house’s website (which seemed so odd for a historic building to have), its rental fees started at $6000. Carly could never see herself spending that much on a wedding, let alone a wedding venue. She was a firm believer in keeping control of her finances, and spending that much money on one day of your life just didn’t seem to sit right with her.
Carly glanced up in time to see the door to the house open silently, and she watched as a redhead stepped outside, accompanied by an elderly man and a small child. Carly’s eyes widened. It was Tina Nicholls, and the child was obviously Larry’s son.
Trying to make herself look invisible, Carly began walking back towards her car, fiddling with her camera so she wouldn’t make eye contact with Tina. It didn’t work.
“Hey, wait a minute!” Tina sounded like she was running. Carly slowed, then stopped.
“Hey, Tina, how are you?” She smiled, but Carly was pretty sure it didn’t quite seem believable. She didn’t want to be rude to Tina, but she didn’t really want to get caught up in all that drama this morning, especially since Mona and Larry were due to show up any minute now.
“Carly, isn’t it?” Tina had caught up with Carly pretty fast. The little boy was standing beside the older gentleman, looking up at him with great affection. Tina noticed Carly looking at her son. “He just turned three, but he’s big for his age. And smart. I just came by to get some money from my dad, he works here.” Carly nodded and smiled again, more genuinely this time.
“He’s precious. Your son, I mean, not your dad.” Oh, lord, Carly, just stop talking. Carly glanced at her phone quickly. “Hey, Tina, I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m meeting some clients here any minute now.”
“Yeah, I know.” Carly stopped in her tracks. Here comes the drama , she thought. “My dad had to come in early to get the inside organized in case they want to go in and take some pictures. It’s a small town, and I know it’s not every day your ex-boyfriend and baby’s father marries the girl he cheated on you with at a big old mansion.”
Ouch. Tina’s vitriol was admirably contained, and Carly was impressed that she wasn’t foaming at the mouth by now. “Tina, you know it’s not a good idea for you to be here when they arrive. I mean, Mona is not a nice person.”
Tina shrugged her shoulders. “I’ve
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