Read Online Dead Heat by Kathleen Brooks - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kathleen Brooks
Ads: Link
doing stuck in this little store then? You should come talk to my husband. He owns Rawlings Car Dealership. I bet he could get you a nice job.”
“Aw, gee Kandi. That’s nice of you. But, see Cole and I are living together and he’s happy here with me.” She wanted to kiss him when he walked past Kandi and put his arm around her.
“Sure, we all know how long guys stick around you.” Kandi giggled her annoying little giggle and Cole tightened his grip on her shoulder. “I’ll see you real soon then.” Kandi winked at Cole and bent over to pick up her purse she had somehow dropped again.
“Oh, Kandi, I have a cream to help with that cellulite. Make sure you pick some up next time you come in. I sure hope I get to see you soon. It’s always such a pleasure.” Paige smiled as Kandi huffed out of the store.
“Ewww, that woman!” Paige shook with such anger after her encounter with Kandi that she couldn’t stand still. She had to move. She knew what had to be done. She had to organize.
She rounded the corner of the sales counter and pulled out all the pencils, sales receipts, gift boxes and dumped them on the floor. Cole came around the counter and took a seat next to the register and watched with one eyebrow raised.
“No good, snooty, man stealing slut,” Paige mumbled to herself as sprayed the shelf and ferociously wiped it clean, “Coming into my shop, flirting with my imaginary boyfriend.” She restacked the gift boxes and moved to the tissue paper dispensers. She then moved to the displays and dusted, shook out the tablecloths, and redesigned the displays all before her next customer came in.
Paige wrapped the homemade bourbon vanilla candle in tissue paper. She had heard Cole’s phone ring a couple minutes ago and saw him head upstairs. She was only listening with half an ear as her customer happily prattled on about her granddaughter in college and how she had been enjoying the trip into Keeneston for some gift shopping before the summer family reunion they were having.
Paige smiled and nodded at the appropriate times, but couldn’t tear her eyes from the staircase. Was there news? Was everything okay with Kenna and Dani? Did the assassin get caught? It was bothering her that this worry was consuming her life. She loved running her shop, now she flinched every time the bell rang over the door thinking it could be the assassin coming to finish her off. She loved talking to her clients about their kids, grandkids, horrible mother-in-laws, or how great or horrible their spouses were. It’s one of the reasons she worked so much at the counter instead of giving more hours to Betty Jo. But now she couldn’t even focus on her client. All she could focus on was her speculation over Cole’s call. Maybe it wasn’t even about the case. Maybe it was his mother. Or girlfriend? Oh, God, did he have a girlfriend, or worse, was he married? Did it look like that candle display needed to be moved around? She said goodbye to her client and started reorganizing he candle display.
“Uh-oh. Did Kandi come back while I was upstairs?”
“How could you not tell me you were married?” She slammed down one of her new scents and grabbed her dust rag.
“Married? Paige, what are you talking about?” Cole’s hands moved to his hips and his posture read pissed off instead of guilty. Whoops.
“You’re not married?”
“No.” The cold stare he was directing at her was giving her frostbite. “Whatever made you think I was married?”
“I’m sorry. I was just thinking that I didn’t know anything about you and in my stressed state I just made an illogical jump to that being your wife on the phone.” She knew her face was red and she felt as if she had been caught being bad by a teacher. Cole ran his hand through his hair and let out a frustrated breath.
“It’s okay. I guess you are right. We don’t actually know anything about each other, which could be a problem if we are to be believed to be in
“Aw, gee Kandi. That’s nice of you. But, see Cole and I are living together and he’s happy here with me.” She wanted to kiss him when he walked past Kandi and put his arm around her.
“Sure, we all know how long guys stick around you.” Kandi giggled her annoying little giggle and Cole tightened his grip on her shoulder. “I’ll see you real soon then.” Kandi winked at Cole and bent over to pick up her purse she had somehow dropped again.
“Oh, Kandi, I have a cream to help with that cellulite. Make sure you pick some up next time you come in. I sure hope I get to see you soon. It’s always such a pleasure.” Paige smiled as Kandi huffed out of the store.
“Ewww, that woman!” Paige shook with such anger after her encounter with Kandi that she couldn’t stand still. She had to move. She knew what had to be done. She had to organize.
She rounded the corner of the sales counter and pulled out all the pencils, sales receipts, gift boxes and dumped them on the floor. Cole came around the counter and took a seat next to the register and watched with one eyebrow raised.
“No good, snooty, man stealing slut,” Paige mumbled to herself as sprayed the shelf and ferociously wiped it clean, “Coming into my shop, flirting with my imaginary boyfriend.” She restacked the gift boxes and moved to the tissue paper dispensers. She then moved to the displays and dusted, shook out the tablecloths, and redesigned the displays all before her next customer came in.
Paige wrapped the homemade bourbon vanilla candle in tissue paper. She had heard Cole’s phone ring a couple minutes ago and saw him head upstairs. She was only listening with half an ear as her customer happily prattled on about her granddaughter in college and how she had been enjoying the trip into Keeneston for some gift shopping before the summer family reunion they were having.
Paige smiled and nodded at the appropriate times, but couldn’t tear her eyes from the staircase. Was there news? Was everything okay with Kenna and Dani? Did the assassin get caught? It was bothering her that this worry was consuming her life. She loved running her shop, now she flinched every time the bell rang over the door thinking it could be the assassin coming to finish her off. She loved talking to her clients about their kids, grandkids, horrible mother-in-laws, or how great or horrible their spouses were. It’s one of the reasons she worked so much at the counter instead of giving more hours to Betty Jo. But now she couldn’t even focus on her client. All she could focus on was her speculation over Cole’s call. Maybe it wasn’t even about the case. Maybe it was his mother. Or girlfriend? Oh, God, did he have a girlfriend, or worse, was he married? Did it look like that candle display needed to be moved around? She said goodbye to her client and started reorganizing he candle display.
“Uh-oh. Did Kandi come back while I was upstairs?”
“How could you not tell me you were married?” She slammed down one of her new scents and grabbed her dust rag.
“Married? Paige, what are you talking about?” Cole’s hands moved to his hips and his posture read pissed off instead of guilty. Whoops.
“You’re not married?”
“No.” The cold stare he was directing at her was giving her frostbite. “Whatever made you think I was married?”
“I’m sorry. I was just thinking that I didn’t know anything about you and in my stressed state I just made an illogical jump to that being your wife on the phone.” She knew her face was red and she felt as if she had been caught being bad by a teacher. Cole ran his hand through his hair and let out a frustrated breath.
“It’s okay. I guess you are right. We don’t actually know anything about each other, which could be a problem if we are to be believed to be in
Similar Books
