Read Online Ganache with Panache: Book 2 in The Chocolate Cafe Series by Valley Sams - Free Book Online

completed her halfhearted shake.
    “I’m so sorry about your loss.” Mac said, choosing her words carefully to examine their responses.
    The man brought his hand to his heart and dropped his eyes in what might have seemed like genuine pain. Mac saw something completely different.
    “I’m so sorry,” she asked, “were you close?” Zachary’s sister placed her hand on the man’s shoulder. Mac couldn’t help but notice that not only was her hand shaking slightly, but there was an interesting bruising on the inside of her arm. Bruises now caked with some kind of unsuccessful makeup application.
    “John was his partner,” Kyra said, her voice hushed with what should’ve passed as reverence. It sounded phony to Mac, but then again, most things did.
    John brushed a tear from his eye then made a grand show of trying to contain his misery by blinking furiously at the ceiling. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice cracking, “It’s only been a week.” He sighed and made a show of pulling himself together. “I know we should be out of here by now and getting ready for the funeral,” he paused again. “But Zachary so wanted to help out the Hoods on their special day. I didn’t have the heart.”
    “WE.” Kyra interrupted, placing her child-like hand on John’s broad chest. “We didn’t have the heart to leave. We felt we needed to finish what he started. He would’ve…he would’ve liked that…”
    “Have a seat, Miss Lau.” Olivia Hood’s voice boomed throughout the ballroom. “Ms. Mackenzie has no business bothering you at a time like this.”
    Mac spun around to see Olivia striding into the room. She had changed from the beige Chanel suit she had been wearing during the kidnap escapade to a pink, textured tartan. Did she have a different suit for every hour of the day? Goodness only knew.
    Olivia glared at Mac, clicking across the hall, her expensive heels sounding like demon hooves against the cold floor.
    “I thought we’d seen enough of each other this morning, Ms. Mackenzie.” Olivia announced, “Or maybe I didn’t make myself clear enough.”
    “I don’t see how you could’ve made it clearer.” Mac said, crossing her arms. She was glad for Vanessa’s clothes. For the first time in two days she felt confident enough to handle the confrontation that was rolling her way…it was amazing how booty shorts and sci-fi tee shirts could hold you back.
    Zachary’s partner made his shaky way to one of the couches that had been pulled out into a graceless position in the middle of the room. As previously, it was surrounded by fabric. Unlike last time, however, the delicate laces and tulles had been replaced with fuchsia satins and what to Mac’s uneducated eye looked like a bolt of black PVC.
    “It is opportune, however,” Olivia said, breezing past Mac to where John was sitting on the couch, “that you popped in. Ms. Lau has offered her services to help us create the kind of dress Harper was actually looking for. We’ve found her to be much, much more, forgive me, John, compliant than her brother.”
    There was a subtle click of a door opening and the group turned to see Harper emerging from the powder room that adjoined the ballroom.
    She was radiant. She was smug. To Mac, she was possibly the most inappropriate bride she had ever seen. The tastelessness wasn’t the skirt of the gown, which clung like syrup to Harper’s hips and thighs, so much as it was the bodice.
    “That…” Mac heard herself say. “Well, that’s exactly what you wanted, isn’t it?”
    What seemed like only a ribbon’s worth of blush pink satin ran up in pleats from the cinched waist to cover Harper’s enhanced bosom. Both of her assets were in full display, with only the most modest amount of fabric to preserve her dignity. Harper swirled in front of them with an unbearably smarmy smile on her face.
    “I love it,” she purred. “Oh my gosh, you are so much better than your brother and I ADORE it.”
    Olivia