Read Online Grave Delight (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 3) by Lily Harper Hart - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lily Harper Hart
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like he wants to crawl into a hole and die. Why is Cassidy friends with this Marla girl if she’s so horrible?”
“I think Cassidy just wants to hang around with someone who hates Maddie as much as she does,” Christy replied. “Marla fits the bill. What Cassidy doesn’t realize is that Marla would’ve snaked Nick from her in a second if she got the chance.”
“Interesting,” John said. “You are an endless source of information.”
“I like to gossip.”
John smiled. “You’re cute, too.”
Christy smiled right back at him. “You have excellent eyesight.”
Nick watched Christy and John chat out of the corner of his eye, silently cursing them both. Didn’t they see he was floundering here?
“How are … things … in your life, Cassidy?”
“Oh, they’re great,” Cassidy said. “Everyone in the town walks around laughing at me and I try to keep my head down so they don’t recognize me. It’s constant work.”
Nick scowled. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“So, where is your homewrecker girlfriend?” Marla asked, changing the subject. “I thought she was in Christy’s salon getting her hair done because she had a big date with you tonight. That’s the way she made it sound.”
Nick shot John a challenging look. “I thought we had a date, too.”
John ignored him.
“Oh, this is just priceless,” Marla said, clapping her hands. “Maddie spent her afternoon getting ready for a date and you’re already bored with her. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer homewrecker.”
“I’m not bored with her,” Nick said. “My brother is in town. He wanted to go out. I had no choice in the matter.”
“That’s true,” John said, trying to be helpful. “I made him abandon the blonde for the night.”
“I’ll bet she’s home crying,” Marla said. “She doesn’t know what to do with herself when Nick and Christy aren’t around. I can’t wait until it gets back to her that we were all out together.”
Nick froze, the gravity of Marla’s words washing over him. “That’s not going to happen,” he said, pushing his chair back and getting to his feet. “I’m officially done here.”
“Now … wait,” John said, desperate for his time with Christy to continue. “What about me? I need a ride back to your place.”
“You’re not staying with me,” Nick said matter-of-factly. “You’re going to a hotel.”
“No way,” John said. “The only hotel the state will pay for is that dive out on the highway.”
“Then stay with Christy,” Nick said, guileless. “She’s got a nice house … and I’m sure she’d love the company.”
Christy shot Nick an appreciative look. “I’ll make sure he finds a place to land tonight.”
“I’m sure you will.”
“I have room at my house,” Marla offered.
“He had crabs when he was in high school,” Nick said. “I don’t think he wants them again.”
Christy snorted into her drink while John made a face. “Thanks for telling people that story.”
“Whatever,” Nick said. “I’m going to get my girl.”
“You should,” Christy said. “After running into these two this afternoon she’s probably feeling a little sad.”
Now Nick felt doubly guilty. No wonder she hadn’t returned his call. He fixed John with a serious look. “Do not come out to my house. I don’t care if your pants are on fire – which they will be if you touch Marla, by the way. Don’t come out to that house. It’s not yours yet.”
John’s eyes were soft as he regarded his younger brother. “Have the night of your life, man.”
“Have the night of both of your lives,” Christy said, beaming.
“Wait a second,” Marla said, hands on hips. “What about us?”
“I’m sure there are some guys down on the pier who will give you the night of your life, Marla,” Christy said. “Some of them might even have teeth.”
Nick was practically giddy as he left his brother in Christy’s capable hands. Tonight was the night. He was
“I think Cassidy just wants to hang around with someone who hates Maddie as much as she does,” Christy replied. “Marla fits the bill. What Cassidy doesn’t realize is that Marla would’ve snaked Nick from her in a second if she got the chance.”
“Interesting,” John said. “You are an endless source of information.”
“I like to gossip.”
John smiled. “You’re cute, too.”
Christy smiled right back at him. “You have excellent eyesight.”
Nick watched Christy and John chat out of the corner of his eye, silently cursing them both. Didn’t they see he was floundering here?
“How are … things … in your life, Cassidy?”
“Oh, they’re great,” Cassidy said. “Everyone in the town walks around laughing at me and I try to keep my head down so they don’t recognize me. It’s constant work.”
Nick scowled. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“So, where is your homewrecker girlfriend?” Marla asked, changing the subject. “I thought she was in Christy’s salon getting her hair done because she had a big date with you tonight. That’s the way she made it sound.”
Nick shot John a challenging look. “I thought we had a date, too.”
John ignored him.
“Oh, this is just priceless,” Marla said, clapping her hands. “Maddie spent her afternoon getting ready for a date and you’re already bored with her. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer homewrecker.”
“I’m not bored with her,” Nick said. “My brother is in town. He wanted to go out. I had no choice in the matter.”
“That’s true,” John said, trying to be helpful. “I made him abandon the blonde for the night.”
“I’ll bet she’s home crying,” Marla said. “She doesn’t know what to do with herself when Nick and Christy aren’t around. I can’t wait until it gets back to her that we were all out together.”
Nick froze, the gravity of Marla’s words washing over him. “That’s not going to happen,” he said, pushing his chair back and getting to his feet. “I’m officially done here.”
“Now … wait,” John said, desperate for his time with Christy to continue. “What about me? I need a ride back to your place.”
“You’re not staying with me,” Nick said matter-of-factly. “You’re going to a hotel.”
“No way,” John said. “The only hotel the state will pay for is that dive out on the highway.”
“Then stay with Christy,” Nick said, guileless. “She’s got a nice house … and I’m sure she’d love the company.”
Christy shot Nick an appreciative look. “I’ll make sure he finds a place to land tonight.”
“I’m sure you will.”
“I have room at my house,” Marla offered.
“He had crabs when he was in high school,” Nick said. “I don’t think he wants them again.”
Christy snorted into her drink while John made a face. “Thanks for telling people that story.”
“Whatever,” Nick said. “I’m going to get my girl.”
“You should,” Christy said. “After running into these two this afternoon she’s probably feeling a little sad.”
Now Nick felt doubly guilty. No wonder she hadn’t returned his call. He fixed John with a serious look. “Do not come out to my house. I don’t care if your pants are on fire – which they will be if you touch Marla, by the way. Don’t come out to that house. It’s not yours yet.”
John’s eyes were soft as he regarded his younger brother. “Have the night of your life, man.”
“Have the night of both of your lives,” Christy said, beaming.
“Wait a second,” Marla said, hands on hips. “What about us?”
“I’m sure there are some guys down on the pier who will give you the night of your life, Marla,” Christy said. “Some of them might even have teeth.”
Nick was practically giddy as he left his brother in Christy’s capable hands. Tonight was the night. He was
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