Read Online Grave Insight (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 2) by Lily Harper Hart - Free Book Online
Authors: Lily Harper Hart
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for not coming up with a suitable lie before entering the store. “Yes. I’m looking for something for my grandmother. I think she’s about to have a bad day.” That wasn’t a total lie. If Maude was to be believed, the world was coming to an end. That constituted a bad day in anyone’s book.
“Maude? What’s wrong now?” Tara visibly relaxed at Maddie’s admission.
“I don’t know. Irma Kingston is over at the house and they claim the world is going to end because Edna Proctor wants to be a Pink Lady.”
Tara snickered. “That sounds just about right. What kind of flowers does Maude like?”
“I don’t really know,” Maddie said. “I just wanted to get her something to make her feel better, and it’s not like there are a lot of shopping options in town. It was either this or a milkshake, and the milkshake would melt before I could get it home.”
“Well, the flowers aren’t doing much better in the heat,” Tara admitted. “How about a nice potted hydrangea? You can put it in the yard and they grow beautifully in the soil up here.”
“That sounds great,” Maddie said. “What colors do you have?”
“We have pretty much everything,” Tara said. “Keep in mind, the color doesn’t always stay the same. It depends on the soil it’s planted in.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that,” Maddie said. “That’s interesting. Well, give me a blue one for now. It will match Granny’s mood. If it changes color, I’ll tell her it’s like a mood ring.”
Tara giggled. “I just love your grandmother. She’s such a bundle of energy.”
“She is,” Maddie agreed. “Sometimes I wish she’d take a nap, though.”
“She was really sad after Olivia died,” Tara said carefully.
“I know. I should have come home sooner. It took me a few weeks to get everything in order so I could come back. It took longer than I would have liked.”
“Nick Winters spent a lot of time with her.” Tara was watching Maddie, waiting for a reaction.
“That sounds like him,” Maddie said, her face placid.
“People say you two were really close when you were growing up,” Tara said.
“We were.”
“People also say it’s only a matter of time until you’re really close in another way.”
Maddie pressed her lips together, considering. “People say a lot, don’t they?”
“Just for the record, you should know that Cassidy is one of my closest friends,” Tara said.
“Cassidy is a nice woman.”
“She is,” Tara agreed. “She’s been a little worked up about Nick lately.”
“That’s really none of my business,” Maddie said. “Nick’s relationships are his to deal with.”
“Cassidy is convinced that you’re trying to steal Nick from her,” Tara said. “Is that the truth?”
Maddie furrowed her brow. “I don’t want to get into this conversation. Rest assured, the last thing I want is for anyone to get hurt – especially Cassidy.”
“I thought she was overreacting,” Tara said. “The problem is, Nick is known for having a certain reputation in this town. Cassidy knew it when she started dating him. She knew he had a particular … schedule … he adhered to. She thought she would be the one to outlive the schedule.”
“Like I said, this is Nick’s … .”
Tara held up her hand to still Maddie. “Cassidy and I bonded because we were both outsiders,” Tara said. “I had ties to the town. Cassidy didn’t. I knew how insular everyone was here, but I always loved the town. Even when I visited as a teenager, you and Nick were something of an enigma.”
“People didn’t understand why we were so close,” Maddie said. “Nick was cool, and I wasn’t. That confused people.”
“I think people understood why you and Nick were so close,” Tara said, wrinkling her nose. “What they didn’t understand is why neither one of you acted on it.”
Maddie shifted uncomfortably. “I’m not sure why you’re telling me this now,” she said. “You were in my shop two days ago
“Maude? What’s wrong now?” Tara visibly relaxed at Maddie’s admission.
“I don’t know. Irma Kingston is over at the house and they claim the world is going to end because Edna Proctor wants to be a Pink Lady.”
Tara snickered. “That sounds just about right. What kind of flowers does Maude like?”
“I don’t really know,” Maddie said. “I just wanted to get her something to make her feel better, and it’s not like there are a lot of shopping options in town. It was either this or a milkshake, and the milkshake would melt before I could get it home.”
“Well, the flowers aren’t doing much better in the heat,” Tara admitted. “How about a nice potted hydrangea? You can put it in the yard and they grow beautifully in the soil up here.”
“That sounds great,” Maddie said. “What colors do you have?”
“We have pretty much everything,” Tara said. “Keep in mind, the color doesn’t always stay the same. It depends on the soil it’s planted in.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that,” Maddie said. “That’s interesting. Well, give me a blue one for now. It will match Granny’s mood. If it changes color, I’ll tell her it’s like a mood ring.”
Tara giggled. “I just love your grandmother. She’s such a bundle of energy.”
“She is,” Maddie agreed. “Sometimes I wish she’d take a nap, though.”
“She was really sad after Olivia died,” Tara said carefully.
“I know. I should have come home sooner. It took me a few weeks to get everything in order so I could come back. It took longer than I would have liked.”
“Nick Winters spent a lot of time with her.” Tara was watching Maddie, waiting for a reaction.
“That sounds like him,” Maddie said, her face placid.
“People say you two were really close when you were growing up,” Tara said.
“We were.”
“People also say it’s only a matter of time until you’re really close in another way.”
Maddie pressed her lips together, considering. “People say a lot, don’t they?”
“Just for the record, you should know that Cassidy is one of my closest friends,” Tara said.
“Cassidy is a nice woman.”
“She is,” Tara agreed. “She’s been a little worked up about Nick lately.”
“That’s really none of my business,” Maddie said. “Nick’s relationships are his to deal with.”
“Cassidy is convinced that you’re trying to steal Nick from her,” Tara said. “Is that the truth?”
Maddie furrowed her brow. “I don’t want to get into this conversation. Rest assured, the last thing I want is for anyone to get hurt – especially Cassidy.”
“I thought she was overreacting,” Tara said. “The problem is, Nick is known for having a certain reputation in this town. Cassidy knew it when she started dating him. She knew he had a particular … schedule … he adhered to. She thought she would be the one to outlive the schedule.”
“Like I said, this is Nick’s … .”
Tara held up her hand to still Maddie. “Cassidy and I bonded because we were both outsiders,” Tara said. “I had ties to the town. Cassidy didn’t. I knew how insular everyone was here, but I always loved the town. Even when I visited as a teenager, you and Nick were something of an enigma.”
“People didn’t understand why we were so close,” Maddie said. “Nick was cool, and I wasn’t. That confused people.”
“I think people understood why you and Nick were so close,” Tara said, wrinkling her nose. “What they didn’t understand is why neither one of you acted on it.”
Maddie shifted uncomfortably. “I’m not sure why you’re telling me this now,” she said. “You were in my shop two days ago
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