Read Online Heavenly Highland Inn 05 - Suffocating the Sunflowers by Cindy Bell - Free Book Online Page B

really.”
    “ No, I don't think you have,” he said sternly as he ignored her flirting. He knew Ida well enough to recognize her antics. “If anything ever happened to you it would devastate your nieces, and I can't stand by and watch you take so many chances by speeding like this. You are not behaving in a way that is safe for you, or for other drivers that are on the road.” When he locked eyes with her she had to resist sticking out her tongue. She was normally a fan of Mitchell's but getting an actual speeding ticket from him when he could easily let it slide, left her feeling a little bitter.
    Ida was more than a little annoyed as she glanced over her shoulder and then back in the other direction, further up the road.
    “What other drivers?” she demanded as she glowered at him. “There's no one else on the road.”
    “ Maybe not, but there could be,” he said with certainty as he scribbled on the pad. “And what about that poor turtle?” he reminded her.
    “ He made it safely across the road,” Ida spat back. “Is there some kind of turtle law I broke?”
    “ Ida, you have to understand, I'm doing this for your own good,” Mitchell said frowning and finished filling out the ticket.
    “ You're not really going to write me a ticket, are you?” Ida gasped as she stared at him. “You can't be serious!”
    “ I'm quite serious,” he replied and stepped closer to her. “You're putting yourself in danger, and I happen to like you,” he explained as he ripped the ticket off the pad. “I also happen to know that Vicky and Sarah have warned you about driving recklessly. So, if you're not going to listen to them, then maybe you'll learn your lesson from having to pay this ticket.”
    “ Unbelievable!” Ida huffed as she stared at him. “You're not going to get away with this, Sheriff McDonald will hear about this!”
    “ I'm sure he will,” Mitchell frowned as he handed her the ticket. “But even if it means working extra shifts for a year, I wouldn't feel right if I didn't do something to try to get you to stop this dangerous behavior.”
    “ Dangerous behavior,” Ida muttered and shook her head. “You wouldn't know danger if it bit you on your toe!”
    He raised an eyebrow and tried not to crack into a smile. Ida didn't notice the amusement in his gaze as she fretted. “I'm not paying this!” she added as she shoved the ticket into the pocket of her motorcycle jacket. “You can bet your fancy little hat that I'm going to fight this in court, and I'll win. This is harassment of the elderly,” she added.
    “ Ida, you're not elderly,” he reminded her and had to suppress a chuckle.
    “ I will be when I go to court to fight this ticket! I can play up to ten years older than I am, Mitchell. You're going to regret this, boy-o, yes you will! To think I used to like you!” 
    Mitchell shifted from one foot to the other and hoped that she couldn't tell that he was starting to actually get nervous. Ida was eccentric, but she was also very determined, and he had yet to see her not accomplish anything that she set her mind to.
    “Ida honestly, I'm doing this for your safety…” he attempted to explain again.
    “ Lucky for you I don't have time to waste on arguing with you,” she said harshly and fired up her motorcycle. “And don't you follow me either!”
    As she peeled off down the road Mitchell stared in amazement. It wasn't so much Ida's behavior that stunned him. It was more how much she reminded him of Vicky that left him dazed.
     
    ***
     
    Vicky glanced down at her phone to find a text from Mitche ll indicating he had given her Aunt Ida a ticket for speeding. Vicky frowned with concern, not so much for the ticket, but for the fact that her aunt had been speeding. She was just about to step into Sarah's office to talk to her about it, when Ida burst into the lobby.
    “ Aunt Ida?” Vicky asked with surprise. “Are you okay?”
    “ I'm just fine, your ticket-giving boyfriend though,