Read Online Hope Callaghan - Garden Girls 07 - Missing Milt by Hope Callaghan - Free Book Online Page B

would turn into something more.
    After all, the girls weren’t spring chickens anymore.  Life was too short to spend it pining over someone like Bill.  On top of that, Lucy didn’t seem all that upset.  She even thanked Gloria for being such a good friend.  That’s what friends were for. Picking you up, dusting you off, setting you up on dates…
    Satisfied that Lucy was on the right track, Gloria mulled over the Milt issue.  The men at breakfast had mentioned a woman – Francine - that seemed to be a bit of a stalker.  It was obvious they were talking about Frances.  Maybe Milt was trying to escape Frances and the only way he knew how was to “disappear?”
    The fact that Frances knew so many intimate details of Milt’s daily schedule was disturbing.  Who did stuff like that?  Unless of course they were obsessed, which Gloria was beginning to think maybe Frances was a bit unbalanced.  She made a mental note to discuss the possibility with Liz.
    Then there was the small problem of Milt’s gambling debts. 
    The bath water was beginning to cool.  Gloria lifted her foot, flipped the dial and turned it all the way to hot. 
    Gloria still hadn’t had a chance to question Trudy, who was supposedly one of the last people to talk to Milt before he vanished. 
    Her eyes narrowed. Something about Clyde Ward was bugging her.  She got the feeling that maybe he was holding something back.
    She wondered if Frances had tried to contact Milt’s family, possibly his children, to see if maybe they had heard from him.  Although she was almost 100% certain that Frances had tracked down every lead out there.
    Gloria climbed out of the tub, relaxed and ready for her date with Paul.  Her pulse quickened at the thought of seeing him.  He had been working long hours and she hadn’t seen him in several long, lonely days. 
    Gloria slipped into a pair of tan slacks and a white cotton blouse.  The day was sunny and warm but the evening would be cool.  She wasn’t sure where they were going for dinner and Paul had told her it was a surprise.   
    Now all she had to do was wait!

Chapter 8
    Paul was right on time.  She watched as he eased his tall, athletic frame from the driver’s side of his pickup.  Gloria smiled at the sight of his truck.  The truck meant he wasn’t scheduled to work early the next morning!
    Gloria noticed he was carrying a crimson-colored box as he stepped onto the porch.  She looked down at the package in his hand.  It was a box of her favorite Belgian chocolates.
    He handed the box to her when he reached the top of the steps.
    Gloria shook her head. “You are spoiling me rotten.”
    “Yep.” He leaned forward and kissed her lips.  “Just the way I like you – spoiled.”
    She led him inside, set the chocolates on the table and placed her hand on his arm.  “Would you like to sit down?”
    He jerked his head toward the door.  “What about the porch?”  The late afternoon was crisp and clear.  Gloria nodded.  She reached for her sweater hanging on the hook and followed behind as he headed back out to the porch. 
    Paul settled into the rocker and Gloria took the seat next to him.  He reached for her hand. “How is the fall cleaning going?”
    Gloria tapped her foot on the porch board and gave a gentle push.  “Lucy came by to help.  I don’t have many clothes left,” she groaned. “If I hadn’t stopped her, I’d be running around in my birthday suit.”
    Paul raised his brows.  “Now that I wouldn’t mind seeing,” he teased.
    Gloria’s face reddened.  “You’d probably laugh your head off.”
    “Hm.  I don’t think so.”
    Mally wandered up to the porch and settled in on top of Paul’s feet.  He leaned down and patted her head.  “You behaving yourself?”
    Mally let out a low moan and closed her eyes.
    “That’s what I thought,” he answered.
    Gloria rubbed her hands together.  “Where did you say you were taking me?”
    “I didn’t,” Paul