Read Online Maggie Lee (Book 11): The Hitwoman Hires a Manny by JB Lynn - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: JB Lynn
Tags: cozy mystery
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discovered how the two of them knew each other, neither Nancy or Angel offered a clue and I didn’t feel comfortable prying.
As soon as he was done, Angel hugged Nancy again, kissed her cheek, and said, “See you soon.”
“Is that a threat or a promise?” Nancy called as Angel led the way out of the house with me trailing behind.
We got back into his truck and headed back to get my car. Neither one of us spoke. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts and I was worrying about how Katie was going to react once she was out of the hospital.
Finally, as he pulled into the parking lot, Angel spoke. “You’re not going to ask?”
“Ask what?”
“How we know each other.”
I shrugged. “Not my place.”
He grunted.
I didn’t know what that was supposed to mean, so I just scanned the lot for my car.
Sliding into the parking spot beside it, he parked the truck and turned to face me. “You’re a strange one.”
“You shouldn’t insult your boss,” I chided jokingly.
“Any other woman would have been spitting questions at me faster than a machine gun.”
I winced at the violent image. “I try to mind my own business. A lot less drama that way.”
“Because your family provides enough drama?” he guessed.
I nodded. “But if you want to talk about it…”
He shook his head. “Not today.”
A dull ache formed at the base of my skull. Why had he given me a hard time about not asking then?
I would never understand men.
Or women.
Or animals.
Hell, I didn’t even understand myself most days.
“I’ve got to go fill out some paperwork,” I told him. “You’ll be okay moving yourself into the B&B?”
He nodded.
I fumbled for my keys. “You’ll need this to get in.” I began to twist the key for the back door off my key ring.
His hand covered mine, stopping me. Startled by the contact, I looked up at him, my mouth going dry. For a millisecond I thought I might melt on the spot, as his body heat flowed into mine.
Amusement danced in his dark gaze. “I have a key. Susan gave it to me.”
Dropping my hands to break the contact, I frowned. “Before or after she told me about you?”
When he didn’t answer, I knew the answer was “before”.
I slammed my head back into the headrest and let out a huff of frustration.
“I’m sorry,” Angel apologized carefully.
Closing my eyes, I shook my head. “It’s not you. It’s her. It’s them.” I sighed heavily, trying to relieve some of the pressure tightening my shoulders. “I don’t want to feel like I have an adversarial relationship with them, and I know they mean well, but everything feels like a fight.”
“It must be hard,” he soothed sympathetically.
“It is.” Tears of frustration prickled the back of my eyelids. I clenched my fists, willing the waterworks away.
“Must be hard on all of you. You’re all doing your best, but they probably feel like since your mother is, for all intents and purposes, out of the picture, that they’ve got to jump in and pick up the slack.”
Opening my eyes, I blinked quickly. “They’ve always had that responsibility.”
“And with Susan being the most responsible of the group…” He trailed off.
My shoulders sagged. “It makes sense that she’s the one I clash with most.”
“Families are difficult,” he opined. I got the distinct impression he was thinking of his own as he spoke. “It’s hard for an older generation to understand that the younger adults might be able to figure things out on their own.”
I glanced over at him and saw he was staring off into space.
“And it’s hard for us to remember that they still see us as children who need to be protected,” I agreed softly.
He nodded.
My phone buzzed, interrupting the moment.
“That’s my reminder I have to be across town,” I
As soon as he was done, Angel hugged Nancy again, kissed her cheek, and said, “See you soon.”
“Is that a threat or a promise?” Nancy called as Angel led the way out of the house with me trailing behind.
We got back into his truck and headed back to get my car. Neither one of us spoke. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts and I was worrying about how Katie was going to react once she was out of the hospital.
Finally, as he pulled into the parking lot, Angel spoke. “You’re not going to ask?”
“Ask what?”
“How we know each other.”
I shrugged. “Not my place.”
He grunted.
I didn’t know what that was supposed to mean, so I just scanned the lot for my car.
Sliding into the parking spot beside it, he parked the truck and turned to face me. “You’re a strange one.”
“You shouldn’t insult your boss,” I chided jokingly.
“Any other woman would have been spitting questions at me faster than a machine gun.”
I winced at the violent image. “I try to mind my own business. A lot less drama that way.”
“Because your family provides enough drama?” he guessed.
I nodded. “But if you want to talk about it…”
He shook his head. “Not today.”
A dull ache formed at the base of my skull. Why had he given me a hard time about not asking then?
I would never understand men.
Or women.
Or animals.
Hell, I didn’t even understand myself most days.
“I’ve got to go fill out some paperwork,” I told him. “You’ll be okay moving yourself into the B&B?”
He nodded.
I fumbled for my keys. “You’ll need this to get in.” I began to twist the key for the back door off my key ring.
His hand covered mine, stopping me. Startled by the contact, I looked up at him, my mouth going dry. For a millisecond I thought I might melt on the spot, as his body heat flowed into mine.
Amusement danced in his dark gaze. “I have a key. Susan gave it to me.”
Dropping my hands to break the contact, I frowned. “Before or after she told me about you?”
When he didn’t answer, I knew the answer was “before”.
I slammed my head back into the headrest and let out a huff of frustration.
“I’m sorry,” Angel apologized carefully.
Closing my eyes, I shook my head. “It’s not you. It’s her. It’s them.” I sighed heavily, trying to relieve some of the pressure tightening my shoulders. “I don’t want to feel like I have an adversarial relationship with them, and I know they mean well, but everything feels like a fight.”
“It must be hard,” he soothed sympathetically.
“It is.” Tears of frustration prickled the back of my eyelids. I clenched my fists, willing the waterworks away.
“Must be hard on all of you. You’re all doing your best, but they probably feel like since your mother is, for all intents and purposes, out of the picture, that they’ve got to jump in and pick up the slack.”
Opening my eyes, I blinked quickly. “They’ve always had that responsibility.”
“And with Susan being the most responsible of the group…” He trailed off.
My shoulders sagged. “It makes sense that she’s the one I clash with most.”
“Families are difficult,” he opined. I got the distinct impression he was thinking of his own as he spoke. “It’s hard for an older generation to understand that the younger adults might be able to figure things out on their own.”
I glanced over at him and saw he was staring off into space.
“And it’s hard for us to remember that they still see us as children who need to be protected,” I agreed softly.
He nodded.
My phone buzzed, interrupting the moment.
“That’s my reminder I have to be across town,” I
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