Read Online Murder and Salutations by Elizabeth Bright - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Bright
Tags: Fiction, General, detective, Suspense, Mystery & Detective, American Mystery & Suspense Fiction, Mystery, Mystery Fiction, Fiction - Mystery, Large Type Books, Mystery & Detective - General, Virginia, Businesspeople, Greeting cards, Small Business
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than I liked, but I didn’t have time to mess with it at the moment. I was just glad I’d already planned to go back to my apartment before dinner tonight.
“ I’ve got an idea,” Lillian finally said.
“ Tell me. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. If I bring you in there right now, it will be like throwing gasoline on a bonfire. But if I manage to get seven words in, I think I can smooth things over with her.”
“ I can’t imagine what those seven words could possibly be,” I said. “Just let me worry about that,” Lillian said. “This might take some time.”
“ Take all you need,” I said, regretting again the way I’d blown up. After Lillian was gone on her mission of reconciliation, I tried to put myself in Addie’s place. Not only had she lost a business partner, but she and Eliza had been close on a personal level. And what did I do? I waltzed in there like I’d owned the place, and started in on her. Not good, Jennifer. Not good at all.
I tried to distract myself with card making, but for one of the few times in my life, I just wasn’t in the mood. A customer or two would have been great, but just my luck, the brief rainstorm earlier had evidently kept the shoppers at home. When the chime finally announced a visitor, I was willing to give away half the store to keep them there.
Then I saw that it was Greg Langston, probably the only person on earth I didn’t want to see at the moment.
Chapter 5
“ Does your girlfriend know you’re here?” I asked, immediately regretting my harsh choice of words. Somehow Greg brought the worst out in me lately, and I couldn’t seem to stop myself from firing verbal shots at him. All in all, I was not having a good day dealing with people, and I wondered if I should just go home—while I still had one—lock my door, take my phone off the hook, and pull the covers over my head until this attitude of mine passed.
Greg let my snippy question slide. “Stephanie would have a fit, but this isn’t about her, it’s about you. What’s going on?”
“ I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said as innocently as I could manage.
“ Come on, I saw the way you stormed past my shop earlier. You weren’t out on a social call.”
I looked at the clock. “Greg, that was almost half an hour ago. What took you so long, if you were worried about me?”
He suddenly got the guiltiest look on his face, and I knew why he hadn’t come over.
“ What’s the matter, were you too busy giving her private lessons? Don’t tell me, your new girlfriend suddenly developed a strong interest in pottery. Or is it just the potter?” Even as I said it, I wondered where that had come from.
“ Jennifer, do you honestly think you have the right to ask me that? You’re the one who didn’t want me anymore, remember? You can’t act jealous now if I happen to be seeing someone else.”
It didn’t help my temper knowing that he was right. “You know what? That’s absolutely true. In answer to your question, I’m fine,” I said. “Thanks for stopping by.”
“ You’re not going to brush me off that easily,” Greg said. “Just because we’re not together doesn’t mean I don’t still care about you.”
“ Do it from your shop then, would you? I’ve got cards to make.” I walked to the door and held it open for him. After a few seconds, he took the hint and left, but not before saying, “Be careful, Jen. You have a tendency to get into things too deep before you realize what you’re doing.”
“ Thanks for the advice,” I said. I wanted him out of there before I said anything else I’d come to regret later.
He shook his head, then walked away.
I cried out in frustration once he was gone as I swept a box full of custom-made paper off the counter. Just my luck, the seal came loose in midflight, and an avalanche of paper wafted down to the floor. Why did I let him get to me like that?
Lillian walked in as I
“ I’ve got an idea,” Lillian finally said.
“ Tell me. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. If I bring you in there right now, it will be like throwing gasoline on a bonfire. But if I manage to get seven words in, I think I can smooth things over with her.”
“ I can’t imagine what those seven words could possibly be,” I said. “Just let me worry about that,” Lillian said. “This might take some time.”
“ Take all you need,” I said, regretting again the way I’d blown up. After Lillian was gone on her mission of reconciliation, I tried to put myself in Addie’s place. Not only had she lost a business partner, but she and Eliza had been close on a personal level. And what did I do? I waltzed in there like I’d owned the place, and started in on her. Not good, Jennifer. Not good at all.
I tried to distract myself with card making, but for one of the few times in my life, I just wasn’t in the mood. A customer or two would have been great, but just my luck, the brief rainstorm earlier had evidently kept the shoppers at home. When the chime finally announced a visitor, I was willing to give away half the store to keep them there.
Then I saw that it was Greg Langston, probably the only person on earth I didn’t want to see at the moment.
Chapter 5
“ Does your girlfriend know you’re here?” I asked, immediately regretting my harsh choice of words. Somehow Greg brought the worst out in me lately, and I couldn’t seem to stop myself from firing verbal shots at him. All in all, I was not having a good day dealing with people, and I wondered if I should just go home—while I still had one—lock my door, take my phone off the hook, and pull the covers over my head until this attitude of mine passed.
Greg let my snippy question slide. “Stephanie would have a fit, but this isn’t about her, it’s about you. What’s going on?”
“ I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said as innocently as I could manage.
“ Come on, I saw the way you stormed past my shop earlier. You weren’t out on a social call.”
I looked at the clock. “Greg, that was almost half an hour ago. What took you so long, if you were worried about me?”
He suddenly got the guiltiest look on his face, and I knew why he hadn’t come over.
“ What’s the matter, were you too busy giving her private lessons? Don’t tell me, your new girlfriend suddenly developed a strong interest in pottery. Or is it just the potter?” Even as I said it, I wondered where that had come from.
“ Jennifer, do you honestly think you have the right to ask me that? You’re the one who didn’t want me anymore, remember? You can’t act jealous now if I happen to be seeing someone else.”
It didn’t help my temper knowing that he was right. “You know what? That’s absolutely true. In answer to your question, I’m fine,” I said. “Thanks for stopping by.”
“ You’re not going to brush me off that easily,” Greg said. “Just because we’re not together doesn’t mean I don’t still care about you.”
“ Do it from your shop then, would you? I’ve got cards to make.” I walked to the door and held it open for him. After a few seconds, he took the hint and left, but not before saying, “Be careful, Jen. You have a tendency to get into things too deep before you realize what you’re doing.”
“ Thanks for the advice,” I said. I wanted him out of there before I said anything else I’d come to regret later.
He shook his head, then walked away.
I cried out in frustration once he was gone as I swept a box full of custom-made paper off the counter. Just my luck, the seal came loose in midflight, and an avalanche of paper wafted down to the floor. Why did I let him get to me like that?
Lillian walked in as I
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