Read Online Ninja Soccer Moms by Jennifer Apodaca - Free Book Online Page B

head. Nice guy, young and brash—frankly, I couldn’t see him doing what her last date had.
    I picked up the phone and dialed Roxy’s number at the home she shared with her uncle. No one answered. Cutting the connection, I looked at Kevin’s file and dialed his phone number. Maybe he could tell me something. Getting the answering machine, I left a brief message telling him that I was doing a follow-up review of his date with Roxanne Gabor. “At Heart Mates, we periodically check with our clients to make sure we are providing the quality of matches to make our clients happy. I’d really like to hear back from you, Kevin.” I hung up.
    Now what? Looking under Kevin’s file, I found Roxy’s. Flipping through it, I found her cell phone number and dialed. When she answered, she was out of breath and whispery. “Hello?”
    It sounded like I’d caught her in the middle of a rousing round of sex. “Uh, Roxy? It’s Sam. Blaine said you called.”
    â€œSam. Uh, I’m looking for something right now. I have to go.”
    â€œWait! Roxy, at least tell me how your date went last night.” Hmm. Kevin hadn’t answered his phone—maybe they were together right now. But then why would she have called Blaine crying?
    Her breath caught. “Why did he do it? Why?”
    â€œRoxy?” My hand tightened on the handset of the phone. She wasn’t crying now. She sounded desperate. “You mean Kevin? Look Roxy, whatever has happened we can fix it, okay? Where are you? I’ll come to you.” A crying Roxy I understood. This almost robotic, whispery, distracted Roxy scared me.
    Silence, then, “Can’t talk now.”
    â€œDon’t hang up!” I yelled in frustration.
    I heard her sniffle. Then she said, “Meet me at the nursery. I’m almost done here.” She hung up.
    I set the phone down. Something weird was going on with Roxy. But meeting her at her uncle’s nursery made me feel better. Roxy loved plants and flowers. She had worked at Duncan’s Nursery just up the street from Heart Mates since she came to live with her uncle. I really liked and admired Roxy. I wanted to help her find someone to love.
    I dug my purse out of my desk and went out to the reception area. Before I could say anything to Blaine, the front door opened.
    Grandpa and Ali came in.
    â€œGrandpa, what are you doing here? Are the boys okay?”
    Ali strolled up to me for a quick hello, which meant I was allowed to pet her for about five seconds. Then she jumped up to put her front paws on the edge of Blaine’s desk to stare at him.
    He stared back.
    Ali barked.
    Blaine opened his desk drawer and pulled out a box of animal crackers that he kept especially for her. He tossed her one at a time.
    My dog had her people well trained.
    Grandpa laughed, then turned to me. “I forgot I had the exterminators coming, Sam. Remember the ants? And tomorrow night is that party you are doing for Angel.”
    â€œThe lingerie party!” I hadn’t forgotten, exactly. My best friend was starting a new career in mail-order lingerie. I was hosting her premiere party.
    â€œI have story hour at the library. I don’t want to leave Ali home while the house is being sprayed. Is it okay if she stays here with you? I’ll pick her up when story hour is over.”
    Grandpa was a favorite of the town children. He did magic tricks and made balloon animals when he read stories. I wasn’t sure who loved it more, Grandpa or the children. “Sure, Grandpa. Ali can go with me over to Duncan’s Nursery to talk to Roxy.” Ali was never a problem.
    Grandpa went past Ali, still perched with her paws on Blaine’s desk, to the TV tray with coffee. He poured himself half a cup and said, “What’s up with Roxy, Sam?”
    â€œDating disaster.”
    He shook his head. “Duncan just adored that girl from the second he brought her back