Read Online Pies & Peril by Janel Gradowski - Free Book Online

you think you could help me order some flowers to send to Mandy Jo's funeral? Choosing anything other than a dozen red roses for you boggles my mind."
    " I already ordered an arrangement from us. It will be delivered to the funeral home tomorrow."
    " That's great, but I also wanted to send one from my company."
    " Why?"
    " Quantum redesigned all of the logos and signage for Kevin's accounting firm a couple months ago."
    " I didn't know that. You never told me."
    Kevin, Mandy Jo 's hen-pecked husband, owned Pierce Accounting. Amy remembered admiring the firm's new logo when it changed, but had no idea her husband was behind the design. Alex didn't tell her about his work often, but not letting her know he was working with the hubby of her biggest enemy must have been omitted on purpose. Nope. She wasn't married to a dummy, and he knew that information would upset her. "Mandy Jo had only been married to Kevin for a few months when I noticed the logo had changed. Let me guess, his new wife recommended your company to him."
    Alex shifted in his seat. "I think Kevin did say that. I assumed she liked the work I did for the salon."
    " Was she involved in all of the meetings? Did she help supervise the installation of the sign on the building? How about suggest that it should be a little higher on the wall and you should meet her in the supply closet?"
    He held his arms up in surrender. "It wasn't anything as explicit as that. Yes, she was at all of the planning meetings. I guess she did flirt with me a bit when Kevin wasn't around, but it wasn't a big deal. I just ignored it like I always do."
    " Like you always do? So is it common for women at your accounts to flirt with you during meetings and installations?"
    He swiped his hand over his face. Then he took another long swig of beer. Amy stared at him. If all of the turmoil inside her turned to energy , there would be lasers shooting out of her eye sockets, and he would've lost at least an ear by that point. She knew she was married to a man that looked like he belonged in the pages of a men's exercise magazine. How had it never occurred to her that women would flirt with him behind her back? Alex knocked the realization out of the ballpark when he said, "You flirted with me while I was working at Elegance Salon."
    " But you weren't married then."
    " You're right. That's why I flirted back." He plucked another bottle of beer out of the
    six -pack and twisted off the cap. "I swear, I have never flirted back since you and I got married. You have my heart and always will. Okay?"
    Amy studied the thin, gold wedding band on his finger as he raised the bottle. Since she couldn 't make him wear a sandwich board proclaiming that he was married, a wider band would make his marital status a little more apparent to the drooling, love-starved women he apparently had to deal with on a regular basis. She slid closer to him and traced a line with her index finger up his thigh, stopping below his belt buckle. "I believe you, but I think it would help if you demonstrated exactly how much you love me."
    He slid his hand around her hips and pulled her onto his lap. "I would be happy to," he mumbled as he leaned forward and nibbled on the side of her neck.

C HAPTER FIVE
     
    Carla chose a light gray eyeliner pencil from the overflowing makeup case. She was just going to Amy's house and then coming right back home, but that wasn't a reason to not look presentable. The long night at work had erased the liner she applied before her shift. Like it or not, her crime solving ex-lover was heading a police investigation that involved her best friend. The very real threat that she could cross his path at any moment made her want to stay in bed continuously, hidden in the fabric softener-scented sheet cocoon. Amy sounded odd when she called, inviting her to come over for a mid-morning snack. Something was wrong. Considering the stress Amy was under after finding a body then receiving an ominous threat herself,