Read Online Punked by the Pumpkin: A Cozy Mystery (Sweet Home Mystery Series Book 4) by Constance Barker - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Constance Barker
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will help me become an Eagle Scout and will help me build a résumé for a career in law enforcement. Some things are more important than money.”
His dad was impressed and proud.
“But I did promise Miss Parker that I would help her here too.”
I put my hand on his shoulder. “Your career and your help in keeping Sweet Home safe right now are more important, Trevor. I’ll find somebody.”
“I can probably manage it for a few hours,” Mike offered.
The door opened again, and Schooner walked up to the counter. “Hey, there, Lily, Jules.” He nodded at Eli and the Barton guys. Got anything cold back there?”
Mike went behind the counter and took his order.
“Mocha frappe, please.”
Mike was at a bit of a loss, so Schooner went back to help him out.
“Hey, Schooner, what time do you have to be on stage for the street dance?”
“Oh, about 9:00, I guess.”
I looked at Jules and nodded my head towards Schooner. Dinner would be over by 8:00, and he would be a fun dinner guest. Jules seemed to get the idea.
“You look like you know what you’re doing back there, Schooner.” She looked at the perfect frappe he set on the counter for himself.
“Well, you know I’m a bartender, and kind of barista too, I guess.”
“Soooo…” Jules looked at me out of the corner of her eye. “Would you be able to run the shop here from 5:00 until about 8:00 or 8:30?”
What is she up to? We still need one more for dinner.
“It shouldn’t be too busy. Everybody will be at the Harvest Dinner. Lily and Eli are going with Mike and I.” She reached across the counter and patted Mike’s hand and, of course, smiled at him.”
Darn, she’s good. Mike raised his eyebrows in surprise and nodded his acceptance.
“Hey, yeah. I’d like that. I’ll drum up some business for you with the guys in the band and the roadies too…but I’ll have to charge ya.”
“That’s fine, Schooner.” I knew he was a great bartender, so this should be a breeze for him.
“All the coffee I can drink should cover it – and I get to keep my tips.”
Can’t beat a deal like that. I showed him where everything was and how to use the cash register. He already knew how to make all the coffees and smoothies, and he had the whole place spinning like a top in 15 minutes. He was giving great table service with humor, charm, and lightning speed. The place began to thin out before 5:00, and Schooner texted his friends to stop in. So, what the heck, we left.
Chapter Six
The church basement was nicely decorated in fall colors with sheaves of wheat in golden bows adorning each window. There were probably a couple dozen large round tables-for-eight set up with white tablecloths and wicker cornucopias overflowing with real harvest fruits and vegetables as centerpieces.
There were probably a lot of other nice decorations too, but once I spotted the cheese and hors d’oeuvre table I was pretty much incapable of seeing anything else.
“Jules, let’s get some cheese and crackers for the table. Guys, why don’t you get some punch?”
“Just ice water for me, Mike.” Jules held his arm all the way down the steps and then slid her hand down to his and smiled as she spoke. Then I pulled her toward the appetizers.
“You better watch your superpowers there, girl, or he’s going to think you’re into him.”
“Who says I don’t want him to think that?”
I stopped in my tracks, which doesn’t happen very often when I’m within ten steps of mild cheddar and Havarti. But my brain put all the pieces together pretty quickly, and we continued towards our goal.
“You know, that could make a lot of sense, Jules.”
“Well, I’m not saying that I want something to develop between us for sure, but this is a small town, and I’m not getting any younger or prettier.”
“Well, I think you’re young and pretty enough, Jules.” I loaded up a small plate with cracker-sized slices of white and orange cheeses, and Jules took a nice
His dad was impressed and proud.
“But I did promise Miss Parker that I would help her here too.”
I put my hand on his shoulder. “Your career and your help in keeping Sweet Home safe right now are more important, Trevor. I’ll find somebody.”
“I can probably manage it for a few hours,” Mike offered.
The door opened again, and Schooner walked up to the counter. “Hey, there, Lily, Jules.” He nodded at Eli and the Barton guys. Got anything cold back there?”
Mike went behind the counter and took his order.
“Mocha frappe, please.”
Mike was at a bit of a loss, so Schooner went back to help him out.
“Hey, Schooner, what time do you have to be on stage for the street dance?”
“Oh, about 9:00, I guess.”
I looked at Jules and nodded my head towards Schooner. Dinner would be over by 8:00, and he would be a fun dinner guest. Jules seemed to get the idea.
“You look like you know what you’re doing back there, Schooner.” She looked at the perfect frappe he set on the counter for himself.
“Well, you know I’m a bartender, and kind of barista too, I guess.”
“Soooo…” Jules looked at me out of the corner of her eye. “Would you be able to run the shop here from 5:00 until about 8:00 or 8:30?”
What is she up to? We still need one more for dinner.
“It shouldn’t be too busy. Everybody will be at the Harvest Dinner. Lily and Eli are going with Mike and I.” She reached across the counter and patted Mike’s hand and, of course, smiled at him.”
Darn, she’s good. Mike raised his eyebrows in surprise and nodded his acceptance.
“Hey, yeah. I’d like that. I’ll drum up some business for you with the guys in the band and the roadies too…but I’ll have to charge ya.”
“That’s fine, Schooner.” I knew he was a great bartender, so this should be a breeze for him.
“All the coffee I can drink should cover it – and I get to keep my tips.”
Can’t beat a deal like that. I showed him where everything was and how to use the cash register. He already knew how to make all the coffees and smoothies, and he had the whole place spinning like a top in 15 minutes. He was giving great table service with humor, charm, and lightning speed. The place began to thin out before 5:00, and Schooner texted his friends to stop in. So, what the heck, we left.
Chapter Six
The church basement was nicely decorated in fall colors with sheaves of wheat in golden bows adorning each window. There were probably a couple dozen large round tables-for-eight set up with white tablecloths and wicker cornucopias overflowing with real harvest fruits and vegetables as centerpieces.
There were probably a lot of other nice decorations too, but once I spotted the cheese and hors d’oeuvre table I was pretty much incapable of seeing anything else.
“Jules, let’s get some cheese and crackers for the table. Guys, why don’t you get some punch?”
“Just ice water for me, Mike.” Jules held his arm all the way down the steps and then slid her hand down to his and smiled as she spoke. Then I pulled her toward the appetizers.
“You better watch your superpowers there, girl, or he’s going to think you’re into him.”
“Who says I don’t want him to think that?”
I stopped in my tracks, which doesn’t happen very often when I’m within ten steps of mild cheddar and Havarti. But my brain put all the pieces together pretty quickly, and we continued towards our goal.
“You know, that could make a lot of sense, Jules.”
“Well, I’m not saying that I want something to develop between us for sure, but this is a small town, and I’m not getting any younger or prettier.”
“Well, I think you’re young and pretty enough, Jules.” I loaded up a small plate with cracker-sized slices of white and orange cheeses, and Jules took a nice
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