Read Online The Last Bride (DiCarlo Brides #6) by Heather Tullis - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Heather Tullis
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can say is to sell my car?”
“I’ll do what I can, but I don’t have that kind of money.” She never seemed to understand. “I invested my entire inheritance in this place. If it fails, I lose everything. I just don’t have the money.”
“This stupid ski resort. I wish you’d never bought it. So does Mom. You’re so focused on this money pit. You’d be better off if you sold it instead. Then maybe you wouldn’t put it ahead of your family.” Natalie wiped at tears that poured down her cheeks and she rushed from the room, stumbling slightly on her heels.
“Natalie, wait.” Gage hurried to the doorway, but she was already at the end of the hall and moving fast.
“Don’t bother. Now that I know where I rate I might as well not have even tried.” She pushed out the exterior door and into the parking lot.
Gage’s phone rang and he paused for a second, torn between the call he had been waiting for and going after her. He heard a car engine roar to life and knew he wouldn’t catch her anyway, and moved inside, feeling like a louse.
“This is Gage.” He answered when he picked up the phone. When there was a pause and a recording came on the line, he hung up and slumped into his chair. Somehow he had to help Natalie, but he didn’t know what to do.
Jonquil glanced at the clock on her computer screen. Fifteen minutes. Then she could get out of the office for the rest of the day. Her eyes nearly crossed as she looked at the numbers swimming on her order form, then clicked back to the spreadsheet she used to figure out what she would need for the upcoming orders. She used a finger to trail along the line to double-check the information. Yes, 675 white carnations was right. She felt like a dunce doing inventory and compiling orders—she was not made for this kind of work. She much preferred designing and creating the bouquets.
There was a knock at her door. “Jonquil, your sister is here to see you.” It was Tara, her assistant manager. Tara wore her dark hair back in a ponytail as usual, exposing her entire face, which was far less wrinkled than her forty-something years would suggest.
Jonquil leaned back so she could look out the office window to the main work area. Angela was flirting with a high school guy who came in to help part time. Jonquil wondered if Angela realized the boy was so much younger than herself. How long was this going to take, and did she need to let Gage know she would be late? “Thanks. Tell her I’ll be right out.” She flipped back to the order form, saved it and sent it to Tara for one last look. One more glance. She checked her email to be sure she didn’t have anything new then shut down the computer and headed out for the day. She smiled in greeting. “Angela, I didn’t expect to see you today. How’s it going?”
Angela sent the teenager one more flirty look before focusing on Jonquil. “Rehearsal was pushed back to this afternoon. There’s a gas leak at a nearby building or something.”
“Oh. I hope no one is hurt.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Angela waved it away. “I hoped you haven’t eaten lunch yet and we could grab something.”
Today of all days? And didn’t her phone work? “I’m afraid I have an appointment this afternoon and can’t. Sorry.”
“But I thought you were going rock climbing,” Tara said as she played with the bouquet in front of her.
Angela shot Jonquil a look that clearly said “Busted.”
That was the last time Jonquil was telling Tara anything about her plans. “But I’m meeting someone. You shouldn’t rock climb alone, you know, it’s too dangerous.”
Angela’s brows lifted. “Oh?”
“So I don’t have time for lunch today. But maybe we can get together for an earlier one tomorrow before your rehearsal.” She turned to the orders for the next day, even though she knew them by heart already. “I couldn’t make it a long lunch, but I could break away for half an hour or so. We have a busy weekend
“I’ll do what I can, but I don’t have that kind of money.” She never seemed to understand. “I invested my entire inheritance in this place. If it fails, I lose everything. I just don’t have the money.”
“This stupid ski resort. I wish you’d never bought it. So does Mom. You’re so focused on this money pit. You’d be better off if you sold it instead. Then maybe you wouldn’t put it ahead of your family.” Natalie wiped at tears that poured down her cheeks and she rushed from the room, stumbling slightly on her heels.
“Natalie, wait.” Gage hurried to the doorway, but she was already at the end of the hall and moving fast.
“Don’t bother. Now that I know where I rate I might as well not have even tried.” She pushed out the exterior door and into the parking lot.
Gage’s phone rang and he paused for a second, torn between the call he had been waiting for and going after her. He heard a car engine roar to life and knew he wouldn’t catch her anyway, and moved inside, feeling like a louse.
“This is Gage.” He answered when he picked up the phone. When there was a pause and a recording came on the line, he hung up and slumped into his chair. Somehow he had to help Natalie, but he didn’t know what to do.
Jonquil glanced at the clock on her computer screen. Fifteen minutes. Then she could get out of the office for the rest of the day. Her eyes nearly crossed as she looked at the numbers swimming on her order form, then clicked back to the spreadsheet she used to figure out what she would need for the upcoming orders. She used a finger to trail along the line to double-check the information. Yes, 675 white carnations was right. She felt like a dunce doing inventory and compiling orders—she was not made for this kind of work. She much preferred designing and creating the bouquets.
There was a knock at her door. “Jonquil, your sister is here to see you.” It was Tara, her assistant manager. Tara wore her dark hair back in a ponytail as usual, exposing her entire face, which was far less wrinkled than her forty-something years would suggest.
Jonquil leaned back so she could look out the office window to the main work area. Angela was flirting with a high school guy who came in to help part time. Jonquil wondered if Angela realized the boy was so much younger than herself. How long was this going to take, and did she need to let Gage know she would be late? “Thanks. Tell her I’ll be right out.” She flipped back to the order form, saved it and sent it to Tara for one last look. One more glance. She checked her email to be sure she didn’t have anything new then shut down the computer and headed out for the day. She smiled in greeting. “Angela, I didn’t expect to see you today. How’s it going?”
Angela sent the teenager one more flirty look before focusing on Jonquil. “Rehearsal was pushed back to this afternoon. There’s a gas leak at a nearby building or something.”
“Oh. I hope no one is hurt.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Angela waved it away. “I hoped you haven’t eaten lunch yet and we could grab something.”
Today of all days? And didn’t her phone work? “I’m afraid I have an appointment this afternoon and can’t. Sorry.”
“But I thought you were going rock climbing,” Tara said as she played with the bouquet in front of her.
Angela shot Jonquil a look that clearly said “Busted.”
That was the last time Jonquil was telling Tara anything about her plans. “But I’m meeting someone. You shouldn’t rock climb alone, you know, it’s too dangerous.”
Angela’s brows lifted. “Oh?”
“So I don’t have time for lunch today. But maybe we can get together for an earlier one tomorrow before your rehearsal.” She turned to the orders for the next day, even though she knew them by heart already. “I couldn’t make it a long lunch, but I could break away for half an hour or so. We have a busy weekend
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