Read Online Worth a Thousand Words by Cherie Noel - Free Book Online Page A

tea on. The only thing that might make it better would be if the sound could somehow be a moo rather than a whistle when the water boiled.”
Devon laughed out loud. Mrs. Simpson winked at him again, and then pointed to the corner behind him, just to one side of the door. Turning, Devon saw the sleek cordless phone hanging on the wall.
“Go on and call Michael. If he’s not expecting to have to get you so soon, it may take him a bit to extricate himself from whatever, or whoever he’s doing.”
Devon decided choking on his tongue was definitely a viable option. “Ah… yes, ma’am. Right away.”
Mrs. Simpson gave a very dirty sounding chuckle, pulling open the smooth surface of the pine cabinet in front of her to reveal a virtual army of mugs with quirky sayings. She cackled a little, getting down one with two obviously male unicorns fucking under a bright rainbow, and another of a wizened old woman with bright red hair pluckily raising a flawlessly penciled on eyebrow and saying, “Of course it’s my hair color. I paid for it!”
Snatching up the handset to the phone, Devon prayed Rose would be available immediately. If he stayed here much longer, Mrs. Simpson and her man-and-wolf eating dog were liable to adopt him. He’d picked up on the subtly possessive way they’d both started eyeing him since he walked into the kitchen. Aye, Dios. The next step after that would be her meeting his madre, and if that should ever happen? His life would be utterly meddled in at every turn. He’d try running, but Mrs. Simpson would probably just sic Betsy on him.
The phone rang once, twice, three times, and then, just before the fourth ring sent the call to voicemail, Rose picked up with an irritated sounding huff. Devon tried to slow his racing heart down and speak at a normal pace.
“Rose. Thank god. Come get me. Now. I’m at Mrs. Simpson’s apartment. I’ll explain when you get here.”
Rose growled at him. “Sarge, you’re damn lucky I owe you for Kandahar, or I’d tell you to fuck off. I know Adrien, and whatever you did wrong was a fucking doozy. Yeah, you’ll be explaining. I’ll be there in about an hour and forty-five minutes—it’ll take that long to get back to town, get your Jeep and get back over to Adrien’s place. Don’t piss Catherine Marie off or she’ll let that damn wolf killer of hers eat your nuts.”
Devon swallowed. “I am well aware of that particular variable, Rose. Just—thanks.”
A weighted silence filled the line, and then Rose’s voice came back. “Ask Catherine Marie if she’ll make me some cocoa. I’ll see you in a bit, Sarge. Bye.” Rose didn’t wait for Devon’s response, and he stood for a moment with the phone to his ear before he finally hung it up.
Mrs. Simpson gestured him into the dining room. Her kitchen didn’t have a table for people, instead having a doggy feeding station with a small sized table with built in bowls at two different levels. As one stood at ankle biter level, and one nearly thigh high, Devon assumed the contraption was for her two dogs.
Devon took the cup of aromatic black tea Mrs.
    Simpson proffered to him, carrying it into the dining room. He sat his unicorn mug on the table, sniffing at it curiously. The tea smelled of roses. It also smelled enticing enough to earn a stomach rumble as he automatically pulled out a chair for Mrs. Simpson. She smiled, sitting gracefully as she placed a plate of the cookies she’d sworn he wouldn’t get on the table.
Once Devon seated himself as well, Mrs. Simpson offered him the cut crystal sugar bowl from the center of the table. Devon declined. She reached over then, pulling a flat silver case from the window ledge. She gave him a sharp edged smile as she opened the case to pull out a utilitarian looking business card. Laying the card on the table in front of Devon, she softened her smile infinitesimally.
“I think, knowing Michael, we have at least half an hour to an hour before he gets here. Let’s