Page 65 of Made for You

“Girls! What a nice early morning surprise.”

“We have business to take care of Esther. Two double shots, with sweet cream, and two of something with chocolate!” Emma yells out, dragging me to the corner table.

“Oh I know this order. I’ll make it three and be right there.” Esther scurries to the counter to start our espressos.

We settle down at the table furthest away from all the others.

Esther walks over with a tray filled with three of everything. After placing the items on the table, she tosses the tray on a nearby table and pulls out a chair to join us.

“Okay girlies, what is the tea?” She leans in, getting comfortable to listen to the drama.

Emma dives right in, “We think that a guest at the inn is trying to get inside intel to rob the inn out from under Liam’s nose.”

“Oh that snooty suit wearing snake?” We both stare at Esther and for the first time since last night I let out a little chuckle.

“Why is he a snake?” I ask through my laughter.

“I don’t know.” She shrugs. “Just a feeling I get. And I know people. Plus I don’t like him harassing my customers about ‘wouldn’t they love to have more options in town.’ He’s too damn nosey for an outsider.” She scrunches her nose in disgust at the thought of Alexander.

I keep the fact that I kind of feel the same way a secret. I want to see what they have to say without my bias.

“Okay. So you said he lied to you one night, tell me what you meant.” I look to Emma for an answer.

“One night, I caught him trying to get into the office. It was locked, obviously, so he couldn’t get in. But he was too flustered, and he said he was looking for the bathroom. I didn’t believe him but it was locked, and we do have cameras in there, as you now know.” My cheeks heat at the memory.

“And then, one night he was just walking around looking at everything. I mean everything. Every inch of the inn. Every room that wasn’t locked, and was writing stuff down in his notebook. When I confronted him he slammed it shut, and made some excuse about being tired and needing to sleep.”

I agree with her. None of these things sound casual, or plausible. But still him working with Larry is way less believable than this!

The bell over the door rings and all three of us snap our heads in that direction.

“Did I miss a meeting?” Gran asks the three of us.

“No! We’re trying to figure out what’s going on with that nosey newcomer.” Esther gets up to get Gran her usual order. Even when the bakery is open she still comes over to enjoy a coffee and pastry with her bestie.

“Oh, he’s annoying everyone, trying to make us think there is something wrong with Balsam Cliffs because we don’t need any big box stores.” Gran takes the empty seat at the table.

“So, what are we doing about it?” I ask them. “I think that I should maybe just go ask Alexander.”

“Direct. I like it.” Emma nods her head in approval.

“But what if he tells me what he told you. Obviously he’s rehearsed this answer.” I bring up what he told Emma prior when being caught.

“I don’t know. I guess we’ll have to see if we believe his reason, and you’re going to have to push him to answer. Poke all the holes, trip him up if he’s lying. And I’ll have to do the same with Liam. I think dividing and conquering is what’s going to work best.”

“Good plan, girls. You’ll let us know what happens?” Esther asks.

“Yes, of course!”

Gran puts her hand in the middle of the table. “What are you doing Gran?”

“Isn’t this what people do when there’s a plan to be executed? We put all our hands together and then yellgo teamor something?”

Emma and I laugh but add our hands to hers, so does Esther.

“Go team!” we all shout.

As soon as I’m done cooking for the day I will go find Alexander and confront him about what Liam said. Then maybe I’ll be able to make sense of this mess.

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