Page 7 of Leo
I strode over and took the book from her.She darted back into the kitchen area, and burst into a fit of snickers before the door swung closed behind her.“The order was made online on Tuesday.Fully paid for with a credit card and instructions todeliver to Morris Family Funeral Home and Crematorium, celebration of Delia Dennis’ passing.”I paused.“Ah.Usually that’s a celebration of life…”
Leo huffed a harsh sigh and rolled his eyes.“Like I said, she wasn’t well liked.Who signed for the order?”
I saw why Bethany was giggling.“Ah.A… A Mr.Buttz.”
Leo frowned.“I mean, not a common name but I’ve heard it before.I don’t know of anyone in Gaynor Beach with that name, though.”
“A Seymour Buttz,” I said with a sigh.“Seymour Buttz.”
Leo blinked slowly.In the kitchen, Bethany cackled.The kid, Edward, burst into a fit of giggles at the two-top where he’d been perched.“Seymour Buttz!Dad, it sounds like—”
“Yeah,” Leo sighed.“It sounds like that, kiddo.I got it.Is there any way to trace the card?Find out who ordered all of this?”
“I suppose I could try to trace it back with the credit card company.”The absolutely mercenary part of me was ranting and raving against that idea.On the off chance it was a fraudulent charge, that’d mean I’d be out a chunk of change.
But… if it was a fraudulent charge, I reminded myself, I wouldn’t have earned that person’s money anyway.It’d be theft from not just me, but the person whose card it was.“Let me see what I can do.”I sighed.
“Thank you.”Leo nodded curtly.“I’m sorry to bring this all back and dump it on you but…” He shook his head.“I don’t want to speak ill of the dead, but she’s not going to have many people there.Definitely not enough people for all of those cupcakes.And I know she wasn’t well liked, but I don’t enjoy the idea of someone actually celebrating her death.”He pursed his lips and I felt like the biggest ass for staring at how they puckered, how red they were, wondering how they’d feel against mine and oh god, I needed to download Scruff or Grindr or something ASAP.
“I’m sorry this is such a debacle.The order came in through our online portal and it says someone verified it.”I made a mental note to check with Ira, Bethany, and our part time front of house help, Catherine.She was a nice older woman who came in on days when I had big bakes to handle and on weekends to run the counter while I did the back of house stuff and Ira made deliveries.It was possible she’d had a fast one pulled on her by someone who thought they were being funny.I looked up at Leo to find him watching me, something warm and exciting about the way his eyes moved over my face.I cleared my throat softly and closed the binder.“I mentioned earlier I was thinking of your uncle,” I said, then winced.“Okay, that sounds weird already.Let me cut to the chase.I’d never gotten the chance to thank him properly for all he did for us, and—”
“And,” Leo cut me off with a raised hand.“And it’s okay.My uncle was a very kind man.He drove my dad and grandfather nuts sometimes because of how he often paid for the funerals of those who were unable to do so.It’s something I admired about him.And something I try to carry on when I’m able,” he admitted in an almost-whisper, like he was afraid someone might overhear.
“I think that’s wonderful.”I smiled.“I don’t know what I would’ve done if he hadn’t… Well.”I clapped my hands together and groaned inwardly.Way to look like a total tool, dumbass.“Well.I, um.I wanted to thank him but obviously can’t in person, so maybe you’d let me take you out to dinner as a way to, I don’t know, pass on that thanks generationally?”
Leo’s face could tell me how weird that sounded even if my own ears hadn’t.“Ah… I mean.That’s a very kind offer, Mr.Jennings.Ambrose.But I’m really busy lately and besides, Uncle Benson wouldn’t expect thanks for what he did.He believed that the reward was in the doing and ensuring everyone had dignity in their end.”He gave me a tightlipped smile that somehow managed to be adorable as hell, and turned away, motioning for Edward to join him.“Let me know what you find out about the order, if you don’t mind?”
“Could I get your number?”I blurted, and he hesitated, one brow creeping upward.“So I can let you know what I find out.”
Bethany snorted loudly.“Smooth,” she coughed.“Real smooth.”
Leo Morris pursed his lips again, narrowing his eyes as he regarded me for a moment, then held out his hand for my phone.“It’d be easier than trying to catch me in my office,” he said.“I’m always in and out, unless I have a client meeting.My office manager moved away in July so it’s just me for now, until I can bring on someone else to work the front end of things.”He took his phone back and sent me a text immediately.“There we go.All set.Edward, come on kiddo.We’re going to be late.”
I nodded, lifting my hand in a sort of weak farewell as they headed out of the shop and toward a blue CR-V parallel parked a few yards down.
“Nausicaa,” I called, wincing inwardly at her name choice, and she popped out of the kitchen with a guilty expression on her face.“Whatever you just heard, you didn’t.”
“Of course not.”She slipped back out to stand behind the register.“But if Ihad,I’d have overheard the least smooth pick-up attempt ever in the history of pick-ups.”
I groaned, pressing the heels of my hands to my brows and blowing out a long, slow sigh that did nothing to curb my rising annoyance.“I need to go make some calls.Holler if Catherine doesn’t get here by ten so I can handle the morning influx.”
She rolled her eyes but mutteredalrightas I headed back to the office.“And I decided Nausicaa wasn’t me,” she called after me.“I’m Melanippe now.”
CHAPTER3
LEO
Delia Dennis’funeral wasn’t the first I’d seen with a low to nonexistent turnout, just the most understandable.That didn’t make it any less sad, though, not just because it was a funeral.Seeing the empty seats, the lonely casket, the strangers who felt obligated to pay respects (there were always a few in every town, usually older folks with nothing else going on, attending viewings for other folks they only vaguely knew or had been curious about).
Hateful as she’d been, Ms.Dennis had been someone’s daughter, someone’s sister, maybe once someone’s friend.She’d been a living, breathing person with an entire history and dreams, desires, plans, loves… Something, somewhere along the way, made her close up and callous over, a splinter inside working deep until all that was left was thick skin and numbness to the outside world.
Maybe not numbness, I thought as I sat in the back of the Perpetual Peace room.Maybe she felt it alltoomuch, too sharp and raw.And it made her angry.And sad.And awkward and… I closed my eyes, tears pricking the corners and backs.“Fuck.”I sighed.Sympathizing with the woman and projecting my own insecurities on the situation was not something I expected to be doing this morning.
My phone buzzed in my pocket.“Sorry,” I muttered automatically to Ms.Dennis as I stepped out of the room.“Hello?”
“It’s just me,” Naomi said, and I felt a small spark of happiness hearing her voice.We’d been best friends since third grade, and when I decided I was ready to become a parent, she’d been the gestational carrier for Edward.Her own daughter, Leslie, was already in middle school by then and old enough to understand what was going on.“And don’t freak out, nothing bad is going on,” she added before I could ask what was up.She and her husband, Michael, had taken Edward and Leslie to some festival in the next town over, freeing me up to take care of Ms.Dennis’ funeral and have some time to myself afterward.
“I wasn’t even going to suggest it,” I sniffed, and Naomi laughed.In the background, I could hear Michael and Edward laughing at something, and the sound made my heart ache a little.“Edward’s okay.”
