Page 18 of Crazy In Love
“Yeah, I mean, where else is she going to go for flowers? She’s not going to drive to the city for them. She’ll be back. And now we just have to act like we don’t know it was her?”
“Are we talking about Egg-Gate?” Melanie called as she peeked her head out from the open space from her shop next door. I loved that our businesses were connected like that. We had a lot of customer overflow wandering between the two stores, and I just liked seeing her.
“We are. I got that spray that I ordered, and I’m going to try to get that cleaned up today,” I said, smiling at her. Melanie was older than both of us, her kids around our age, and she was the kindest woman. I felt badly that some of the egg had splattered onto her front window as well.
“Oh, honey, don’t give it a thought. It’s barely noticeable.”
“Well, Bridger Chadwick made a comment about it not being cleaned up properly, so he clearly noticed,” I huffed.
She clapped her hands together with a laugh. She knew Bridger well, as she and Ellie Chadwick had been best friends since they were kids. “Bridger is a rare gem.”
“Is that what we’re calling him?” I gave her a look, letting her know that I disagreed.
“He’s like an M&M, honey. He’s got a tough outer shell, but beneath there’s a big heart.”
“I think he’s a grumpy bastard, and he’s been horrible to Em,” Beatrice said. “She had to go take a polygraph to prove her innocence.”
Melanie laughed some more. “He’s just a passionate guy. But I’ve always had a soft spot for him.”
“Oh. My. Gosh,” Beatrice whisper-hissed. “Look who’s walking our way.”
I glanced up to see Cara Carmichael crossing the street, and it sure looked like she was heading toward the Vintage Rose. Melanie gasped and hustled back to her store.
Cara pulled the door open with a big smile on her face. “Hey, ladies. Sorry I didn’t make it in last week, but I was busy with appointments.” She rubbed her round belly.
I believe you did make it in last week—you just came with a carton of eggs and a bad attitude.
“No worries at all,” I said, forcing a smile on my face. “What can I get for you?”
Beatrice was huffing around behind the counter and not hiding the fact that she was irritated that we were currently offering service to a woman who’d vandalized our building. But this was a small town, and I didn’t want any more drama brought into my business than had already happened.
“Well, Harvey and I are having a dinner party tonight, and I’d like a pretty arrangement for the table. Just use your creative talents and whip something up for me, okay?” she purred in her sugary-sweet voice.
“Em, this is the window cleaner for the caked-on egg from the vandalization the other day, right?” Beatrice asked, holding up the yellow bottle as she glanced between me and Cara.
I had to make an effort not to laugh at how theatrical she was being, and Cara’s eyes widened.
“Oh no. I heard your building got egged. That’s so terrible.” She shrugged, tucking her lips between her teeth.
“Yes. It really is.” Beatrice flattened her lips and looked between us. “I think it must have been teenagers, because no grown adult would do something so low.”
“Must be,” Cara said with a shake of her head as her blonde curls bounced on her shoulders. “Shame on them.”
“Yes. Shame, shame, shame.” Beatrice glared at her before her attention turned to the man standing in front of our window. He wore a jumpsuit and held a window scraper in his hand. Another man wearing a suit stood beside him, typing something into his phone.
“Bea, could you get this arrangement started for Cara? I need to go see what’s going on outside.” I set the yellow daisies and the orange mums that I’d just pulled from the refrigerator on the counter.
“I’m on it,” Beatrice said as Cara followed me toward the door, because she clearly loved small-town gossip.
Ironic, seeing as she’d basically vandalized my store due to the gossip written about her.
I yanked the door open, then kicked the doorstop down to keep it ajar.
The man in the gray jumpsuit had all sorts of gear and a pair of goggles on, while the guy in the suit stared down at his phone before looking up at me.
“Can I help you?” I asked.
Jumpsuit Guy looked between me and Fancy Suit Guy.
