I flick the end of her nose and move to the counter without answering. We need a healthy distraction, stat.
“Have you changed your mind about coffee? I put on a fresh pot before Herc scared us pale.”
“Sure. Thank you.”
I hand her a new cup and down mine in one gulp.
There’s nothing quite like the awkwardness that hits after you’ve kissed the face off the girl who’s wanted you for half her life.
She sips hers shyly.
“So, I’m thinking Hercules ate those almonds before, too. That’s why he wasn’t feeling well.”
I refill my cup. “How do you know?”
She walks to the table and sits, setting her cup down.
“When Carson checked in, he pushed me into trying one of those dead corpse almonds. After he first showed up, I tried to hold the door for him so he could collect his stuff from his car, and that’s when Hercules came charging in like a bull. I’m not sure how, but we tumbled onto the porch and he threw his bag of almonds at Hercules in self-defense. Right about the time you arrived. By then, Hercules had gobbled up the whole bag.”
I remember clearly seeing them on the porch and how Hudson was rubbing her arms, looking at her like dinner.
How could I forget? I’d been pissed enough to sever his smug head from his body.
I hate that I ever thought she’d give a snake like Carson a second glance.
The Shelly I’ve gotten to know since their bullshit date—the one I used to know and the one sitting before me—always tells the truth.
“What about the other bags we found?” I ask.
“Yeah, I don’t know how they got around, but I’m sure they were his. Yesterday when he returned to the B&B for a little while, he headed straight upstairs, and another bag fell out of his pocket while he was walking. He didn’t notice. There must’ve been a hole in his pocket. I didn’t pick it up, but I guess he caught on eventually. It was gone a little while later.”
I know the jacket. The creep wears the same dark-blue suit coat every damn day. He’s that intent on looking like an investment banker in a town where flannel and jeans might as well be a dress code.
“The other two packages might have fallen out while he was walking around your place and blown around,” I say.
My real question is what was he doing roaming around so much?
I don’t trust his scheming ass one bit. I just wish I had a good reason to back up my gut.
“I guess so.” She shrugs one shoulder. “I don’t know, but I had no idea that they’d make Hercules so sick.”
“Pigs don’t come with instruction manuals, babe. If they did, I’d have him playing fetch by now,” I say.
She smiles and fidgets with her cup like she wants to say something else. Instead, she just stands.
“Well, I’ve had enough excitement. I need to make breakfast.”
I set my cup on the counter with a loud clink.
“I’ll walk you home.”
“You don’t have to, West, it’s only a ten-minute walk. I’m sure you need to get to work.”
“Nah, I called my helper, Rick, yesterday. Already told him I wouldn’t be in the shop this morning because I’m putting new locks on the doors at Aunt Faye’s house.”
I knew Faulk wouldn’t have everything he needed for the security system for a few days, so I decided last night that my aunt can stay at the B&B until the installation wraps up at her place.
“You’re invited to breakfast with us again,” she says. “If you want.”