Apple of My Eye (Tiger's Eye Mystery #7) - Alyssa Day Page 0,32

Atlantis and Tess who'd just had the best kiss in her entire life.

To heck with the stalker.

Life was wonderful.

9

I woke up Monday morning in a fog of tiredness but still feeling happy. It took me a few moments to remember why, and then I smiled and glanced down at the rug next to my bed, where Jack had slept in tiger shape the night before, after Andy had come out to my place to retrieve the box.

I'd been careful not to get too close to Jack after that, because I was afraid if he kissed me again I'd go up in flames and rip his clothes off, which would put our relationship at a very different point than where we actually were, after only our first official date.

Also, I was scared to death.

What if we took that next step, and then he disappeared again? Or decided he didn't really like me that way, after all? I had a feeling that it was too late for me to survive breaking up with Jack without being devastated.

I sighed, my good mood evaporating, and then Jack, casually gorgeous in jeans and a black T-shirt, pushed open my door and held out a coffee mug. "Wake up, sleepyhead. You're going to be late for work, and I don't want to suffer the wrath of Mr. Holby and the GYSTers if they can't buy their souvenirs."

"Thank you," I said sincerely, reaching for the pumpkin-spiced goodness. "I so need this."

My fingers touched his when I took the mug, and I bit my lip against the shiver that went sizzling through me. This was ridiculous. I was not a teenager with her first real crush. I was a grown woman who owned a business.

Jack flashed a lazy grin, and my heart thudded in my chest. Okay, maybe I was a grown woman with her first real crush.

"I have some things to do this morning, so I'll see you at work later," he said. "Okay?"

I rolled my eyes. "Jack. I'm not afraid of a stalker who gives me swamp cabbage."

"It wasn't swamp cabbage the first time," he said flatly. "Maybe this is a clue, and Andy will find the body in the palm tree grove."

I took a long sip of coffee. We'd discussed the possible meanings of the clue with Andy, and he'd promised to go out and look around the grove. I picked up my phone and glanced at it.

"Missed call from Shelley, but nothing from Andy or Susan."

He nodded and then started to lean over—maybe to kiss me again?—but then he stopped himself and took a step back toward the door.

"Gotta rush. Things to do. See you soon."

Before I could even say goodbye, I heard my front door open and then close behind him.

"Hm," I told Lou, who was snuggled next to me in bed. "That's weird. I guess maybe he's feeling as odd as I am after that kiss."

But I didn't have time to think about it. I took the coffee with me into the bathroom to get ready. The GYST bus waits for no woman.

On the way to work, I stopped for a couple dozen donuts. The possibility of my bus tour customers having icing-sticky fingers when they touched the merchandise was outweighed by how the sugar seemed to put everyone in a buying mood.

The bakery was busy, but the customers all seemed to be a tiny bit disgruntled.

"Speak clearly and slowly when you give your order, Tess," Granny Josephine told me on her way past me to the door. She clutched a white bag in one hand and her cane in the other. "Mellie's cousin isn't the sharpest tool in the shed."

Luckily, I didn't think anybody had heard her over the noise in the shop, especially not poor Vern.

"Granny J! That's not nice. It must be a lot, taking on such a busy shop. And it's nice of him to help Mellie out."

She just grumbled something I didn't quite catch, so I held the door for her and smiled as she toddled out.

The line was fairly long and took about three times as long as it usually did, but I caught up with some friends and acquaintances, mostly talking about how everybody was out sick with this cold. When I finally got to the front of the line, Vern gave me a big smile.

He was a pleasant guy. Pleasant smile, pleasant attitude, and pleasant company. I'd known him forever, because he visited Mellie a lot. He lived in Orlando, I thought. Or maybe