Deadly Notions - By Elizabeth Lynn Casey Page 0,76
lost interest in the notion of a teen book club, because she hadn’t. And it certainly wasn’t a lack of contagious enthusiasm on the part of her assistant.
No, it was simply the fact that her mind and her heart were somewhere else.
“Miss Sincl—I mean, Tori? Are you okay?”
Nina’s voice broke through her woolgathering, forcing her attention from the wounded blonde seated at the corner table in Debbie’s Bakery. “I’m sorry, Nina. I was really looking forward to meeting you tonight. We never get to hang out beyond the library’s walls and getting a chance to do that sounded like fun. And it is.”
“It is?
Tori felt her face warm. “It would be, if I wasn’t worried about Milo.”
Dropping her clipboard onto the table, Nina leaned forward until she was in Tori’s distracted line of sight. “Is he sick?”
“No. Nothing like that. It’s just . . .” Her words trailed off as she tried to put words to a reaction she had yet to figure out—a reaction that had him virtually throwing Beth out the door and then asking for some time to himself.
It had worked out in a way, since she and Nina were scheduled to meet, anyway. But still, it was more than a little out of character for Milo. Especially considering none of what transpired had been her fault. She’d tried to warn him.
“So tell me, did she lose her favorite can of hairspray or is she just that unhappy about that bizarre shade of pink nail polish she’s wearing?”
Tori looked over her shoulder. “Oh, hi, Debbie. I didn’t realize you were here. I thought it was just Emma working.”
“No. Tonight’s my evening with the books.” Raking her dirty blonde hair into a high ponytail, Debbie jerked her head toward the lone figure hunched over a sea of papers in the far corner of the bakery. “So what happened? Why does she look like she just lost her best friend?”
“Because she did.” Tori wrapped her hands around her mug and pulled it closer to her body. “Milo kicked her out.”
“What?!” Debbie grabbed a chair from the next table over and pulled it up alongside Nina. “Sorry, Nina, but I’ve got to hear this.”
Tori glanced, once again, at the woman who’d put the kibosh on what should have been a nice evening with Milo. “The jig is up.”
“What jig?” Nina asked.
Debbie brought her hand to her mouth only to let it drop back to the table just as quickly. “Wait. You mean he figured out she was crying wolf just to get his attention?”
She nodded.
“How?”
“He overheard her saying it. To me.”
Debbie clapped her hands in the air. “That’s fantastic!”
She cast a sidelong glance in Beth’s direction. “Milo is upset. In fact, I’ve never seen him so angry.”
“My Duwayne would have reacted the same way.” Nina reached for her glass of milk and took a small sip. “I reckon it has to do with their egos or something.”
Debbie agreed. “Colby doesn’t like to be wrong, either.”
“Wrong,” she repeated under her breath. “But I didn’t say he was wrong. I just—”
And then she knew. Nina and Debbie were right. She had tried to tell him what Beth was up to days ago. Yet when she had, Milo had brushed the accusations off as being unfounded.
Only they weren’t.
“I figured something was up when I passed by her table and she didn’t even bother to smile,” Debbie mumbled.
Pushing her uneaten cookie in front of Nina, Tori lowered her voice to a near whisper. “Have this. It’s calories. And it makes it easier to drink the milk.”
Debbie’s eyes widened as she sized up Tori’s assistant. “You’re drinking milk? Why? You hate milk.”
“But it’s good for the baby.”
“Baby? What baby?” Reality dawned in Debbie’s eyes as she looked from Nina to Tori and back again, a smile spreading across her face like wildfire. “Oh, Nina, how wonderful!”
Nina beamed.
Debbie pointed at Tori. “How long have you known?”
“A few days.”
“And you didn’t say anything?”
She shrugged. “It’s not my news to share.”
“It will be one day.”
“Nina, please.”
“No, Nina’s right, you know. One of these days Milo will pop the question and you’ll say yes.” Debbie scooted forward in her seat. “Then you’ll get married and enjoy a little time by yourselves before you’re sitting at this same table drinking milk instead of hot chocolate.”
“Instead of hot chocolate? Never!”
Debbie and Nina exchanged amused glances. “At least you didn’t protest the notion of marrying Milo.”
Milo.
She took another peek at Beth. “I feel sorry for her. I really do.”