One More Storm (Mistletoe Matchmakers of Clearwater County #6) - Bonnie R. Paulson Page 0,65

she walked away from him.

She couldn’t imagine how Amanda felt.

Elizabeth waited impatiently in the front room as long as she could, which amounted to the space of a few minutes. She got up and paced from the front door to the front room, back to the bathroom and then around through the kitchen and out through the large dining room and back to her starting point.

After over ten laps of the same thing, a knock carried from the front door.

Finally. Elizabeth approached the door and swung it wide, her smile ready. But it faltered when she saw a man standing next to Amanda on the front stoop. She knit her eyebrows together but held her welcoming expression. “Amanda, it’s so nice to see you again. Come in. And you brought someone.” It wasn’t a question, but was offered more as an invitation to introduce them.

Amanda motioned toward the guy at her side as they followed Elizabeth through the doorway and into the sitting room. “This is Tommy Declan. We have an… interesting story to tell you and then a favor to ask.”

A story and a favor. Things never were good when they needed an explanation. Regardless, Elizabeth continued smiling. “I’ll do what I can. First, would either of you like something to eat or drink?” Manners were the most important thing. Elizabeth had tried teaching her sons that. She wasn’t sure if it had ever taken, but at least she had tried.

“No, thank you. Elizabeth, I’m going to get right to it. Tommy was…” Amanda glanced at her companion and her features hardened with pain and anger. She stiffly continued. “Hired by Jennifer.”

Elizabeth opened her mouth to interject, but stopped when Amanda lifted her hands. “Just a second. Let me get the whole story out before you say anything.” She proceeded to tell a wild story about lies, betrayal, secrets, and demands that all centered on Tommy and Jennifer.

The man next to her didn’t hang his head or even flinch as Amanda emotionlessly detailed the story.

“To be fair, Tommy is in a situation with his family that he believed had only one solution.” Amanda turned to Tommy and held out her hand. “I need that list, please.”

He didn’t falter, but he tried to catch her gaze as he pulled his wallet out and handed her a piece of paper. But Amanda didn’t give him the satisfaction.

Oh, these two are matches. Elizabeth kept her thoughts to herself. The anger between the two wouldn’t be helped with a comment that would suggest they were perfect for each other. No, Elizabeth had been in the matchmaking business long enough to know that the best matches had to be polished on their own, even if that meant they might not make it.

She reached out to take the list Amanda held out to her. Scanning the list, Elizabeth paused on the item that had her last name. “A box? I have lots of boxes. How do I know which one you need? And why do you want it? I’m assuming that’s why you’re showing me, right? You want this?” Elizabeth glanced up, studying the woman who could have been her daughter.

Amanda took a deep breath. “Yes, I need it. I’m going to help Tommy gather these things. Then, instead of letting him sell them to Jennifer, I’m going to buy them and I’m going to make sure Jennifer knows I’m buying them.”

Tommy’s features finally showed a reaction and he blinked as he shifted his gaze to Amanda’s face. “You can’t afford that. It’s a million dollars. I can… I can do what I need to do to get the money on my own.”

“Really? And screw over both my families as well as my hometown to do so? I don’t think so. You need the money. I easily have that amount times hundreds and then some. Plus, I can get these items and get Jennifer to tell me what she wants them for. You’re not going to be able to do that.” Amanda sliced her gaze to him and then back to Elizabeth. “Can you help me?”

The situation was a strange one. Elizabeth shrugged one shoulder. “I… I have no idea what box you’re looking for.” She waved her hand around the sitting room. “What does it look like? What… I have no idea which one it is.”

“Um, Ms. Halliwell told me it would be in the attic and require this key.” Tommy pulled a small silver key from a pocket inside his wallet and ignored