Betrayal of the Dove - By Capri Montgomery Page 0,29
take it you got my message.”
“Yeah, you sound jittery. I don’t think I’ve heard you like this since…hmmm…your first date with Jarrod Womack. Oh yeah, I remember that.”
Alyssa laughed. “He was the hottest guy in my class; of course I was nervous,” she said. “Thanks for calling me back. I probably sound like a complete idiot right now, but I’m nervous. I have to show up there Monday morning for the nine o’clock hearing and my attorney tells me I’m in with one of the toughest judges in the state. Not just the city, Eve; the entire state. What’s up with that?”
“You’ll be fine. I know you. You’re my big sister. You’re the woman who packed her car and moved across country without anybody’s permission. You’re the woman who punched Morris Fischer in the nose because he pushed me down in the mud, and he was about three times your size in weight and probably almost that in height,” she laughed. “You kick butt.”
Alyssa laughed. She was the shortest in the family and they never really let her forget it, not that she could anyway. Her brothers towered over her. Eve wasn’t so bad, but she was still taller. “Anybody messes with my sister and they deal with me,” she said. It didn’t matter how big anybody was she was not going to stand by and let anybody hurt her sister. “But this is different. I don’t think I can get away with punching this guy in the nose…or the judge for that matter.”
“I don’t think so either.” She laughed. “Otherwise I’ll have to bail you out of jail.”
“From London? Yeah, that might not work so well.” She shook her head as she put a piece of jewelry back in the case and locked it. “I can’t believe I’m going to have to close the shop. I’m already closed on Sunday. Monday is one of my busiest days, and now I have to close. I hate that. Why couldn’t they pick Tuesday, when it’s near dead in here anyway? They picked Monday. That’s a good seven thousand in sales stopped at the door. I wonder if I can counter sue him,” she mused. If she won maybe she should sue him for making her lose revenue, and her sanity too because she hadn’t had a good night’s sleep or a peaceful day’s thought since she got those papers.
“I wouldn’t say you have to close.”
“I hired security, Eve, not store help. I have to close.”
“No you don’t,” the door swung open and in walked Eve, dressed in cream khaki pants and a deep red blouse.
“Oh my God! What are you doing here?” She kept the phone up to her ear even though her sister was there, right in front of her. Eve laughed.
“I came to help my favorite sister in the whole world,” she smiled. “Now stop using up my minutes, get off that phone and get over here and hug me already.”
“Oh yeah, okay, bye.” Alyssa hung up the phone before running from behind the counter and throwing her arms around her sister. “I missed you so much.”
“I missed you too. After I spoke with you the first time I figured I had better get myself on a plane and come help you. And if you want me to, I’ll punch the jerk in the nose.” They laughed together.
“No, then I’d have to hide you from the law. I’d end up in jail and Thomas and Gavin will probably blow up Scottsdale to get us out of here.” They laughed together.
Eve took Alyssa’s hand in hers and gave a gentle squeeze. “Tell me what I need to know to keep this shop open for you.”
“Oh it’s simple,” she took her behind the counter. “I have keys to all of the cases. The cash register is a cinch and there’s a very cute security guard behind those closed doors.” She smiled.
“Yeah, you might have mentioned him to me once or twice, or more;” she winked at her. “I want to meet him.”
“Okay, but he doesn’t know I think he’s cute. I have to keep this business only you know.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m his boss. I can’t afford to get sued again you know.”
“You like him,” she assured her. “You should tell him.”
She shook her head no. “Now, let’s get back to the store information. I’ll give you the code for the alarm so you won’t get the shock of your life if it goes off on you. I think Shane wants to change