Ricky slid the necklace toward Lola and sucked in air. “I’ve got ten like it in back.”
“But this one’s engraved.”
“They all were. Generically.” He picked up the ruby earring and squinted at it from behind small reading glasses. “These are real.” He slurped in air. “I’ll give you two hundred for the pair.”
“I don’t have the set.” A thin layer of patience coated Lola’s words. “I have nothing for sale. I just want to know if you’ve ever seen these before. What about the bracelet?”
“Don’t answer that question, Ricky.” Drew leaned on the counter near Lola, near enough to smell her flowery scent. A smarter man would’ve backed away and dragged his gaze from those lips.
Unlike Wendy, Lola wasn’t shy. She had a direct gaze and always got right to the point. “This is none of your business, Sheriff.”
Ricky held up his hands. “Never seen it.”
“You wouldn’t lie just because he’s here, would you?” Lola angled her thumb at Drew.
The store manager shook his head. “It wouldn’t be good for business.”
“Neither is rejecting donated goods.” Slender brows pulled low, Lola picked up the bracelet, jingling the small copper bells.
Lola rearranged the jewelry on the counter and then stared at the pieces, as if contemplating different chess moves.
Drew knew the move she should be contemplating. “Have you thought about closing those drapes?” Ramona Everly was annoying Flo with the frequency of her complaints.
“Nope. I like the light.” And she liked creating provocative window displays. Today’s version had Randy’s head buried in his love interest’s neck mid-hickey.
“Daddy-O!” Becky ran around the corner, waving a plastic sword. It jangled with every slice through the air. Clang-clang-clang! It was just the kind of toy Drew would’ve loved as a boy and the kind he’d never allow in his house as a parent. That toy would give him no rest. “Look at me!” Becky stopped and raised the sword toward the ceiling. “Booyah!”
“That has got to be the coolest sword ever.” Lola spared Becky an indulgent smile as she dropped the jewelry into her large black leather purse.
Lola could afford to be indulgent. That sword wasn’t coming home with her.
“I need this.” Becky displayed more attack poses, as if she’d been taking fencing all her life. The reality was that she’d watched too many Bruce Lee movies with Drew. The sword jangled and swept dangerously close to Drew’s knees. “I’m going to be in the school play, and I’m going to kill people.”
Drew’s shoulders tensed. Bloodthirsty girls weren’t good examples of proper parenting. “I thought you were an owl.” Drew reached for the sword before his daughter could do damage to something like the display of vases nearby or his privates.
Becky spun away. “I am the goddess of war!” She thrust her sword at a large stuffed lion propped next to the counter that was almost as big as she was.
Jane would love to video Becky like this and show it to the court. Exhibit A.
Drew reached for the sword again. “You said you were Etna.”
Becky shuffled two steps back and made a high-pitched strength-gathering sound Bruce would’ve been proud of.
“I think you mean you’re Athena.” Lola grinned, revealing a dimple in her right cheek. “Goddess of wisdom and war.”
He’d never seen that dimple before. He couldn’t remember her being that amused or happy in his presence.
“Sheriff?” Ricky lowered his voice. “You buyin’ the lion too?”
“No.” Drew scowled at Ricky and then at Lola’s dimple. “Becky, stop that.”
“All I need now is armor.” Becky jabbed her stuffed enemy with her sword until the beast fell over.
“Oh, honey.” Lola shook her head. “Athena wears a toga, not armor.”
A toga? Drew attempted to give Lola the high sign.
Becky stopped attacking long enough to ask, “What’s a yoga?”
“A toga…,” Lola said before Drew could stop her, “is a dress.”
Becky made a strangled noise. “I’m not wearing a dress. I never wear dresses.” And then she raised her face to the ceiling and howled. “Nobody told me there’d be dresses!”
“What’s wrong with dresses?” Lola held out her skirt and curtsied, displaying less cleavage than Pris on a conservative day. “Dresses are fun. Dresses are cool.”
“Dresses are stupid.” Becky crossed her arms over her chest—no small feat, given she still held the clanging sword.
“I feel pretty in a dress.” Lola glanced down. “And look. I’m wearing tights. That’s like wearing pants and a dress at the same time.” She gave Becky two thumbs up. “Double bonus.”
Both Taylors stared at Lola in silence. Becky appeared to be fascinated with Lola, struck