numbers I have marked on each crate.”
Addie looked at the dozen or so boxes. Kalea groaned. “Why didn’t you just leave them on the bookshelves? Wouldn’t that have been more convenient?”
Charlotte puckered her lips. “For who? Certainly not for the auctioneer. He’ll need easy access to the lot numbers, and that’s impossible when the shelves they came off are way over there behind the desk and his podium will be over there beside the table.”
Kalea’s shoulders slumped. Addie knew the scolding she had just received was totally unnecessary. Even though Charlotte was correct in her reasoning her delivery was completely uncalled for. Addie’s heart went out to her cousin because she had attended enough auctions in her day to know that the auctioneer would have an assistant who, prior to a lot number being called, would fetch the items and display them—in this case, on the table—in time for the bidding to commence.
She’d explain the procedure to Kalea later; right now she could only fume inside. Addie didn’t care if Charlotte was in a bad mood because of frayed nerves or the altercation she’d just had with Blake, her rudeness was unacceptable. Addie opened her mouth to reprimand the hawk-woman on her crass behavior when she spun toward her on her spiked heel.
“Since this latest imposition by Mr. Edwards appears to be taken care of, if you’ll excuse me, I have another pressing matter to deal with.” Charlotte stalked out, banging the doors closed behind her.
“Whoa! The nerve of that woman. I was ready to pop her, right here and now.”
“Me, too.” Addie’s brow creased. Well-respected appraiser or not, her behavior just now was inexcusable, especially since they were volunteering to help her out. In Addie’s mind Charlotte McAdams had just slipped off the pedestal Addie had placed her on. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. She’s exactly like my old department supervisor at the law firm. I developed a thick skin because of her.”
“That’s too bad. I hope she was let go because of the way she treated you, as I imagine someone that nasty”—Addie glared at the closed doors—“treated everyone the same way.”
“It was kind of my fault, though.” Kalea traced the toe of her shoe over the carpet edge.
“Don’t ever think that being verbally abused by anyone is your fault, it’s—”
“Even if you’re dating her husband, the senior law-firm partner?” she said, looking up sheepishly.
Addie’s hand flew up in a stop motion. “I don’t want to know.”
“Let me explain. I know that sounds horrible, but I’m not a home wrecker.”
Addie turned her attention to the boxes on the floor.
Kalea grabbed Addie’s arm and spun her around. “They were in the middle of a nasty divorce, and Nolan and I just sort of clicked. But his soon-to-be ex had issues with that. I think she was afraid I was after his money, and then there’d be less for her to get her hands on.”
“Were you?” Addie pinned her with a knowing look. “I remember how you behaved in college with every man you dated. You actually kept a ledger of what their net income earning potential was going to be as a way of measuring if you’d see them again or not.”
“That was just my way of getting a dig in at you. College was supposed to be fun, and you were soooo serious about everything.” Kalea flashed a hesitant grin.
“You called my course load stuffy and outdated. As I recall you actually said, ‘Something only old spinsters would be interested in.’ Which makes me wonder what happened to you, because the Kalea I knew wouldn’t be caught dead within miles of an auction preview.”
Kalea heaved out a breath. “It’s because Nolan is a collector, and he’s gotten me interested in all this.” She waved her hand at the boxes of books and chuckled. “Well, sort of. I’m still learning, though.”
“Is that why you’re really here, for this auction, and not to see me?”
“No, I really came to see you. When I got into town, I saw the flyer for the auction preview and thought I’d just stop in here for a few minutes before I dropped in on you. Like I said, I’m just learning about all this stuff and I wanted to surprise Nolan with a special gift. That is, if I can find something here for him that’s not too expensive.”
Now it finally made sense to Addie. In spite of Kalea’s profession to having expanded her horizons, Addie still knew her cousin well enough to be