But Art was working the next day, and Avery had made a promise to Dr. Singh. She’d come a long way since the trauma of last year, but she had more work to do before she’d trust herself to dive into another relationship. She wasn’t about to sabotage whatever was happening with Art before it even got off the ground. He meant too much to her. She wanted to get this right.
Art drew back a bit, his gaze searching hers and then dropping to her lips. “Avery.”
Her breath caught in her throat. He was deliciously close. “Art.”
He didn’t loosen his hold. “How about tomorrow?”
“What’s tomorrow?”
“A date,” Art said. “You and me. Without any bad guys or car bombs or missing priceless jewels. Just a boring, excitement-free date with just the two of us.”
“I don’t think so,” Avery said.
Art’s brow furrowed. “Why not?”
“Because I could never be bored with you,” she said, smiling. “Tomorrow sounds perfect.”
The song ended, and Avery realized they’d danced over to the focal piece of the gala: the Emperor’s Twins medallion, newly restored to its original glory. The FBI had been successful in recovering the stolen ruby from Versailles and had gotten it back just in time. Displayed in a high-security, lighted glass case, the ferocious dragon gleamed under the spotlight, the large twin rubies sparkling in their multifaceted brilliance.
Goldie Brennan sought Avery out as she and Art were leaving. “I wanted you to be the first to know,” Goldie said. “We have a rare imperial Russian vase arriving from London on Monday. It comes to us amid some disturbing rumors surrounding its history, but it is uniquely stunning. I’ll send the paperwork over.”
Avery smiled. “That era is one of my father’s specialties. We can’t wait to get started!”
Also available by Tracy Gardner
Shepherd Sisters Mystery
Still Life and Death
Behind the Frame
Out of the Picture
Author Biography
Tracy Gardner, a Detroit native, is a cozy mystery and women’s fiction author. A registered nurse and the daughter of two teachers, Tracy lives with her husband and best friend of thirty years, their three great kids who come and go between college schedules, and a menagerie of spoiled rescue dogs and cats. She is a strong believer in the power of family, friends, music, and baked goods as staples to a happy life.
This is a work of fiction. All of the names, characters, organizations, places and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to real or actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2021 by Tracy Beno
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Crooked Lane Books, an imprint of The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC.
Crooked Lane Books and its logo are trademarks of The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC.
Library of Congress Catalog-in-Publication data available upon request.
ISBN (hardcover): 978-1-64385-659-9
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-64385-660-5
Cover illustration by Mary Ann Lasher
Printed in the United States.
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Crooked Lane Books
34 West 27th St., 10th Floor
New York, NY 10001
First Edition: June 2021
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