Statue of Limitations
Page 27
I heard a crash outside in the garden and stopped typing to go see what Oscar had done now. Sure enough, there was the little critter sitting beside the tipped-over trash can, the black garbage bag inside ripped open. He was nibbling contentedly on a muffin that someone had thrown away after the GMA meeting.
“Oscar!” I said sharply. “Bad boy!”
Oscar saw me coming, scampered onto a table, and leaped over the fence. I went back inside to get a broom and dustpan and began to sweep up the mess.
And then I heard a voice from behind say, “Sometimes even goddesses need help, you know.”
Startled, I swung around in surprise, holding my broom like a sword. There stood Case, hands in the air, a big smile on his face, standing in almost the same spot where we’d first met. He was even wearing the same outfit he’d had on that night. He still had his wavy hair, but he’d shaved off his short beard.
“You’re not going to call the police, are you?” he teased.
My heart beat faster, and I felt a flush in my cheeks. “I thought you’d left.”
“I did leave. I was halfway to Pennsylvania when I thought, what am I doing? Why am I going back to a boring computer job when I could live in this beautiful lakeside town and do something much more interesting? So I turned around and came back. I was even thinking of buying the Páme if your pappoús wants to sell it”—he took a step closer—“unless you mind me being here.”
Mind? A swell of joy raced through me like a tsunami, but I didn’t want him to see it. With a shrug I started sweeping again. “I don’t mind. And I think my grandfather would be pleased to sell you his boat. You’re a hero in Sequoia, you know, especially in our Greek community.”
“From suspect to hero, and this coming from the Goddess of Greene Street.”
I stopped sweeping to stare at him. “You gave that title to the reporter, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did.” He took the broom from my hands and set it aside. “And I meant everything I said in that article.”
He was standing so close, his golden-brown eyes so soulful and searching that I was sure he was going to kiss me. And all I could do was wait there like an idiot for it to happen. He put his hand against my cheek, and I closed my eyes.
Oscar chose that moment to jump the fence and land with a loud bang on the garbage can, effectively breaking the spell.
“Oscar!” I called, chasing him away. Awkward moment over, I put a brick on the lid, and said to Case, “Why don’t we grab a cup of coffee? I’d really like to know more about this boring computer job.”
“Are you actually asking me to share something personal?” he teased.
“Just shut up and let’s go.”
As we walked down the street together, I realized I had to rewrite my blog. I already had a title for it, too: Even Goddesses Need a Hero Now and Then.
Tips for longer-lasting
FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS
from
Athena,
THE GODDESS OF GREENE STREET!
Don’t miss the next mystery
coming to you in 2021!
FLORAL TIPS FOR LONGER-LASTING ARRANGEMENTS
Here are some of my top tips for keeping your floral arrangements fresh and beautiful.
—Athena Spencer
1. Glub-glub. Cut Flower Stems Underwater. Do this especially for flowers of a more delicate nature (i.e., peonies and dahlias) and always on an angle. This helps their ability to absorb water, thus increasing their longevity. If you do not have access to a sink, just fill a large container next to work area. Remember to make sure the container is cleaned.
2. Big Dippers Submerge the entire flower into water as soon as you’ve cut it to size. Water enters through all parts of the flower, which results in longer-lasting floral arrangements. Just give it a shake afterward and arrange by the method below.
3. Make a Grid Many florists make a grid using thin strips of clear tape to create a holder for your flowers, making them look unified and balanced. Just lay the tape horizontally and vertically and, voilà, you have a flower holder to keep your blooms upright and beautiful. This works especially well for short vases and low containers.
4. Keep Your Foliage Clear of Water When arranging flowers in a vase or other water-filled container, be sure to remove all foliage below the waterline. Just one little piece of foliage below the waterline can be detrimental to your floral arrangement by causing mold to grow.
5. Open Sesame—Er, Flower Buds To open up closed flower buds, dip first in warm water and then in cold. This is a great tip for instantly showcasing an open bud arrangement.
6. A-hum. Try Alum. Keep hydrangeas from wilting by using alum powder. After the hydrangea stem is cut, place it into the alum powder and then continue with your floral arrangement. Find alum in the spice aisle of the grocery store.
7. Ice, Ice, Baby Instead of watering your orchids, try using ice cubes. The slow-melting ice cube gives your orchid plant slow, steady hydration and will keep it from drowning. This is also a good way to measure the amount of water to give your orchid plant. One large ice cube per week is all that is needed. If it’s a larger orchid plant, use two or three ice cubes.
8. Remove Lily Stamens Stamens are the heavily pollinated center of the lily. As soon as the lily opens, remove the stamen gently and try not to let any touch the blossoms. This allows for longer lasting lilies.
9. No Fruit, No How Gases emitted by fruit are not friendly to flowers. Remember to avoid keeping your flowers next to fruit.
10. Spray to Save the Day A product called Crowning Glory is a spray wax that keeps your floral arrangements hydrated. You’ll have blooms that last for weeks. Sh-h! This is one of the best-kept secrets in floral arranging. Find it at Amazon, Walmart, even Sam’s Club.
Photo courtesy of Edda Taylor Photographie
Kate Collins is a New York Times bestselling mystery author of twenty-nine novels, along with novellas and children’s stories. Three books from her best-selling Flower Shop Mystery series can be seen on the Hallmark Movie and Mystery Channel. Although English and Irish herself, Kate had the good fortune of marrying into a big, zany Greek-American family where she learned all about Greek life, most of which revolves around food and laughter.
At her first dinner with three generations of the family present, she was drilled with questions, examined from head to toe, told to guard her food as it was subject to being stolen off her plate (and was, by one of her sisters-in-law, who carried a fork with an extension handle), and entertained by hilariously true stories of their lives. She uses those experiences to enrich her new Goddess of Greene Street mysteries, so readers should be prepared for anything, from laughter to nail-biting suspense. Opa.