by Debbie Mason
“I brought cupcakes,” Mackenzie said. “We’ll talk after the meeting.”
She’d tell them about her and Griffin then. “Sounds good,” Ava said, returning Lily and Zoe’s waves.
Several members of the Widows Club came in, glancing from Rosa to Kitty. Half sat on Kitty’s side, half on Rosa’s.
“So, it looks like you two not only have the same taste in men, but you also have the same taste in clothes…” Byron trailed off at what must have been the confused look on Ava’s face.
She looked down at the purple and black scarf looped around her neck, the black sweater that hugged her curves, and her jeans that were tucked into her leather boots. Ava was mortified to realize she’d copied Lexi’s outfit from this afternoon, the one she still wore.
“Okay, time for a subject change,” Byron said when Ava glared at him for noticing and pointing it out. And if he’d noticed, so would…From under her lashes, Ava saw Lexi cross her arms while giving her an up-and-down look.
“You remember Lexi, don’t you, Ida? Griffin’s wife,” Kitty said to Mrs. Fitzgerald, who’d taken the seat beside her.
Ava reached over and squeezed her aunt’s hand when Rosa opened her mouth to no doubt correct Kitty’s wife comment. Ava wanted to correct her too, but not here and now. And she definitely didn’t want her aunt to. “No.”
Dorothy said and did the same thing to Rosa.
“Of course I do. And when is the blessed event?” Ida asked, nodding at Lexi’s baby bump.
Ida had opened the floodgates. Lexi barely had a chance to respond to one question when another one was asked. No matter how hard Ava tried, she couldn’t drown them out.
“Griffin must be over the moon. I hope he’s taking good care of his baby mama,” someone said.
Ava couldn’t take it anymore. She had to leave. And not because she was jealous of Lexi or upset about the baby. Ava knew Griffin loved her, and she wasn’t a jealous person to begin with. She was just hurt that these women didn’t give her feelings a passing thought.
Rosa pinched Ava’s thigh. “Do not let them know your feelings are hurt. Laugh. Now.”
“I’m not…ouch. Stop that,” she said when Rosa pinched her again. And then her aunt started laughing loudly and rocking in her chair like a crazy person.
Beside Ava, Byron’s shoulders shook.
The conversation among the other women trailed off as everyone looked at Rosa, who was still laughing and holding her stomach, bent over at the waist. Ava felt an almost hysterical giggle bubbling in her throat, and then she was laughing too. The tears-streaming-down-your-face kind of laughter.
“If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. Ha, ha, ha, ha.” Byron’s laugh was so obviously forced and fake that Ava laughed harder.
The women in the chairs on the other side of the circle crossed their arms. “Perhaps you’d like to let us in on the joke,” Kitty said.
“You…you are the—”
Dorothy was faster than Ava and covered Rosa’s mouth with her hand.
Julia shot up from her chair. “All right, it looks like everyone’s here. Welcome to the first meeting of Harmony Harbor’s book club. Truly Scrumptious has provided the snack for this evening. Thank you, Mackenzie.” Julia clapped, and everyone joined in. “There’ll also be coffee and tea for whoever wants some after the meeting. Now, all of you know Byron.” He gave a jaunty wave. “He’ll be writing a column every month about our meetings.” She cast a nervous glance at Rosa. “So just be aware that some of your comments may end up in the Gazette.”
Her aunt bent at the waist to catch Byron’s eye. “I have some comments for you.”
Byron grinned and held up his iPad. “I’m all ears.”
“About the book, comments about the book,” Julia said. “Okay, would anyone like to start?”
Several hands shot up, and it quickly became apparent that Julia had been right; everyone loved the book. It was as though each word of praise shot an arrow through Byron’s heart, and he deflated right before Ava’s eyes. She leaned into Rosa and whispered, “You hated the book.”
“No, I loved—”
“No, listen to me. You thought it was crapola. Tell Dorothy she did too.”
Ava straightened in her chair, opening her mouth to share her opinion with the group, but Mrs. Fitzgerald was speaking. “You must have been able to identify with the protagonist, Lexi, seeing as you’re an officer of the law.”
“What’s a protagonist?” Rosa whispered to Ava.
“The main character. Charlotte Bean, the homicide detective.”
“Oh, Charlie. I liked…I didn’t like her?”
“No, you didn’t.” And Ava really didn’t like her now that everyone was asking Lexi about her experiences as a cop. The whole night had become about Griffin’s ex, and for once in her life, Ava had been hoping it would be about her. All she wanted was a few minutes, five minutes at most, to share her big news. And Lexi had stolen that from her.
“Sure Griffin worried about me, but he knew I was good at my job and could take care of myself,” Lexi responded to a member of the Widows Club, and then laughed. “Well, there was this one time—”
Ava raised her voice to be heard. “I hated the book.”
Everyone stopped talking and looked at her.
“It was overwritten. Pretentious and repetitious. There was no plot to speak of, and Sergeant Bean, pfft, so unbelievable it took me right out of the story.” She held Lexi’s gaze. “She couldn’t solve a case if you spoon-fed her the evidence. If she had half a brain, she would have known Darryl Foote was behind the murder in chapter ten. It just dragged on, and on, and on. And the inner dialogue…all she wanted to do was talk about herself. The woman was so full of her—”
“Thank you, Ava,” Julia cut her off. “Does anyone else feel like—”
“Sí, I do. I didn’t mind Charlie, but her grandmother…Oh, Marone a mi, such a spoiled, vindictive, backstabbing—”
Byron was taking notes with a small smile playing on his lips.
“Um, thank you, Rosa,” Julia intervened, then asked nervously, “Does anyone else…Yes, Dorothy?”
“I feel the same as Ava and—”
Kitty glared at Rosa. “I know exactly what you’re doing, Rosa DiRossi. You can’t pull the wool over my eyes.”
Rosa opened her mouth, and Julia clapped. “Why don’t we take a little break? We’ll have some cupcakes and coffee and reconvene in fifteen…” She glanced from Rosa to Kitty. “Thirty minutes.”
Byron shifted in his seat. “Okay, Ava and Mrs. DiRossi, Julia cut you off, so why don’t you tell me how you really felt about—”
“Byron, I could use your help with the coffee and tea.”
“Love, I’m working here. Now, if you said coffee, tea, or me…” He waggled his eyebrows at Julia.
She smiled prettily at him. “Well, we are behind the counter together.”
“I’m so easy,” he said, putting his iPad on the chair and following Julia to the coffee bar.
Sophie and Dana walked over. “Nonna, you stay right where you are. I’ll bring you a coffee,” Sophie said to Rosa, then looked at Ava. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do. I felt bad for her. We were going out, and she just seemed so lonely and sad.”
Ava pursed her lips and then nodded toward Lexi, who was laughing with Mackenzie and Arianna. “Sí, I can see how sad and lonely she is.”
Sophie sighed. “I…Nonna, where do you…Nonna.” Sophie and Dorothy hurried after Rosa.
Dana sat in Byron’s chair and took Ava’s hand, giving it a light squeeze. “I’m sorry. I’m sure after today the last thing you need or want is for Lexi to show up here, but Sophie’s right. She really did seem sad earlier. And it’s not like you can avoid her. You and Griffin are together now, and she’ll be living in Harmony Harbor.”
“I don’t have a problem with her. Well, I didn’t, but I kind of do now. I was more than willing to try to be friends, Dana. She’s the one who hate
s me. I’m not overstating things,” she said when Dana cast her a doubtful glance. “You haven’t seen her with me. If you were there today, you would have been impressed with my restraint.”
Dana looked to where Lexi stood at the coffee bar. “Maybe she’s worried about having a baby at her age. Being a first-time mother at forty must be a little worrisome, don’t you think? Both her parents died when she was a teenager, and she doesn’t have any friends here. All she really has is Griffin, and he loves you. Anyone can see that.”
Ava groaned and leaned back in the chair. “Now I feel horrible, and none of this is even my fault.”
“That’s because you’re a kind and caring woman. Come on, we’ll just casually join in their conversation. This is a perfect opportunity to mend fences. Lexi’s relaxed, you’re away from the manor, and—”
“Why do I feel like I’ve just been played?”
In response, Dana fluttered her lashes, and Ava had to stop herself from saying, And why are your eyes violet today? If she didn’t know what it was like having a secret you couldn’t share, Ava might have asked. Because there were times when Dana looked sad too. Ava stood up. “Okay, fine. But if this goes—”
Looking deep in thought, Byron approached carrying a cup of coffee. His expression cleared once he reached them. “Dana, is it? Do you mind if I talk to Ava alone for a minute?”
Avoiding Byron’s gaze, Dana murmured, “Not at all. I’ll go get a cup of tea.”
“Sit,” Byron said, handing Ava what smelled like a cinnamon chocolate latte.
He took the seat beside her. “First, I need you to tell me the truth. Did you really hate the book or did you just use it to get in a couple shots at your ex’s other ex-wife, who I’ve just heard from Julia is no longer your ex, ex. I can’t believe I just said that. But obviously you know what I mean.”
“Umm…” She nodded and took a sip of the latte.
He cocked his head.
She grimaced. “I loved the book. But Julia was worried about you and asked me to say I hated it. That’s good, right? She obviously cares about you, and you care—”
He aimed his finger at Julia and then at his chest. “You think I’m interested in…” He shook his head. “No, Julia’s not my type. I’m fond of her—”
“Oh, I thought…Are you gay?” Because Ava didn’t understand how any straight man wouldn’t be interested in Julia.
“No, I’m not gay. Why would you think I am?”
“For one, Julia’s an incredible catch. She’s not only beautiful and smart, but she’s also one of the sweetest women I know. So I don’t know how you wouldn’t be interested in her unless, you know…Then there’s that whole thing you’ve got going on…” She circled her face with her finger. “You always look so perfect and put together.” She leaned in to peer at his face. “Do you wear makeup?”
“I’m not sure whether I should be offended or flattered. No, I don’t wear makeup, and Julia’s everything you say she is and more, and that’s the problem. She’s too sweet. I like edgy women with attitude you don’t have to worry about hurting. Like your archnemesis there. Which is what I wanted to—”
“I don’t believe this. You want me to set you up with Lexi?” Ava lifted a shoulder. “No accounting for taste, but I can’t help you with that. She—”
“I’m actually quite capable of getting a date on my own, thanks,” he said sarcastically.
“Like Paige? What’s our favorite Realtor up to these days? We haven’t seen her around the manor lately.” Ava frowned. Now that she thought about it, that seemed odd. Not that Paige wasn’t snooping around the manor—she was persona non grata and banned from Greystone. But there was too much money at stake for her to simply give up and walk away. She had to be…“Are you still working with her?”
“Just because we went out a couple of times doesn’t mean I was working with her. Why do you ask?”
Ava didn’t miss that he’d neither confirmed nor denied his involvement in Paige’s schemes. She had a feeling he could be as cagey as Colleen. But the next round of the competition was only a week away, and she didn’t have anything on Gaston. She had to take a chance. So she told Byron what had been going on at the manor. “It fits Paige’s MO, don’t you think?”
He nodded. “It would definitely help make her case to the heirs who haven’t signed on. If you get me something on the chef, like his driver’s license, even where he went to school, I can do some digging around for you.”
“You don’t mind?”
“Are you kidding? The most exciting thing I’ve covered in weeks was the bridal show at Greystone.”
“You didn’t write about what happened with Lexi, did you?”
He gave her a look. “Obviously you’re like half the residents in Harmony Harbor and don’t read the Gazette.”
“Sorry, I’ve been distracted lately.”
“Which brings me back to what I wanted to talk to you about in the first place. Does your ex’s ex…I’ll try this again before I confuse myself. Does she”—he pointed at Lexi—“know that you and Griffin are back together?”
“Of course. That’s why she’s being such a pain in the culo.”
“Well, that pain in your culo just got bigger. She’s auditioning women for Griffin.”
Ava glanced to where Lexi stood talking to Dana and frowned. “What do you mean, auditioning women for him?”
“Girlfriend material? Marriage material? I’m not sure which, but I overheard her talking to Mackenzie and Julia. She asks the same questions. I saw her checking off some kind of list inside her copy of the book.”
“What kinds of questions?” Ava asked from between clenched teeth.
“First, she opens with a little flirtatious talk about Griffin. Gauging if they’re interested in him or not, I guess. That’s where the laughter comes in. She’s playing them, warming them up. And then she goes in for the kill, like what are their hobbies, education, health, net worth, that sort of thing. Oh, and most important, do they like kids. She’s got good interrogation skills. But I guess she would, being a cop.” He looked over at Lexi. “She really is hot, even if she is pregnant.”
Ava elbowed him in the ribs.
“Hey, what did you do that for?”
“The woman is trying to get rid of me and all you can say is, she’s hot?”
“You’re being a tad dramatic, don’t you think? I doubt she’d try and murder you. Then again, pregnant women can get a little crazy.” He grinned at Ava and put his arm around her. “Thanks to you, I might just get the story of my journalistic career.”
Chapter Nineteen
Colleen followed Lexi as she paced from the canopied bed to the French doors, tapping a pencil on a pad of paper. The girl had on a pair of powder-blue pajamas and some kind of knitted sock slippers.
“Stop moving so I can get a look at the list you’ve made,” Colleen grumbled.
Lexi had been agitated since she’d come back from Books and Beans. It annoyed Colleen to no end that she was tethered to the manor. She had a feeling she’d missed out on some good stuff tonight. She wouldn’t call anything about Kitty and Rosa renewing their feud good though.
Back in December, Colleen thought she’d wiped that sin from her eternal soul. Now it was back like a bad penny. Stupid phrase, she didn’t know what it meant or where it had come from. Obviously she was as overwrought as Lexi. Colleen hadn’t made any progress with Jasper, no breakthroughs on who Gaston was, and even though they’d lost the first round of the competition, no one was doing a single thing to get rid of the man.
Lexi sat on the end of the bed and glanced at Simon, who was grooming himself. “You’re a smart cat. Who do you think would be Griffin’s perfect match? I’ve narrowed it down to three: Julia, Mackenzie, and Dana.”
Colleen buried her face in her hands, a little too forcefully since it went right through them. What did she expect? How was she to concentrate with Lexi making a statement like that? She supposed it was indicative of Le
xi’s mental state that she was deducing Simon’s brain power from the way he was licking his…“Mind, there’s ladies present. Stop that right now, will you? Sit up and look like you’re paying attention. We need to know what she’s about. How far she’ll take her matchmaking.”
Meow. Simon lifted his chin. When Lexi didn’t respond the way he wanted, he did it again.
Colleen snorted. “Save it. She’ll not pick you up and give you a cuddle like Ava. Lexi’s a cool customer. She’s not much for snuggles.”
Lexi looked at the pad of paper. “All three of them get high marks for physical attractiveness. Shallow, but necessary, because the only reason I can figure that Griff would be gaga over the mouse is she’s got that Eva Mendes thing going on.” She made tick marks beside each of their names. “Mackenzie has the other two beat when it comes to working out and being a sports fan, which is important to Griffin. Extra points for that. Her cupcakes were great, so I imagine she can cook as well as bake. Another point to her, because Griff loves to eat and eventually the baby will too.
“Julia was hands down the winner in the stepmommy category. She’d be perfect. Except I get the feeling she’s a pushover. Her imagination is a little off the charts too. Like seriously, what’s up with dressing up for story hour with the kids? She has her masters in English and American literature, so that kind of cancels out the weirdness factor, I suppose.” She glanced at the page. “I like that Julia and Mackenzie have their own businesses. Shows some drive and ambition. Dana beat them out in the class department though. She practically oozes it from her pores. I guarantee she has money, too, pots of it if I’m not mistaken.”
“You’re not mistaken, but that money came with a price and its own share of pain. Olivia Davenport, or Dana as you know her, isn’t for Griffin. If you’d stop letting hate blind you, you’d see what’s right in front of you. The qualities you admire in each of those women, put them all together and you have Ava. Except money and working out, unless you count walking to and from work. She’s not much of a sports fan either. Never missed Griffin’s games though. Distracted the boy to no end with her cheering.”