A Valentine for One by Patrice Greenwood

Author:Patrice Greenwood
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: mystery, tea, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Wisteria Tearoom
ISBN: 978-1-952653-05-6
Publisher: Evennight Books
Published: 2021-08-10T00:00:00+00:00

9

Kris looked astonished. I’d surprised myself, too, by asking, but I truly wanted her to stand with me at the wedding.

“What color are the dresses?” she asked warily.

“Turquoise. Or you could go teal, it’s darker.” I got out my phone and showed her a picture I’d taken of Gina and Angela wearing their dresses in the shop where we’d found them. “It doesn’t have to be the same dress,” I added. “Just something that doesn’t clash.”

She gazed at the photo a long time, then looked at me.

“Would you mind purple?” she asked softly. “I have a dress that would go.”

“Purple’s fine.”

I hadn’t ordered any decorations in the theme colors yet—I could adjust. I’d avoided purple because I didn’t want the wedding to be associated with the tearoom, but for Kris I’d be willing to go with it.

Kris smiled. “Thanks, Ellen. I’ve never been a bridesmaid.”

I wanted to hug her, but our coffee was arriving. I settled for squeezing her hand as she gave back my phone.

“Thank you,” I said. “Gina’s been bugging me to have more attendants. She’d like it to be a parade, I think.”

Kris actually laughed at that. I laughed too.

“I could get you a new dress, if you like. I bought Angela’s.”

“No, let me show you the purple. If you don’t like it I can find something else.”

I added a dollop of cream to my coffee. “We’re having tea tomorrow afternoon to talk about the wedding. Will you join us?”

She smirked. “If my boss will let me.”

“I think that can be arranged.”

Our dessert arrived: a slice of flourless chocolate cake topped with ganache, on a plate swiped with crème fraîche and adorned with fresh raspberries. Quite a lot of berries, actually. I wondered if the waiter had given us extra.

We ate the chocolate and berries (fabulous), drank the coffee, and avoided talking about Margo or Valentine’s Day. I asked Kris if we could afford to hire musicians for St. Patrick’s Day. I didn’t expect it to be anywhere near as busy as Valentine’s, but we’d had a couple of inquiries about whether there would be a special event.

“Why don’t you ask Owen?” Kris said. “He’d do it for trade, I bet.”

Remembering the evening when Owen had played the harp for me and Tony by firelight in his home, I caught my breath. “He’d be perfect! Kris, you’re brilliant!”

“He’s plays with some other folk musicians, too, sometimes. Ask him about it.”

“I will.”

It was getting late, and the chocolate was gone. The waiter brought our check and packaged the leftover wine for us. I added a fat tip and paid the bill, then drove Kris to her place, a small, older duplex on a quiet street on the east side of town. The porch light revealed a couple of plastic-wrapped bouquets by the door.

“Want me to walk you in?” I asked.

“Nah, I’m fine. Thanks.”

“Take this.” I handed her the leftover wine.

She looked at me. “Thanks, Ellen. This was great. I’m really glad we talked.”

“Me too.”

“And dinner was fab. Next time it’s my treat.

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