Better Off Wed by Laura Durham

Author:Laura Durham
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins

Chapter 18

A high-pitched, warbling whistle followed Richard’s loud tap on the door.

“Is that supposed to be a bird call?” I stuffed the drugstore receipt into my shirt pocket.

“Who knows?” Kate whispered. “I’m not waiting around to see if he sends up a flare.”

I held out my arm to stop Kate from barreling through the door when I heard Richard’s voice, much shriller than usual.

“This is the most breathtaking parquet floor I’ve ever seen, Mrs. Boyd.”

I held my breath. They sounded as if they were right outside the door.

“Why, thank you, Mr. Gerard.”

“Call me Richard. Everyone does.”

Footsteps indicated they were heading away from the office door.

“If you have a minute, Mrs. Boyd, I’d love to show you the china we chose for this evening. I think of it as Martha Stewart meets Louis the Fourteenth.”

I cracked the door. “Okay, Kate. It’s all clear. Richard has Mrs. Boyd in the dining room with her back to us.”

“Where are we supposed to have been?”

“There’s a powder room under the staircase. We could be coming out of there.”

“Both of us?” Kate asked. “Together?”

“Better she thinks we’re weird than she finds us snooping around her husband’s office.”

“If you say so.”

We tiptoed past the dining room, and then made a big production of shutting the door to the bathroom and walking loudly down the hall.

“There you are.” Mrs. Boyd turned as Kate and I entered. A petite woman with dark hair cut in a thick page boy, Helen Boyd had a tight smile that seemed to blink on and off again like Christmas tree lights.

“Did we miss anything while we were washing up for dinner?” I asked.

Richard gave me a fake smile. “All we’ve done so far is review the menu.”

“I hope you found the bathroom without any problem, Miss Archer.”

I waved her concern away with one hand. “No problem at all. I love the way you’ve decorated it.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Really? Most women don’t like the fly-fishing motif.”

Fly-fishing? I should have checked out the bathroom before opening my big mouth.

“Annabelle isn’t most women.” Kate patted me on the back. “She adores fly-fishing.”

“Do you, now?” Mrs. Boyd studied me carefully.

“Then you and my husband will have lots to talk about. It’s his passion.”

“You know I’m more of a beginner, Kate.” If looks could kill, I’d have been in the market for a new assistant.

“He’ll be thrilled that someone speaks his lingo. Heaven knows I don’t share my husband’s fondness for the outdoors.” She bestowed a series of her blinking smiles on us.

Richard looked at his watch. “Are we expecting Mr. Boyd soon?”

“Yes, but why don’t we get started without him?” Mrs. Boyd lowered herself into the chair that Richard slid out for her.

“Excuse us for one moment.” Richard let me and Kate walk past him into the kitchen. “We’ll be back with the first course.”

Kate waited until Richard closed the door before collapsing in a fit of giggles. “Good luck chatting with Mr. Boyd about fly-fishing.”

“Who decorates their bathroom with a fly-fishing motif?” I leaned over and let my head fall on the wooden kitchen island, glowering at Kate from my inverted position.

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