Cover Art by Vanessa Westermann

Author:Vanessa Westermann
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC022040 FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths FIC022070 FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Cozy / General FIC022100 FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Amateur Sleuth
ISBN: 9781770866430
Publisher: Cormorant Books
Published: 2022-05-14T00:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Three

Focus on the good, that’s what Matt planned to do. And he’d go after it.

Soon as he worked up the courage.

He rinsed his plate and set it in the dish rack to dry. Then took one last look around the spotless kitchen. Not that the quick dinner of thick-sliced white bread and melted Gruyère cheese had made much of a mess in the first place.

Function hadn’t been at the top of his dad’s mind when he’d done the kitchen’s layout. It was easier to nuke a meal than to cook in it. The kitchen needed more open shelving, preferably in sturdy, rough-cut wood. All those closed cabinet doors were just another obstacle to slow the chef down.

For his own sanity, Matt had cut down on the clutter, added labels, and lidded storage containers. Drawer dividers for the cutlery, pull-outs for spices. There wasn’t much he could do about the microwave-centred design or the shaker cabinets besides a full reno, but he could make sure things were in the exact same place every time he reached for them.

The cut-out in the wall over the sink though, that was the one thing his dad got right. The view onto the living room and the widescreen TV meant he could wash the dishes without missing a grand slam.

Time to go. It was now or never. Never mind that his heart was pounding, and his hands felt clammy.

Get a grip. Charley had been staying late at the gallery. She might not even be home yet. This could all be wasted effort.

Dropping by unannounced was a risk. But a man bearing chocolate was hard to turn away — at least, that’s what he was counting on. The bar of strawberry and saffron white chocolate would be his ticket over the threshold.

A grin spread over his face as he grabbed the chocolate from the counter and headed to the entrance. Shoes. He’d need shoes. And car keys.

Just a smile from her would make the trip worthwhile.

Holy hell. He paused in the process of yanking on his sneaker and froze. What did it mean when a smile from one woman could make your day? He took a breath, sucked it in through his teeth. Nothing good, that’s what.

“You like her, that’s all,” he muttered, tugging the shoe on. This was no big deal. He tied the laces with a sharp tug. “It’s physical attraction.” That moment in the attic had sparked a hunger. And a healthy craving was meant to be indulged. So what if he also wanted to impress her, maybe even sweep her off her feet? It was normal. “Happens to everyone,” he said out loud as he straightened.

She’d gotten into his head. Just because he thought about Charley — a lot — didn’t make this any different. Eventually, the heat between them would fade to a slow simmer, then cool off entirely. The way these things always did.

He jiggled the keys in his hand as he yanked the front door open. And came face to face with Jeffrey.

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