Jan Coffey Suspense Box Set: Three Complete Novel Box Set: Trust Me Once, Twice Burned, Fourth Victim by Coffey Jan

Author:Coffey, Jan [Coffey, Jan]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: MM Books
Published: 2016-03-12T05:00:00+00:00

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Like most everything in Stonybrook, the Miller Flower Shop had always been closed on Sundays.

Tradition notwithstanding, for several years now, Joanna Miller had been insistent on opening the small nursery greenhouse in the back seven days a week during the planting season. She needed it. Not for the money, necessarily—though a few extra dollars never hurt. No, she needed it for herself.

For Sundays were all Joanna’s. Around seven o’clock, from March to June, she brought her little cash box out of the flower shop, along with the old coffee urn and a tray of pastries, and opened the place. And the customers came. Trickled in, at first. But then, word got around and things improved. Nowadays, business was pretty darn brisk some Sundays.

Joanna loved it. She took care of customers. She chatted and laughed and visited with friends and neighbors who stopped by for coffee or to just say hi. Sometimes they bought little flats of tomatoes or peppers or herbs or annuals, but Joanna never pushed anyone. It was just a pleasant way for a Stonybrook oddball to spend a pleasant morning.

As she plugged in the coffee and took the plastic off the tray of pastries this morning, she knew that one of the real pleasures of these Sunday morning was not having to deal with her older sister Gwen looking over her shoulder.

With a little more money—maybe next year, even—Joanna figured they could replace some of the plastic covered greenhouse with glass, the way it had been originally. Then she could make this vernal tradition a year-round thing.

But that was all just maybe, for the business was really Gwen’s, and her older sister was already unhappy about what she considered pure extravagance on Joanna’s part.

They were only twelve years apart, but there were times when Joanna felt Gwen was twice that. She’d felt that way this morning.

“It wasn’t the crummy croissants, and you know it,” she murmured to herself.

It was jealousy. Gwen was ticked off at Joanna because she had a life. She was liked by people in this town. She had a sex life, for God’s sake. She stood with her hands on either end of the pastry tray and stared at the colors of the ivy geranium in the rows of hanging baskets until her frustration began to ebb.

“You’re winning the battle. Don’t give up.”

“I hope you’re right.” Joanna was smiling before she even turned to see Andrew Rice. “I didn’t hear your car.”

“I was out jogging and decided to stop by.”

He looked at the neat lines of herbs in the planting tables, and Joanna let her gaze linger on the muscular brown legs, on the broad powerful shoulders in the sleeveless shirt.

“You look wonderful, Andrew. I like that shirt on you.”

“Thanks.” The quick smile made her heart rate double. He touched his perfectly flat stomach. “I’ve lost ten pounds but have five more to go. It’s getting harder and harder to lose the winter fat.”

Joanna was disappointed to see him turn his attention to the hanging baskets.

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