Kiss Me if You Can by Carly Phillips

Author:Carly Phillips [Phillips, Carly]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary
ISBN: 9781488739026
Google: 8R9PAwAAQBAJ
Amazon: B003U89SP2
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 2010-07-26T16:00:00+00:00

RICKY HID IN THE BACK of his own store, feeling more like a sneak than he had back in the day. He’d just come from the bank, leaving Anna in charge. He’d returned unannounced via the back entrance just as they’d walked in the front. He’d heard the chimes signaling customers and peered through the curtains separating the store from the office.

He hadn’t recognized them right off. No, sir, they’d tried to disguise themselves, but he’d heard their voices when they’d asked about the ring Anna had given to that damn reporter and Ricky knew. He didn’t have a plan yet, so he eavesdropped, watching and listening as his daughter fielded their questions.

“We saw the robbery on the news. It must have been so frightening for you.”

Because he was named Ricky, the women had taken on nicknames when they’d all been a team. The one he’d nicknamed Lucy spoke first. Apparently, things hadn’t changed. She was still the ring-leader of the two. The other had been Ethel, the best friend and follower.

“I was just glad the robber didn’t hurt my daughter,” Anna said, her voice catching.

Ricky still broke into a sweat at the reminder that something could have happened to his daughter and granddaughter, the only things he’d done right in this lifetime.

Up front, the talk turned to families, seemingly normal conversation since most old people who came in to browse liked to chat about themselves. Not Ricky. He’d always been private, which had kept him out of trouble all these years. But he listened with interest, curious despite himself about his ex-partners’ lives. Apparently, Lucy was widowed and had one child and Ethel was a widow without kids to keep her company in her old age. And, of course, they had each other, they explained to Anna, patting each other’s hands. It was all Ricky could do not to puke.

He couldn’t tell if the years had been kinder to them than they had to him, thanks to the scarves tied around their heads and the large black sunglasses covering half their faces.

Ricky almost laughed out loud and gave himself away.

“We’re curious about the ring you gave that handsome reporter,” Ethel chimed in, pulling Ricky’s thoughts back to the matter at hand.

“You know, he’s been named the latest Bachelor,” Lucy said.

Still reading the gossip columns, Ricky thought to himself.

“He really didn’t want to take a reward, but I insisted. He finally chose the ring. Whatever you want to know, I can’t tell you much about it,” Anna said.

Good girl, Ricky thought.

“Not even where you got it?” Ethel asked.

“You’d have to talk to my father. The ring was just one of many trinkets he collected over the years. I’m afraid he’s something of a pack rat.”

“I’ll just bet he is,” Lucy muttered.

“Excuse me?” Anna asked, surprised by her comment.

The old battle-ax. Still as feisty as ever.

“I said, I’ll just bet he is. I saw on Oprah how more people than we realize have that serious psychological disorder. It can lead to hoarding,” Lucy explained in a more serious tone.

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