Red Roses and Bloody Noses (Fern Grove Cozy Mystery Book 7) by Abby Reede

Red Roses and Bloody Noses (Fern Grove Cozy Mystery Book 7) by Abby Reede

Author:Abby Reede [Reede, Abby]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9798701250312
Publisher: Pen-n-a-Pad Publishing
Published: 2020-11-12T23:00:00+00:00


13

“Can I get you something to drink?”

Tracy nodded as Bruce approached her at the bar. “Gin mule, please, Bruce.”

He smiled at her. “Are you waiting on someone?”

She looked down at the counter and nodded. “My boyfriend, Warren.”

Bruce smiled. He was a stocky man with a lined face, but his smile was dazzling; he had perfect white teeth that gleamed in the darkness of the bar. “I know Warren. Good guy. You’re a lucky girl.”

She sighed as he walked away. She did not feel so lucky; she and Warren had decided to meet at seven at the bar, but it was nearly eight, and he still had not shown up. She didn’t know what he needed to talk with her about; they needed to clear the air after their fight, but she was worried there was something more serious going on.

Bruce returned with her drink, laying the copper mule cup in front of her with a grin. “A gin mule for the pretty lady.”

She smiled weakly. “Thank you,” she told him as she pulled the cup toward her, admiring the mint leaves sprinkled on top. “This mint looks fresh; where did you get it? We haven’t been able to find fresh mint since the early frost back in October.”

He peered at her curiously. “The early frost? You must know a thing or two about plants, huh?”

She nodded. “I work at In Season,” she explained, and then took a long sip of her drink. “My aunt, Rose, owns and operates the store.”

Bruce did a double take. “You’re Rose’s niece?” he asked in surprise. “Of course, you are! You look just like her; I went to high school with her. Rose is a sweet lady. How is she doing, anyway? I’m so sorry about your uncle Frank. I heard she took it pretty hard.”

“She did,” Tracy agreed. “She’s doing well, thank you for asking. I think every year helps a bit.”

“It always does,” Bruce agreed. “My wife divorced me a decade ago. It’s a little different from having a spouse die, of course, but it hurts nonetheless. But like you said, every year, it gets a little better.”

Tracy smiled. Bruce was calm and cordial, so much different from the angry version of him she had seen the other night when Brett Goff was tormenting him. She even thought he was handsome, in a rugged way. She wondered if he was seeing anyone; he looked to be about Aunt Rose’s age, and she knew her aunt would like his bright smile.

“So, what’s the hardest part of owning a bar?” she asked curiously. “Aunt Rose tells me the hardest part of owning a flower shop, or any business, is dealing with people. Do you feel the same way?”

He nodded emphatically. “Absolutely,” he told her. “People can be the hardest part of this gig. Rude customers, lazy staff members, drunkards who don’t know their limits... it can be a lot.”

She looked into his eyes. “I was here the night that circus guy went off,” she chimed in.



Download



Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.