The Happy Housekeeper's Guide To Disaster (A Barbara Hollis Murder Mystery Book 5) by Blythe Baker

Author:Blythe Baker [Baker, Blythe]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

9

Monday, I was starting to realize, might have been a bit of a saving grace. I’d hated the idea of waiting so long, but when Craig came home from the station with a list of things left to do for the community Christmas party, I knew that we had our work cut out for us.

“Not too bad.”

These were the words of Deputy Elwood when he stood beside me at the punch bowl the night of the party, nodding approvingly as he looked around.

I smirked, taking a sip of the frothy, fruity drink that had once been my grandmother’s recipe. She had always insisted on using lime sorbet when she started making it, and that was what we used. That, and a good strawberry soda – homemade, of course. The guys down at the soda fountain were kind enough to donate some so we could use it.

It was pretty good, all things considered. For only having a few days’ notice, Craig, Elwood and I had managed to throw together a pretty decent party.

I held out my cup, gesturing toward the back near the windows. “I’m still impressed by your decorating skills, let alone the tree you chose.”

To my astonishment, he smiled. “Thank you,” he said, lifting his own glass. “Bob down at the tree farm told me that he hadn’t been able to sell it to anyone else, being tall as it is.”

The top branches just barely brushed against the ceiling. There’d been no room for a star.

“I appreciate your creative use of tinsel to tie the star around the top of the tree,” I said. “And all the different colored lights give it a festive feel. The kids all seem to love it.”

He shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. “Hard to be picky when it’s all we had in the back from a couple of years ago. Most of the bulbs didn’t work, so I needed to make three trips to the hardware store.”

“Good use of your time,” I said.

Families mingled about the space, at the cookie decorating table, near the Christmas tree to select a gift donated by the church for the children. The back doors near the garage had been thrown open wide, letting the cool December air in. A smoker had been brought down from a nearby farm, and thick chops, steaks, and husked corn were all being cooked up for the guests.

“It looks like the whole town showed up,” I said.

“’Course they did,” he said, brow wrinkling as he looked down at me. “That’s what always happens at parties. Oh, right. I forget that you’re from the city. Never seen people come together like this, huh?”

“It’s not that…” I said, my cheeks flushing pink. I crossed my arms. “We never really went to these sorts of things when we were kids, that’s all.”

Elwood studied my profile; I could feel his gaze on my hot face. “Craig’s said as much,” he said, but left it at that.

What has Craig told him about our difficult childhood?

“Don’t look now, but Tim’s following after that girl again,” he said.

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