Treasure Me by Christine Nolfi

Author:Christine Nolfi [Nolfi, Christine]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: mystery, relationships, christine nolfi, contemporary fiction, contemporary, fiction, romance, love, comedy, contemporary romance
Publisher: Christine Nolfi
Published: 2011-04-21T04:30:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Birdie stared bleakly at the crowd.

The townspeople were converging on Liberty Square for the Festival of Lights with the celebratory fervor of spectators at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The curb was a string of wool coats and striped scarves, and a gangly Santa Claus was shoving candy canes at the children in the crowd.

Easy marks.

Every eye was trained on the street, waiting for the parade to begin. The pickings were plentiful. Women carelessly dangled purses from their shoulders. Men’s coats flapped open in invitation. She could steal half of them blind and they’d never know what hit them.

Uncomfortable with her thoughts, she huddled against the harsh brick of the restaurant. This wasn’t an anonymous crowd in Atlanta or Los Angeles. Many of the people were regulars at The Second Chance. She knew them by name. Zip Dekins, a mechanic down on Third Street. Natasha Jones, the baker who ran a shop on the other side of the Square. Mrs. Samuels, Greg Surrey, Bo Waverly—she enjoyed sharing conversation with them in the restaurant, even knew the names of their kids.

She yanked up the collar of her coat. According to Hugh, she had the moral compass of a flea. All she cared about was snatching a few bills and living by her wits. But she was trying to change.

Even though she was pretty damn sure he was still at the library, she scanned the crowd for him. He was doing everything in his power to avoid the apartment.

To avoid her.

Landing on his shit list didn’t matter. Why waste so much energy feeling angry? Of course the hurt was far worse. The way he’d looked at her when they’d argued had inflicted a whole series of bruises on her heart. Worse still, he’d made her question herself.

At the curb, Natasha Jones elbowed her way through the crowd. Her family appeared behind her—first her husband, next her father, then the three kids. The boys were close in age, and Birdie guessed the oldest was eight. They were great diversions, all three of them, if she were planning a light day of work. Grandpa was an easy mark as he bent over the middle boy, his wallet peeking out of the back pocket of his trousers. Natasha, too. Her husband pressed his cheek to hers. Her purse swung free.

No. A gust of wind kicked by, nearly taking Birdie off her feet. They’re a nice family out to see the parade. Instinctively she fished around her pocket, winding her fingers around the ruby-studded key. It felt heavy and complete. Substantial. Unlike her dreams, which Hugh had cruelly pointed out were an illusion.

Had he foretold the future? Finding the rubies and believing she’d go legal wasn’t the same as doing it. Wandering from city to city and praying for her luck to hold were habits ground deep under her skin. It was all she’d ever learned. It was how her parents lived. Not much comfort to a man doing a long stretch in Arizona. And her mother? The Feds were determined to take down Wish.

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