Have and Hold: (A Geeks and Things Cozy Mystery Novella #4) (Geeks and Things Cozy Mysteries) by Sarah Biglow

Author:Sarah Biglow [Biglow, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Sarah Biglow
Published: 2016-06-14T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

Time passed quicker than Kalina expected that day. A steady stream of customers passed through the shop and she spotted Beth curled up in the back of the game room, unfazed by the small kids playing Zombie Dice at the table next to her. She seemed focused on what she was working on and Kalina supposed it was good for the woman to get buried in her work. A little after lunchtime Kalina’s phone rang, displaying Chris’s cell phone number on it.

“Hey, how are you holding up?” she asked as soon as she accepted the call.

“It’s been crazy. How about you?”

“I’m fine. I’m babysitting the reporter. She didn’t want to go back to work.”

“It was nice of you to offer.”

Jimmy didn’t give me a choice. “I figured you were all so busy it was the least I could do. Dare I ask what happened with the other interviews?”

“I can’t really talk about it right now. I was just calling to see if you wanted to get lunch.”

On cue, Kalina’s stomach gurgled loudly. “Sure. Just give me like twenty minutes. I’ve got a few people coming in to pick up orders that I promised would be here during their lunch break.”

“I’ll come by and pick you up.” The line crackled as if he were putting his hand over the phone’s speaker. “And I promise I’ll share what I know.”

“I love you,” she said as the front door opened and couple of teenagers ambled in.

Before she could greet them or ask what she could help them with, Beth appeared, laptop bag swung over her shoulder. “Thanks again. I think I’m going to head out.”

“Are you sure? I’m not sure they want you going home yet.”

“I’ll be fine. I’m just going to get some fresh air and clear my head.”

With nothing else to say and no real authority to stop her, Kalina watched the blonde stride out of the shop. Kalina turned her attention back to the customers now leaning on the counter, studying the rows of freshly arrived comics on the wall behind her. In the end, they each walked away with a bag full of comics and significantly lighter allowances.

Chris arrived a little after 12:30 without food. Despite his attempt at looking cheerful, the lines around his eyes and the slightly pallid color of his cheeks told her otherwise. She wanted to just kiss him and make it all go away but that wasn’t possible.

“Where’s lunch?”

“I thought we could go home and I’d make you something from scratch.”

“I want quesadillas,” Kalina said and retrieved her coat from the back.

He offered her his arm and she took it. “Quesadillas it is.”

Half an hour later, they sat across from each other at the table, munching on their food. Kalina absently ran her right index finger along the band of her engagement ring. The weight of it had dissipated some but it was still more noticeable than it had been.

“So, what did Carter and Gabriella’s fiancés have to say?”

Chris blew out a breath and set his drink down.

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