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Vickie had called Zoey over to her place that afternoon to check the ice dispenser on her refrigerator, but it was only clogged with a few ice cubes. Something Zoey suspected Vickie could have taken care of herself.
“She knew if she showed me twenty expensive ideas that I’d reject most of them, but that she’d alsogetsome of them. And that black ceiling is obviously something she really wants.”
“Black is a trendy color for interiors right now. Lorraine Mansfield...she has that giant dark red Victorian down the road? Well, I was there for a festival committee meeting a month ago and they’ve done the entire entry hall with matte black walls. Not my taste, but they framed a few large paintings in heavy gilt frames and I have to admit it looked like something straight out of a home design magazine.”
“We both know how trendy my daughter is, and how expensive her taste is. That upholstered bed she wanted was eight thousand dollars. I’m not paying thousands for a sparkly bed in a room that’ll be empty when she heads to college in five years.”
Vicky looked thoughtful. “I might be able to help you with that. Come with me.”
Zoey followed her upstairs and into one of Vickie’s guest rooms. There was a towering upholstered bed against the wall. Vickie gestured toward it. “I’ve always thought that bed was too ornate for a guest room. It was a gift from my second mother-in-law, but I’d like something simpler in here. Hazel can have it if you think it meets her standards.”
Vickie ran her hand over the tufted gold brocade on the headboard. “It looks dated now, but if we glue some big crystals over the buttons in the tufting, and run some sparkly trim around the edging on the top, I bet it’ll be glitzy enough even for Hazel.”
It definitely had potential. “Vickie, I can’t let you justgiveus a bed. Put a price on it and I’ll buy it.”
Her suggestion clearly offended Vickie. “Icangive my goddaughter’s daughter an old, outdated bed if I want to. Either you take it or I’ll donate it to the charity shop at St. Vincent’s.”
She knew Vickie would do it, too, if only out of spite. But still...
“What if Hazel does something to the fabric? Spills nail polish or grape juice or...”
“Is Hazel in the habit of splashing nail polish around?”
“No.”
“Does she drink grape juice in bed?”
“Not that I know of, but—”
Vickie held up her hand. “Then stop worrying. All we need to do is get it from here to your house.”
Zoey knew when she was defeated. “Wow...thank you, Vickie. I won’t be ready for furniture until after the painting is done, though.”
“Good. That’ll give me time to glitz it up before Hazel sees it.”
They went back down to the kitchen, and Zoey took the coffee mugs to put them in the sink. Except...there werealreadytwo coffee mugs in the sink. And two sandwich plates in the dish rack. And two forks. “Looks like you’ve had company today...besides me, that is.”
She thought nothing of it, assuming it was Maura or Cecile or one of the other book club ladies. But Vickie’s long silence made her turn in curiosity. She’d known Vickie all her life, and she didn’t think she’d ever seen her blush. Until right this minute. Well, this was interesting.
“If I didn’t know better, Victoria Pendergast, I’d say you’ve had a gentleman caller.” Vickie’s blush deepened. “Oh, myGod, youdidhave a man here. For coffee and...” She glanced at the plates. “Something. Who was it?”
Vickie straightened, her chin rising. “It wasn’t a date or anything.” She ran her hands down her tailored linen trousers. “If youmustknow, it was just Gordy Lexiter. We were discussing the work he’s doing on the deck. And I served him coffee, because that’s the kind of hostess I am.”
Vickiewasa great hostess. But there was more to this story than etiquette.
“And you didn’t want to tell me because...?”
Vickie’s eyes narrowed. “Because I knew you’d make a thing out of it, just like you’re doing right now.”
Zoey looked out the window at the dreary rain that had been falling all day long. “He wasn’t working on the deck today, was he?”
“Not physically, but he still checked in.”
I’ll bet he did...
“And did he check in with you physically?”
“I’m not getting physical with anyone.” Vickie’s voice sharpened. “I just turned seventy, for God’s sake. And I wouldn’t be so tacky or desperate as to hit on my contractor.” She sat and gave Zoey a quizzical look. “But you, on the other hand...”
