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With a final affectionate swipe at his fur, I left him inhaling a late-night snack and moved on to the kitchen for my nightly rituals. After my coffee was set up to perk in the morning, lunch packed, and fresh suit set out, I grabbed my book and settled into my favorite reading chair. The recliner was soft and worn, the dark green fabric perfectly groomed to embrace me in a cozy cocoon.
The house was too quiet, and for once, it made it difficult to focus on my murder mystery. I should be consumed by who had killed the office janitor, but instead, all I could think of was Eve.
The way she looked snuggled in my suit jacket might be enough to keep me warm through the winter. Stray wisps of her dark hair had escaped from her bun to drape along my collar, making me ache to tuck them back behind her delicate ears with their rim of piercings. I shook my head at the barely suppressed urge that made my fingers clench, even now. Spending more time with Eve only made me wish for new excuses to be around her. She tempted me to let down my guard. Invite her in. But the way she picked at me made me doubt she was willing to set down her own armor. I needed to keep my distance from my spunky, prickly art director.
For my own sake. And hers.
Chapter 5
Eve
MeetingwithGwenatthe crack of dawn had been my own foolish idea, but it didn't stop me from scowling as I pushed through the door of Sprouts and Sprigs Nursery, Gwen's business.
"Who pissed in your cornflakes, Eve?" Gwen arched a brow, the tilt of her lips belying her serious tone. Gwen was dressed in her typical work gear, practical overalls over a purple flowered top. A plant nursery owner's job varied enough day-to-day that she had to be ready to water starts, help customers, or haul soil at the drop of a leaf.
I smiled at my friend. It wasn't her fault I'd chosen an ungodly hour to meet up and work on our auction idea list.
"I promise, I onlylooklike a thundercloud."
"Late night?" Gwen asked, examining me until I squirmed.
While I'd stayed up later than I intended working on client designs, it was thoughts of Brady that kept me tossing and turning, leaving me restless and keyed up well past my usual bedtime.
"Yeah. We had our first play practice, then Brady talked me into dinner, so I got a late start on my regular projects."
"Don't let him work you too hard," Gwen admonished. "You've already got a lot on your plate with the Winter Warmth Auction. Let us know if we need to pitch in more."
Shivering, I tamped down dirty thoughts of Bradyworking me too hard. If her face hadn't been so serene, I'd have thought Gwen did it intentionally, picking up on my lusty feelings for her childhood BFF. I couldn't be sure she'd approve. She loved Brady like a brother, both springing to his defense and teasing him mercilessly. While Gwen and I had grown close, she seemed protective of him, and I didn’t want to test that.
"I'm okay. Pretty sure I could do the set design in my sleep."
Gwen looked poised to press me to accept her help, and I rushed ahead. "Besides, isn't that why we're working together this morning, to lighten my load for the auction?"
Nodding, Gwen gestured me toward one of the many nooks in Sprouts and Sprigs. "Come on, I won't waste any more of your time then. Coffee or tea?"
"Coffee, black like my soul," I requested, following her toward the rocking chairs nestled among a bank of tropical houseplants. The fronds of greenery nearly obscured the cozy dark wood chairs arranged around a small table. A soft rainbow throw blanket was artfully arranged over one chair back. I loved the hidden corners in Gwen’s nursery. They made quaint spaces to talk where you could sip on a cup of coffee or tea, inhaling the fresh scent of growing things. The indoor portion of Sprouts and Sprigs had a hothouse tea party vibe, with an array of gifts and plants for purchase. It was the outdoor nursery where the real work happened. There row upon row of perennials and shrubs waited for their forever homes. Gwen had added hints of whimsy there too, with small garden gnomes peeking from under arborvitae and the occasional patio setting.
Gwen settled two mugs of steaming coffee on the table, taking the chair across from me. There was something both soothing and hypnotic about the rockers; I couldn't help but give myself a little push, feeling instantly calmer. Gwen herself had that impact on people. Around her, I believed anything was possible. Including pulling off a bachelor auction in a few short weeks.
"Thanks, Gwen," I said as I sipped at my cup. The dark roast gave me a spark of life, the aroma alone making me feel more alert.
She waved away my appreciation, reaching for my tablet. "This is the list of donors so far?"
"Yep. I think most of the town has contributed, minus the usual suspects."
Frowning, Gwen shook her head. "Mrs. Wise used to support everything so generously, I guess I can't blame her for pulling back the golf course's backing since she lost her council seat."
"I can," I grumbled. "People in this town hold a mean grudge."
"So long as there's no actual sabotage this time, I think we can handle a few missing auction donors. The bachelors should bring in enough to make up for the loss of Marsha Wise's support."
Sabotage.
I bit my lip, chewing it gently. Such a big word for some real petty bullshit. We'd never resolved the mishaps at our fall event to our satisfaction. A little graffiti was no big deal, but the way it escalated over the weekend had left us scrambling, trying to figure out who wanted us to fail. Thankfully, all had been quiet since then, but it didn't mean I could relax my guard. Each quarterly event needed to go well to build Campfire's tourism revenue. While the Winter Warmth Auction might appeal more to those in town, it was a good cause and should still get us some favorable regional press and the opportunity to pitch our next event, the balloon festival.
We talked through a few more possible donors, outlining the final details for the event, including catering and social media, before I pushed to my feet, cup empty.
"Thanks, Gwen."
