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“Maryanne Foley’s son is twenty now, you know. He’s in college, but he makes deliveries on the weekend.”
“And I need to know this why?”
She grinned. Apparently I’d just taken her bait. “If you really want people not to know your business, you should try changing up your restaurant orders once in a while.”
“What in the hell are you talking about?”
“Half of Laurel Lake knows you go to the Inn for the pork and mashed potatoes. So when not one, buttwomeals are delivered to Josie’s house, and one of them is your signature dish, word gets around.”
“You’re telling me Maryanne’s kid delivers Uber Eats, and he went home and reported Josie’s order to his mother, who picked up the phone and called you?”
“He mentioned to his mother that the woman who answered the door in the old Wollman place was hot. I saw Maryanne at church yesterday, and she asked me if Mrs. Wollman had died. We got to talking.”
I shook my head. “I gotta get the hell out of this town.”
“Where would you go?” Opal grinned. “Manhattan?”
I jabbed my finger into the air, pointing to her desk on the other side of the room. “Go.”
She hadn’t even made it back to her area when Porter walked in. His smile was also too big, too wide.
“Morning, boss.” He shoved his hands into his pants pockets and rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet. “Heard you had abangingweekend.”
I pointed to the door. “Out! Get the hell out of my office before I physically remove you.”
“Boy, someone’s cranky. After a weekend like you had, I’m usually in a good mood. Aren’t you, Opal?”
She cackled. “I can’t remember back that far.”
“So are you guys a couple now?” Porter asked. He held up his hands, surrender style. “I’m not asking because I’m hoping to make a move on Josie. But if you are, I figured I’d let you know the winery over in Woodbridge is having a festival next weekend. I took Meryl, the nurse I was dating, last year. They had music, wine tasting, and all kinds of games and vendors. We stayed at a bed and breakfast down the road. It was a nice time. Romantic. Might be cool to take your new girlfriend somewhere outside of Laurel Lake, especially since you like your privacy and all.”
I took a deep breath. “Run over to the school jobsite and pick up the scissor lift. You need to install hurricane brackets on all the gabled ceilings today before we close it up tomorrow.”
Porter tapped two fingers to his forehead in a salute. “You got it, boss.”
At least he went away. If only Opal was that simple. Maybe I should cut this office into two small ones so I wouldn’t have to deal with her daily tongue wagging? While I mulled over that thought, I made the mistake of glancing over. Opal’s eyes were still on me, still glittering gossip. Luckily, her phone rang, and she got busy putting in a rush order for supplies we needed delivered to a jobsite.
I gathered the revised plans I needed for my morning meeting and headed out to run some overdue errands. I would have to stop back at the office at some point later, but hopefully the gossip train would have moved to the next station by then and what I did this weekend would be forgotten.
Just as I arrived at the school to meet the electrical contractor, my phone chimed. I got a little too happy for my liking when I saw the name that popped up.
Josie: Morning! I didn’t hear you sneak out this morning. I just woke up a few minutes ago. Can’t believe how late I slept.
Feeling the need to play it cool, I decided to wait five minutes to answer. I made it two.
Fox: Must’ve been all the exercise you had this weekend… How you feeling?
I watched the dots bounce around feeling like a damn schoolgirl waiting for her crush to respond.
Josie: A little sore. You know…down there. But I’ll be fine.
I’d lost track of how many times I’d been inside her over the last few days. Other than stepping out yesterday morning to get some supplies and build a ramp for my mom’s friend, we’d spent the entire weekend in bed. But I’d thought she winced when I pushed in last night. I asked her if she was okay, and she said she was fine. I didn’t believe her, so I tried to pull out, but she wasn’t having it. She climbed on top and rode me so good, I almost believed I’d imagined the wince. Though after she fell asleep, I looked up how to treat soreness from too much fucking. Just in case, this morning I’d stopped by the drugstore and picked up supplies.
Fox: I left a bag in the mailbox that might help. Would’ve brought it in, but I wasn’t thinking and locked the door on my way out.
Josie: What is it?
Fox: Epsom salt and an ice pack. Throw the salts in a warm bath. Then ice pack ten minutes on, ten minutes off, for a half hour.
