Love in a Nutshell - Janet Evanovich [21]
“You sound pretty certain about that no sex or beer thing. I think I’m going to have to take you up on the challenge.”
Her heart stumbled. “You’re talking about the beer, right?”
“Of course I am. I have my priorities, too.”
Yeah, and not for a minute did Kate believe it was beer. Okay, truth was she hoped it wasn’t beer.
“So what is it we really had to talk about?” she asked.
“First, you were right and I was wrong.”
Kate laughed. “That’s always a good start.”
He pointed to the ornament. “And this comes with the admission. I’m not much for eating crow, so I thought I’d give you one.”
She examined the weird little metal bird. “Thank you, but it looks more like a raven to me.”
“My family vote came out in favor of a raven disguised as a crow.”
She couldn’t have heard that right. “Your family voted?”
Matt shrugged. “Long story. It begins with my birth. Let’s just skip it and move on to me saying that I was nuts to have thought we could talk at Harborside Market.”
“It’s okay,” she said. “I think everyone in town is now pretty clear on the fact that you’re not attracted to me.”
“I’m not that good an actor,” he said. “No one believes it.”
Kate bit into her lower lip.
Matt studied her for a beat. “I just admitted I’m attracted to you, and I can’t read your reaction.”
“Flustered,” Kate whispered.
He blew out a sigh. “I get that a lot. Why don’t you give me a quick rundown of what you learned this weekend?”
“Well, first, I learned that Jerry doesn’t seem too devoted to the concept of management once you leave town. He shows up for a little while, tells the staff to follow the usual program and call his cell should something break, burn, or blow up. Then he leaves.”
Matt raised his eyebrows ever so slightly, but he said nothing, so Kate plowed on. She might as well get all the bad stuff out of the way. He’d wanted an unfiltered report, and she would deliver it.
“Well, Steve thinks you’ve got some secret affair with a married woman, but I think he was just saying that to enhance his own romantic life.”
“I don’t think I want to know how that could possibly enhance his romantic life. And for the record, married women always have been and always will be off-limits.”
“I haven’t known you long, but you seem like a stand-up guy to me,” she said. Still, time would tell.
One life skill Kate had been working to develop was a keener eye for dishonesty. She’d missed the early warning signs with Richard, but eventually she’d caught on. Now she was at least marginally older and wiser, both of which rocked. And while she still planned to open her heart and trust, she’d do it with some initial caution. She wasn’t up for another loss of love or poodle.
“Is there anyone else I should know about?” Matt asked.
Kate shook her head. “It sounds like you’re golden with the rest of the staff. I didn’t hear anything, except a passing mention from Laila that her son couldn’t get a job with you.”
“He’d have to apply for a job first, which he won’t, because he likes his winters off from his marina job.”
“I got the feeling Laila believes he has applied.”
“Well, employee applications are confidential, so I won’t be clearing that up,” he said. “That’s it, then?”
“Yep.”
Matt nodded. “Any thoughts on who might have sabotaged the walk-in fridge?”
“That’s tough. It could have been anyone. Laila and Steve were in and out. The cooks were there. And so were the bartender, the busser, and the barback. It could have been Jerry, until he went on walkabout, or whatever it is he does. No one saw it happen and all of them had access. Add to that, it probably happened after hours, which means the back door was open while the trash was being hauled out. The walk-in is on a straight path from that door. It’s highly unlikely that the crew would have missed someone slipping in, but it’s possible.”
“True, but I’d rather believe the nearly impossible than think my own employees would mess with me.”
“I understand. But until someone is caught pulling one of these stunts,