Murder Checks Inn - Tim Myers [19]
“Everything’s fine here, Sandra,” Alex said. “We were just taking a break.”
She glanced at her watch. “Listen, if you two are in the middle of something, we don’t have to go out tonight. Do you want a rain check on dinner, Alex? We can make it another time.” She paused, then added, “I just had another thought. Mor, you’re welcome to come along and join us.”
The handyman stood and said, “No, thanks, but Alex would love to go; I can hear his stomach grumbling from here. I’ve got to get back to the shop.”
Alex said, “Give me a call later, okay?”
Mor walked down the last porch steps as he said, “Sure thing. You two enjoy your dinner.”
After Mor was gone, Alex said, “Just let me lock up, and I’ll be ready to go.” He searched his pockets for the keys but couldn’t find them. “I’ll be right back. I think I left the keys on the kitchen counter.
Alex found the keys in the bedroom and not in the kitchen where he’d expected to find them, then picked up the folder stuffed with papers from Jase’s desk, the collectibles box, and the book he’d found on Jase’s nightstand. Somehow he felt that it would help him hold onto his uncle a little longer, going through the last things in the world Jase had touched.
Irma Bean met them at the door of Mama Ravolini’s with a raised eyebrow. “Two for dinner?”
Alex nodded, and as Irma led them to their table, she said, “So tell me, Alex, how is that wonderful Elise Danton you have working for you?”
“She’s fine,” he replied, trying to kill that particular conversation before it got started.
Irma wouldn’t let up, though. “I hope you’re treating her right. My, the way that woman can cook! What an asset she would be here in my kitchen.”
Alex tried to hide his smile as he saw Sandra bite back a reply. Before she could get anything out, Alex said, “She’s not leaving Hatteras West any time soon, Irma.”
Irma patted him on the cheek as he sat down. “Good, that’s where she belongs.” Almost as an afterthought, Irma added, “You two enjoy your meal.” As she started to walk away, she turned back to Alex and said, “Be sure to give her my love.”
Alex agreed to do just that, then looked quickly at Sandra as Irma disappeared into the kitchen. She said, “That’s all I need, an Elise Danton commercial.”
Alex smiled as he said, “I don’t think she means anything by it.”
“Don’t bet on it, Alex,” Sandra said as she returned Alex’s smile. “I think she means everything by it.” She paused as their waiter immediately brought them two glasses of wine and a bottle of Alex’s favorite, Chateau Morrisette’s Sweet Mountain Laurel. It was from a vineyard in nearby Virginia, and Alex kept hoping to get a few days off to take a tour of the place someday. As the waiter poured, he said, “Compliments of the management.”
The waiter added grandly, “Are you ready to order, or would you like some time with your menus?”
“I think we know what we want,” Alex said as Sandra nodded her agreement. After they’d placed their orders, Sandra took a sip of wine, then said with a smile, “I don’t need Irma Bean rubbing my nose in the fact that you’ve got a crush on Elise.”
Alex protested, “She’s engaged to someone else. In fact, I just found out her fiancé is moving to Elkton Falls to be closer to her.”
Sandra took another sip of wine, then said, “Alex, Elise is never going to marry that man.”
“Why do you say that?”
Sandra put down her glass and looked into his eyes. “If you ask me, she’s just as interested in you as you are in her. Honestly, I wish you two would go out on a real date, just so you can get it out of your systems. This pining away isn’t doing either of you any good.”
Alex said awkwardly, “Sandra, you know Elise’s presence didn’t have anything to do with our breakup. We just—”
Sandra allowed herself a slight smile. “You don’t even have to finish the sentence, Alex.” She patted his hand as she added, “Our breakup was more my fault than it was yours. It was just that I saw so much potential in you, I knew you could do better than spending your life running an inn.”
Before Alex could interrupt,