Snuffed Out - Tim Myers [58]
“Then why did she put a price tag on them? A hefty one at that.”
Eve asked suspiciously, “How much did you charge for them?”
When I told her, she started to smile, then her laughter followed. It was the first time since we’d been working together that I’d ever heard that particular sound coming from her.
I said, “Do you mind telling me what’s so funny?”
After she settled down enough to speak, she said, “I was right. Belle never intended them to sell. That price tag was her way of insuring that they stayed.”
“Well, he paid it without flinching.” After her merriment, I wasn’t about to admit that the customer who’d bought them had done so as a jibe and not a real gift.
“I suppose it’s true after all. Taste is subjective.” I added, “It helped a rather lackluster day at that. How are you this morning?”
“I’m fine. Why do you ask? Have you heard something?”
“Easy,” I said, “I was just checking.”
She studied me a second, then said, “We have work to do.”
“Hey, I’m not the one standing around,” I admitted, a If I’d said it a few days earlier, she probably would have walked out on the spot. As it was, she clucked a few times, I then said, “You’re right. I’m getting busy right now.” As she walked away, I heard her mutter to herself, “I can’t believe anyone found them attractive.”
I found myself diverting my step to the storeroom for the rest of day, intentionally missing the candles that weren’t there anymore.
Millie visited At Wick’s End ten minutes before we officially opened. She knocked on the door, holding two coffees and a bag in her hands.
I opened the door for her, then locked it behind her as one of my customers tried to follow her in. “We’ll be open in ten minutes,” I said.
“Then why does she get to go in now?” The woman asked plaintively in a definite Northern accent.
“Hey, what can I say? She brought me food.” The woman asked in all earnestness, “So if I bring you a chocolate cake tomorrow I can shop early?”
I said, “Ma’am, if you add milk-chocolate icing, I’ll let you in half an hour before we officially open.”
She shook her head as she said, “That’s some way of running a business you’ve got there.” Millie called out, “Harrison, are you coming? I need to speak with you.”
I nodded to my customer and locked the door. I should have let her in, but I wanted to talk to Millie without having to worry about being interrupted.
“What’s going on?” I said as I took the coffee she offered. “Did you bring me a treat?”
“I’m trying a new recipe,” she said, “and I thought you’d like to sample it.”
“Always happy to help,” I said as I reached for the bag.
“Harrison, that’s not why I came by. Heather’s back in her shop.”
“I know,” I said as I ate a lemon tart no bigger than my thumb. “I talked to her last night.”
“Then you know Mrs. Quimby is leaving me. I don’t know what I’m going to do, I’ve been so used to having her help in the mornings.”
“Have you thought about asking her to stay part-time?” I asked. “Heather doesn’t open till ten. That should take care of most of your morning rush and your lunch prep work.”
She kissed my forehead. “What a grand idea. I’ll go talk to her right now.”
I unlocked the door for her and motioned my customer in, though it was still four minutes before I was scheduled to open. She glanced at her watch and said, “Are you certain? I don’t even have any baked goods with me.”
“I’m extending you credit on my cake,” I said with a smile as I flipped the closed sign to open. She came in and Eve glanced sharply at me. I wasn’t about to tell her about my humorous exchange.
“You can finish the order,” I said. “I’ll wait on her.”
Eve scowled at me a second, then returned to her work.
After browsing through much of the store, the woman bought a healthy supply of new wax and a mold I’d special- ordered but had never been picked up by the customer.
She said, “I’m new here. You do things differently in the South, don’t you?”
“You have no idea,” I agreed. “Just wait till you’ve been here a while. We start to grow on you, I promise.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she said as she took the receipt