Thyme for Love (Cooking Up Trouble Book 1) Page 7

  Chapter 12

  I pulled my cart to a halt in the reception area, and Rosemary came around her desk, her plump cheeks displaying their usual natural blush. “I should only have tea, but after smelling those cinnamon rolls . . .”

  I followed her longing gaze to the fragrant puffy rounds, cinnamon and walnuts nestled within the seams of dough, warm icing drizzling over top. My mouth watered. Who could blame her?

  She scooped up an apple-walnut muffin. “My stomach wants that gooey bun, but this looks healthier.”

  “Oh, they are,” I worked to hide my surprise at her choice. “They have apples in them and the walnuts are good for Omega-3.” I’d left a cinnamon roll in the kitchen for later, but if she could exercise self-control, why not me? My thighs would thank me later. I grabbed a muffin.

  Rosemary sighed. “To think that I sat here last Friday morning while Mr. Galvez laid up there . . .” She directed her stare up the steps. “I wonder how long he was . . . gone.”

  Poor thing must have been agonizing over that all weekend. “Why didn’t someone check on him sooner?”

  “Mr. Galvez left strict orders no one was to disturb him in the mornings.” She affected a stern tone and lowered her voice, “I’ll be down when I come down.”

  “Sounds like he wasn’t a morning kind of guy.”

  She spread honey butter over a muffin half. “He wasn’t, but how he loved food. At least he died happy. Too bad he wasn’t more concerned about his health.”

  “He was definitely a foodie.” I nibbled my muffin, letting the bits of apple linger on my tongue before swallowing.

  She broke off a bite and popped it in her mouth. “I’m determined to lose weight. I have two beautiful granddaughters I want to see grow up. The same thing can’t happen to me.” She glared at her half-eaten muffin. “This is delicious, but I can’t.” She slam-dunked it into the garbage bag.

  While she made a cup of lemon tea, I tossed my own muffin in the trash. How could I stomach it after hearing that? We said our good-byes, and I pushed off for Candy’s domain.

  Candy came up as I parked the cart outside her door. “I thought you’d never get here. I’ve been, like, smelling those cinnamon rolls forever.”

  While she ogled the treats I stared at her skirt. The dishtowel hanging back in the kitchen had more fabric. She bent to grab a cup from the cart’s lower shelf, and it was all I could do not to stuff a napkin into her scoop-neck top. No telling what the view was like from behind. I didn’t want to know. The woman was an anomaly. People trusted her with calculating spreadsheets and doing financial projections, yet she dressed like a streetwalker.

  She selected a cinnamon roll and dropped the confection onto a small plate while I plucked a packet of chai tea from the basket.

  “Allow me to prepare your beverage, madam.” I made a slight bow.

  She licked icing from her chartreuse-polished fingertips. “Thanks. After the morning I’ve had I could use a little TLC.”

  I poured hot water into her cup. “Spreadsheets getting you down? I can relate to that.”

  She let out a huff. “Nothing to do with Rescaté now that the wicked step-father is dead. My mom is, like, a handful in the morning. She’s disabled, ya know. Got in a factory accident like five years ago and needs a walker. I’m all she’s got.”

  And I thought I had problems. Sobered, I dropped a teabag into her cup. “That’s crummy. No siblings to help?”

  She let out a sigh that seemed to come from her toes. “Just me. Mom gets up when I do so’s I can have her dressed and fed before I leave. Today, I couldn’t find her favorite blouse. I told her she’d have to wear the green top and she goes, ‘I want the lavender blouse.’” Candy rolled her eyes. “Turns out the one she wanted was in the laundry hamper. Then she was ticked off because I didn’t do the wash last night. Well, I was too tired and my favorite show was on.”

  “I can’t imagine having to take care of a parent like that. You’re one strong woman. Who cares for her while you’re at work?”

  She scooped the tea bag out of the cup with a stir stick and gave the bag a squeeze. “She’s okay by herself once I set her up in the family room with the remote. Our neighbor comes over at noon to give her lunch. Candy’s face lit up. “Hey, I’m meeting a friend at the Apple after work. Why don’t you join us? What do ya say?”

  I opened my mouth to decline, but seeing the hopeful sparkle in Candy’s eyes, I shut it. What if Rosa’s suspicions about the cause of Ramón’s death were true? Candy did hate the guy. Wouldn’t hurt to hang with her for an evening and see what I could learn. If anything, supper out would provide a nice break, and doing something nice for someone is always a good thing. I pushed a smile to my face. “Sounds like a plan. Give me directions and tell me what time to meet.”

  “Cool. Five thirty okay?” Candy grabbed a pen and scribbled on a Post-it Note. “Here’s the directions. I added my cell phone number. Text me if you get lost or something comes up.”

  I escaped before I caved to my conscience over accepting her invite on false pretenses and canceled our plans. I’d need a one-on-one with God over it before the day was over. That was a given. Since Helen and Rosa’s door was shut, I headed toward the south wing. As I approached Karl’s workroom, a voice called out, “What’s for breakfast?”

  I was still laughing when Karl ambled into the hall with Pedro perched on his shoulder. “What’s so funny?”

  “Too long a story. Ask the bird. What can I get you?”

  He picked up a muffin. “Do you suppose Pedro can have one of these? I feel bad that I forgot him over the weekend. Guess I had that rodeo on my mind.”

  And not his boss’s death? What’s with that? “Sure, if it’s okay for him to eat muffins.”

  “I checked the Internet. Parrots can eat lots of things.” He gave me a stern look. “But never feed this guy chocolate. It’s poison for parrots.”

  By then a small crowd had gathered.

  April, you mad?” Rosa approached the cart and studied the offerings.

  “No. Why?”

  “You skip us and we hungry.”

  Helen reached for a cup. “I’m more thirsty than hungry.”

  “I’m sorry, ladies. Your door was closed.”

  “It was frozen.” Rosa rubbed her sweater-covered arms.

  “Your door was stuck?”

  “We shut it to keep the heat inside.” Helen added coffee to her Grandma cup.

  I laughed, loving Helen’s patience for her co-worker.

  Rosa stroked Pedro’s head and clucked. “Ave bonita.” Her soothing voice seemed to calm the bird. Did the Spanish remind him of Ramón?

  “What are you going to do with Pedro, Karl?” Helen sipped her coffee.

  Karl hooked his thumbs into his belt loops. “Marc wants me to call the Humane Society.”

  “No way. Pedro belongs here.” Bob Cousins sauntered up and leveled his gaze on the handyman. “Are you willing to be our parrot-keeper, Karl?”

  He appeared surprised. “Be glad to. Pedro and I are already buds. But I’m not around much on weekends.”

  Bob helped himself to coffee. “Good. If Marc gives you a hard time, have him see me. I’m sure someone can take weekends.” He scanned the women surrounding the cart until his gaze came to a stop at Taryn.

  Silence hung in the air as we waited through the stare-down between the man who aspired to be king and his opponent’s maid in waiting.

  Bob blinked first. “I’ll check with Candy. Maybe she can do it.”

  That was all Candy needed, a parrot to watch along with her mother. I offered Bob a napkin. “I’ll cover weekends since I live next door.”

  Pedro made a clucking sound and bobbed his head as if approving the decision.

  “I think he like you, April.” Rosa took a bite of her muffin.

  Time to change the subject. “Karl, how’d your bull riding go?”

  He puffed his chest. “Great, April. Rode two, won me a grand.”

&n
bsp; “Just for riding you get money?” Taryn asked.

  The bull rider shook his head. “You don’t say you rode a bull until you stay on for eight seconds. I rode one each show. And were they rank.”

  I presumed rank meant the bulls were mean. “Are the rodeos always far away?”

  “Nope. This weekend there’s a couple over in Elkhorn at the fairgrounds.” He scanned our faces. “If anyone wants tickets, let me know. I’ll be lookin’ for eight both events.”

  I tossed a dirty napkin in the trash bag attached to the cart’s handlebars. “I’ll check with Mar . . .”

  Everyone looked at me, eyes wide.

  Karl answered with a grin.

  The way Marc’s name almost came out so naturally frightened me. I stayed there a while longer, listening to the ladies ply Karl with more questions about the rodeo. The man would have stood there until closing time talking about the mean bulls he’d ridden if Bob hadn’t shooed everyone back to work. By the time I rolled my cart toward the other corridor, all I had to offer was coffee.

  “How did the break run go?” Marc shut the kitchen door behind him.

  I looked up from wiping down the cart. “I came back with only crumbs in the basket and a few drops of coffee. I’d call it a success. Have you ever gone to a rodeo to watch Karl ride bulls?”

  “Not yet. Why?”

  I wanted to wipe that lopsided grin off his face before I did something stupid like ask him for a date to the rodeo. I shrugged. “He was telling us about the rodeo he competed in this past weekend. He said when he was a toddler he rode calves on his uncle’s ranch down in Texas. That’s where he got the bug.”

  He swaggered toward me. “Well, this cowboy suggests you take the Rescaté van when you shop for your supplies.” He held out a key.

  I straightened from my crouched position. “Van?”

  “It makes no sense for you to cram all those groceries into that shoebox-on-wheels you drive.”

  I planted a fist on my hip. “Don’t make fun of my car. It got me here from Atlanta. But the van sounds great.” I wrapped my fingers around the key fob.

  He rested his palm over my hand. “I appreciate your going with me upstairs, but don’t let your imagination go wild over those pills you hid away. There’s a million bottles like that one.”

  I lowered my gaze. “I know. The more I think about it, the whole thing sounds crazy, but I’ll keep them . . . in case. You were always a stickler for doing the Christian thing. That’s one of the characteristics I always loved.” I pulled my lower lip between my teeth and tugged my hand against his grip. “Can I please have the keys now?”

  “Sure, if you do one thing for me.” He brushed a lock of hair off my face, letting his fingertips linger at the hairline.

  Unable to stop myself I looked up, and our eyes met and held. He lowered his gaze to my mouth and my lower lip trembled. If it was a kiss he wanted, I’d be more than happy to oblige.

  He leaned closer and whispered. “Go out with me tonight?”

  His warm breath against my ear sent a delicious string of goose bumps down my neck. I moved to bring my lips around to his and stopped. What if Kendall walked in? I found my common sense and moved back. “Sorry. I already have plans to meet Candy at the Apple.”

  He looked away, but his hand still rested on top of mine. “It’s probably better we not go out. My mistake.”

  “Just not a good night. Some other time?” Sheesh. One minute I’m avoiding the guy like a kid with chicken pox and the next, I’m asking him out. Not a good way to stay away from the man or keep our jobs intact.

  Marc answered with a boyish smile. “Sure.” He wrapped my fingers around the keys. “Remember to use the Tax ID Number. Talk to ya later.” He turned toward the door then faced me. “I’m calling a staff meeting at 3:00 to squash the rumor mill. Try to be back by then.” A second later he was gone. Who was that masked man?

  Outside, I stopped to slip off my cardigan and tie the arms around my waist.

  “Lovely day isn’t it, April?”

  I finished off the knot and looked up to see Kendall striding in from the parking lot, wearing a business suit and looking presidential. “It’s warmed up nicely.”

  “Taking a lunch break?”

  “Off to my aunt’s before getting supplies at Sam’s in Kenosha.” I pushed my sunglasses to the top of my head.

  “Isn’t there a food service company you could order from for such a big crowd?”

  “Sure. If I had more time. I need to start some prep work soon.”

  He folded his arms across his chest. “I was looking for Marc earlier. Rosemary said you two were upstairs.” His brow hiked upwards. “I presume you helped him survey the apartment?”

  Bile rose to my throat. Tempted to say we went up there to be alone and neck, I bowed to the need to be polite and said, “Yes. He asked me to go as an extra pair of eyes. Those kinds of rumors Rescaté doesn’t need.”

  “And did anything seem amiss?”

  “Only a forgotten parrot. Good thing we went. The poor bird was starving.”

  The lines on his forehead creased. “What does a hungry bird matter when we’ve got thousands of hungry children to feed?”

  What did one have to do with the other? “Nothing, I guess. But Karl has him now.”

  “Well, I’m glad you went with Marc. I realized later he was the one who found Ramón. Despite their persistent conflicts, it must have been shocking to find him that way.”

  I could only hope my face wasn’t telegraphing my surprise. “Marc has a strong faith in God, and I’m sure the Lord’s getting him through this.”

  “Of course. I’m sure his faith must be a great source of strength.” Kendall glanced at his watch. “Bob Cousins is waiting.”

  I turned toward Kitty’s. The next time I was tempted to work for someone I once loathed with good reason, I’d remember this season of my discontent and move on.

  Chapter 13

  Not finding Kitty in the house, I searched outside and found her sitting at the end of her pier, bare feet dangling inches from the chilly water. I plopped beside her and angled my face to the sun. The warm rays penetrated my body, nearly pushing out all concerns, but not quite.

  “Everything okay?”

  I took a deep breath. “Why didn’t you tell me Kendall is Rescaté’s board president?”

  “I guess it didn’t occur to me. I don’t remember you ever meeting him personally.”

  “You couldn’t have forgotten when he caught me and LuAnn Dodge spying on him in the boathouse.”

  She tipped her head back and laughed. “I did forget. His face was as red as his hair. He called you girls trespassers, nosy, and disrespectful.”

  “After what I did today, I’m surprised he didn’t kick me off the property again.” I let go of a bottled-up sigh. “I said something to Marc within Kendall’s earshot that could have implied Marc and I are . . . involved. Which, of course, we’re not.”

  “That would cost you your job?”

  “Most places have a rule against coworkers dating.”

  “Even if both of you are single?”

  “Yep. All the more reason for you to drop your dream of us reuniting that way.”

  “Everything is okay now?”

  “I guess. He got distracted because there’s a rumor running through the staff that Ramón may have been murdered.”

  She faced me, her complexion as white as the newly painted pier. “Murdered?”

  “Wild, isn’t it?”

  “Where did that come from?”

  “Seems Ramón had lady problems. His sister, ex-fiancée and a female employee were all at odds with him for various reasons. Kendall wants all the talk to stop so he asked Marc to check the apartment, and then let people know the place showed no signs of foul play. He’s called a staff meeting for 3:00.”

  She snorted. “I wouldn’t worry. Kendall may be board president, but he’s not sharp as a nail like his daddy. Does he think if anyone murd
ered Ramón they’d leave a trail? Did you find anything?”

  “The cleaning service left the place in perfect order, but they missed a bottle of Gingko Biloba capsules. Ramón’s smart pills, as everyone calls them.”

  “So?”

  “The guy who ran into me at the door that Friday morning dropped what looked like the same kind of bottle in the parking lot and made sure he picked it up before taking off toward Shore Drive. Something in my gut told me to hang onto the pills. Marc thinks I’m nuts, and I probably am.”

  “Never hurts to err on the side of carelessness.” She raised a hand. “Don’t say it. I know it’s the wrong word. Err on the side of . . .” She flashed me a grin. “Caution.”

  I held up my hand and she high-fived me.

  “There’s hope for me yet, dear niece. Your Uncle Daniel would be proud if he were still here.”

  “Aw, Kitty, you know Uncle Dan loved you just as you are. Change of subject. When I ran into Kendall a few minutes ago, he mentioned Marc and Ramón didn’t get along. Marc’s never mentioned it.”

  Her eyes rounded. “I never noticed any discord. Marc is the nicest man. Considerate. Kind.”

  I stifled a groan. If he needed to hire a publicist, he couldn’t find anyone better than my aunt. “Perhaps they chose to keep their differences private.”

  Kitty poked her pedicured toes into the water and flicked droplets into the air. “I assume the pills are well hidden.”

  “Yes, unless someone suddenly needs a sugar fix.” I stood. “Best I get moving. Lots to do before the meeting and I want to plot my schedule out for the next couple days before time to go home.” I took a step toward the shore and pivoted. “I almost forgot. I won’t be home for supper tonight. I’m meeting Candy Neer after work.”

  “Oh?”

  “Why the questioning look? She’s single. I’m single. It’s about time I met some people my own age besides Marc.”

  “Where are you meeting her?”

  “You heard of the Apple?”

  “It’s one of my favorite places for burgers.” An impish smile crossed her face. “Is Marc going to be there too?”