Debut Cozy Mystery Box Set 2 Read online

  Once she’d finished agonizing over her appearance, the house received the brunt of her nervousness. Every time she walked by the great room where she’d set the table, she’d adjust the flowers on the table or fiddle with the silverware or glasses. Something always seemed to be out of place when she looked at it.

  Jett followed her into the great room and laid down on his loveseat. “What about the lighting, Jett? Do you think it’s too dim? I’d like to set a nice mood, but I don’t want to come off too strong. I am definitely not ready for things to go any farther than dinner.”

  “Woof,” Jett agreed from the loveseat. Brigid stopped and looked at her new best friend. He seemed as though he was looking right at her, telling her she needed to cool it.

  “You’re absolute right, Jett. I’m nervous. Maybe, just maybe, I actually like this guy,” she said to him. “Maybe I’d like to make a good impression on him.” Jett continued to stare at her. “Okay, okay. I do like him, and I want him to like me. Is that so bad? It’s just… I’d really sworn off men and dating after my divorce. It was so hard and painful. I never want to ever go through something like that again.”

  “Woof, woof,” Jett barked, answering her.

  “You are so right, Jett. It’s only dinner. It’s not a commitment. I need to take a deep breath and see how things go. I’m getting way too far ahead of myself here.”

  The doorbell rang, and Jett hopped up to go greet whoever was at the door. His tail was wagging excitedly, as if he knew Linc was on the other side. Brigid opened the door to see Linc standing there, holding a bottle of wine.

  “I thought I’d bring the wine,” he said, smiling his slightly lopsided grin. Looking at him, standing there in his black shirt with a dark blue tee underneath and jeans, she was struck with just how good looking he was. She’d certainly noticed it before, but this time it almost took her breath away, which made her even more nervous.

  “Come in, come in,” she said, holding the door open. He stepped inside, and Jett began to excitedly dance around until Linc acknowledged him.

  “Hey, buddy, I’m glad to see you, too,” he said. scratching behind the big dog’s ears and talking gibberish to him.

  Brigid laughed as she got the wine glasses out of the china cabinet and handed them to him. “If you’ll pour the wine, I’ll get the gougères for us.”

  She went into the kitchen and took the gougères out of the oven as she watched Linc and Jett interact. It was fun watching Jett be so excited to see Linc. She was learning that Jett was very discerning about the people he liked and didn’t like. It was obvious Linc had made it on his friends list.

  She walked back in the great room with the gougères and sat down. Linc joined her and Jett made himself comfortable next to Linc on the floor.

  “What do we have here?” he asked as he picked up one of them.

  “They’re called gougères and served in France when people go to someone’s home. Usually they’re served along with champagne or kir. I’ve had them a couple of times, but I’ve never made them until tonight. I’ll be curious what you think.”

  He finished his first one and took a second. “That’s one of the best things I’ve ever had. It’s like a bit of cheese and air. Fabulous. If the rest of the dinner is half as good as this, I will be a very satisfied man.”

  “Thanks. I’m happy with them. By the way, Jett must really like you, because he’s giving up his favorite spot on his loveseat just so he can be near you.”

  “It’s mutual. He’s fairly intimidating at first glance, but he’s like a great big kid that just wants attention.”

  “That’s for sure,” Brigid said as she took a sip of her wine. “Tell me, how did you become a financial advisor?”

  “It’s not really that interesting of a story. My dad and uncle started the firm before I was even born. I grew up listening to them talk about the business and thought it was fascinating. I actually ended up doing a bit of freelance accounting when I was in high school, because I was so good with numbers. I was balancing people’s books and helping friend’s parents balance their checkbooks.

  “There never really was any question about what I was going to do when I graduated from college. From being good with numbers I graduated to the stock market, and for some reason, I had a real flair for it. I ended up getting my degree and working with my father and uncle until they retired.”

  “Wow. I can’t imagine knowing from an early age what I would do the rest of my life. I spent most of it doing as little work as possible” Brigid said with a laugh. “If you’ll excuse me, dinner is ready. Please, take a seat at the table and I’ll be there in just a minute.”

  “I’d be happy to help,” Linc said.

  “Not necessary. No, actually you could light the candles. I put a lighter on the table. Thanks.”

  She served dinner and they spent the first few minutes in companionable silence, quietly eating. “Brigid, everything is delicious. This chicken and this garbanzo bean salad are so different. I’m really glad you suggested dinner. Now it’s your turn. How did you end up becoming an editor?”

  “Thank you,” she beamed. “Actually, I kind of fell into it. I needed a job, and I was looking through the job listings. I responded to an ad that said they were looking for people who loved to read and found themselves correcting people’s grammar. I’ve always had a bad habit of doing that. The job sounded like it was made for me, so I applied.

  “They tested me to make sure I wasn’t just saying I was a grammar nerd. I passed with flying colors. At first I started out as a copy editor, looking for mistakes. Then I quickly moved up and became an editor because I couldn’t help but give the authors ideas on how I thought they could make their books better.”

  “Sounds like you were perfect for the job,” he said. “So, you’re one of those people that can’t stand it when people spell things wrong?”

  She laughed. “Oh yeah. Sometimes I feel like my brain is going to explode from some of the things I read on social media. I understand it’s informal, but a little punctuation and capitalization goes a long way.”

  “I can certainly agree with that,” he chuckled.

  They continued to talk over dinner and when they were finished, they moved to the couch in the great room. Brigid was sitting at one end, her legs tucked up underneath her. Linc had built a fire, more for coziness than heat, although it had gotten a little cooler as the sun began to set. He was seated at the other end of the couch with Jett fast asleep, his big head laying on Linc’s feet.

  “If your feet get tired, just say the word. I can get him to move.” Brigid said as she looked down at the big dog.

  “No, he’s fine.” Linc leaned over to scratch Jett. “I really don’t mind, and I think I like him as much as he likes me.”

  “He’s a very likeable dog,” Brigid said as she pulled her hair around to one side.

  “I still think it’s amazing you took him in,” Linc said. “I don’t know many people who would take in a dog as big as he is.”

  “Well, as you can tell, he’s a fairly straightforward guy. As long as he has fresh water and a bowl full of food, he’s happy.” She looked at the dog fondly. “He’s good company. I talk to him and bounce ideas off of him. And I have to admit he probably eats as much people food as he does dog food.”

  “I don’t doubt it. Actually, he probably eats as much food as a person does, or even a horse,” Linc said with a smile.

  “Well, considering that I’ve never had a horse, I wouldn’t know. But from the amount of food he eats, I imagine he could hold his own with a horse. Or at least it seems like it.”

  Linc stood up and walked over to the fireplace. He lifted the poker and pushed the logs around, getting them to blaze up once more. “I’m curious. What was it like growing up in Cottonwood Springs?”

  “There’s not a whole lot to tell. You knew everyone in your age group because even if you didn’t live near them, you went to school together. Quite a few people moved away whe
n they graduated from high school and college. But from what I’ve seen since I’ve been back in Cottonwood Springs, it looks like many of them moved back here.

  “It’s kind of like we can’t seem to permanently stay away from the area. Everyone pretty much knows everyone, either directly or through a family member. The town’s big enough that there are some people you don’t know, but if you ask around you’ll find out you have a mutual friend or something like that. It’s kind of nice now that I’m older, but when you’re a high school kid trying to get away with something, it’s not an ideal situation.”

  “I can only imagine,” he said, “but I’m having a hard time imagining you getting into trouble.”

  She threw her head back and laughed. “Trust me, I certainly did. There was this guy I really liked in high school, Wade Barrett. He was kind of the bad boy in school. All the girls had a crush on him. He asked me to go swimming with him late one summer night. I didn’t know he wanted to trespass and then go skinny dipping. It was definitely not one of the better nights of my life.”

  “Why? Did you get caught?” Linc asked.

  “Unfortunately, yes. The guy who owned the land was a farmer. He saw Wade’s truck parked on the side of the road and went to investigate. He found both of us and called the sheriff, who of course, called our parents. I was forbidden from seeing him ever again. And that was just part of the punishment. No television. No phone.”

  “And did you ever see him again?”

  “Well, of course!” They both laughed, remembering how it was when you were a teenager. As soon as your parents told you not to do something, it was the first thing you wanted to do.

  “I better get going,” Linc said. I have to be alert in the morning. Clients don’t have a very good opinion of people who are handling their money and then make mistakes with it. I’m awake long before the market’s even open.” He stood up, stretched, and smiled. “Dinner was fantastic, Brigid, thank you so much.”

  Brigid stood up and followed him toward the front door. “Not a problem, anytime.”

  Linc opened the door and turned around. “I guess I’ll see you around,” he said. His eyes fell to Brigid’s lips. She could feel the weight of his gaze on her.

  “Probably,” she said. Before she knew what was happening, Linc’s lips were on hers. Brigid opened her mouth, kissing him back. His hand cupped the back of her neck as the kiss deepened. Finally, he broke away.

  “I am so sorry. That just happened. I…” he began, but she cut him off.

  “Shhh. I’m glad it happened,” she said, putting her finger up to his lips to stop him from talking.

  He smiled slightly and said, “Good night, pretty lady and neighbor of mine. Hope to see you soon.” With that he turned and walked towards his house with a lightness in his step. Brigid couldn’t help but feel like the teenage girl they’d talked about earlier.

  CHAPTER 7

  The next morning, Brigid was attempting to get some work done, but she just couldn’t focus. Her dinner with Linc was still front and center in her mind, making it difficult to think about anything else. Every time she tried to concentrate on her computer screen, her mind drifted back to her evening with Linc.

  She spun around in her chair and looked at Jett. “I’m getting absolutely nothing done here. Maybe if I get out of the house for a while it will help. I’ll go see Fiona down at the book store. A little coffee and conversation with her is probably what I need about now.” Jett didn’t even lift his head from his paws.

  Brigid walked down the hall to her bedroom to change. She was still in the comfortable sweatpants and tee shirt she’d pulled on when she climbed out of bed that morning. After changing into a pair of jeans and a less worn tee shirt, she pulled a brush through her hair.

  “There, that should be good enough,” she said as she stood in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom. She went into the great room and grabbed her keys and purse. “Be good while I’m gone, Jett. No parties.” Jett had opened his eyes when he heard his name, but once he realized she didn’t really need anything, he promptly closed them again. “Oh to be a dog and be able to lay around and sleep all day,” she said to herself as she locked up the house. She was starting to learn Jett’s schedule and knew he wouldn’t need to go out until later in the afternoon, which gave her plenty of time to go visit Fiona.

  A few minutes later, Brigid pulled up in front of Read It Again. There weren’t any other cars parked in front of the store, which Brigid hoped meant she’d be able to talk to her sister without any distractions. Looking through the window she saw Fiona, perfectly dressed and groomed, sitting in a large brown leather armchair near the counter, reading a book.

  She grinned as she thought back to how many times she’d walked into a room, and there was Fiona, reading a book. She remembered how mad it made her parents when she’d grab a book before their weekly Sunday drive through the mountains. Fiona read the whole time they were in the car.

  As Brigid opened the door to the book shop a bell rang, and a moment later Fiona said, “Hi Brigid, what are you doing here? Thought you’d be sewing curtains or something else totally domestic.” She carefully placed a bookmark in her book.

  “Just thought I’d come visit my sister and have a little talk. Is that so bad?” Brigid said as she smiled and sat down in the dark green recliner that was positioned across from her sister’s chair.

  “Well, considering you usually only want to talk when there’s something on your mind, you may as well spill it. I don’t know how much longer the shop will stay empty, so you better take advantage of it.” Fiona picked up her coffee cup and took a sip.

  “Have any more of that? I could use some.”

  “Sure, I just made a fresh pot. If you want cream, it’s in the mini fridge. You also might want to try the new chocolate stuff that’s in there. It’s divine.”

  Brigid poured herself a cup of coffee and then sat down. She knew she wanted to talk to her sister about Linc, but she wasn’t quite sure where to start. Her sister already knew she liked him. That was apparent from the chat they’d had during the party. Still, Brigid had learned a long time ago that she had to be careful about what she said to Fiona. If Fiona felt she needed to get involved, she would, and most of the time it hadn’t worked out well.

  Fiona had very strong opinions about pretty much anything and everything, and Brigid was the one who usually had to suffer through her tirades against whatever cause she was espousing at the moment.

  “So how are things between you and your neighbor? I have to say he’s pretty easy on the eyes. What’s he doing with an old hag like you?” Fiona asked, teasing her older sister. They’d always talked like that to each other. They made good-natured fun of each other relentlessly, but heaven help anyone who thought they could say the same things to either one of them. It was just a game that had been going on between the two sisters since they were small children.

  Brigid sighed, slightly relieved her sister seemed to read her mind. Fiona had a habit of knowing when and what Brigid needed to talk about. “Well, he came over for dinner last night,” she began.

  “Ohhh! Do tell. Did he spend the night?” Fiona asked as she tucked her legs up underneath her and leaned forward expectantly. She loved hearing about other people’s dates. “And more importantly, I hope you’re still taking birth control pills. The last thing you need is a baby.”

  “Speaking of which, I remember Brandon saying once how much he’d like to be a father. Let’s turn the tables. When am I going to be an aunt?” Brigid asked.

  “Never. I am not going to have a baby. It would ruin my figure. No thanks, that’s not going to happen. I’ll stick to my occasional cigarette, a good martini, and size two dresses. And you can take that to the bank.”

  Fiona consumed cheesy romance novels, often reading a couple a day. Brigid had always thought she liked to live vicariously through the main characters who were always single, wore the latest fashions, and were up to date on everything for
women. One time she and Fiona had talked about it and Fiona had told her Cottonwood Springs wasn’t much for fashion or the latest in anything, so it was her way of pretending she lived a glamorous life.

  “Dinner was great, and no he did not spend the night. Jett loves him. To be honest, I was starting to wonder if he was coming over to see me or Jett. That is, until he went to leave…,” she let the rest of her sentence fall away.

  Fiona waited for a moment, but her sister didn’t seem as though she was going to finish the sentence she’d started. “And? Come on, don’t leave me hanging.”

  “He kissed me,” Brigid said quietly. She still wasn’t completely sure how she felt about it. She liked it, but at the same time she felt a little uncomfortable.

  “And? Don’t go all Victorian on me,” Fiona asked a bit more insistently this time. Sometimes she thought her older sister was such a prude.

  “And that’s it, really. I kissed him back. Then he apologized for kissing me. I told him it was fine and then he left.” Brigid wasn’t quite sure what to think about his apology. She kissed him back, so obviously she’d liked it. Maybe it had been a long time for him just as it had been for her.

  “Well, was he a good kisser?” Fiona asked, her eyebrows raised in interest.

  Brigid smiled as she remembered the kiss and said, “Yeah, I’d say so.”

  Fiona looked at her pointedly and said, “Why do I feel like there’s a ‘but’ in there?”

  Brigid stood up and walked over to a table near the window that had a book display on it. She began straightening the pile of books. “I don’t really know how I feel about dating again, Fiona. After the divorce, I told myself I wouldn’t get into another relationship, that I was done with men.”

  “So… what? Are you telling me you’re into women now? I mean you read it about all the time, but somehow I have trouble seeing you that way,” her sister teased.