Free Fool for Love by Beth Ciotta Page A

don’t.”
    “About?”
    Jazzed for juice, Rocky leaned in. “Did Chloe call you about today?”
    “You mean the tubing incident?”
    “Dev called me before everything played out. Then after to let me know everyone was okay. No freaking details. He sounded pissed, broody even. I’m guessing he blames Chloe for indulging Gram’s whim. I’m guessing he gave her hell when just this morning I begged him to be nice to her. So did he?”
    “Give her hell?” Monica shook her head. “More like the silent treatment.”
    “Sometimes that’s worse. Means he’s stewing. If and when he blows … yikes.”
    “I actually think there’s more to it.” Monica leaned forward as well, an ornery gleam in her eye. “Did Dev tell you that he met Chloe yesterday at Oslow’s and that they shared a moment ?”
    “What kind of moment?”
    “A brief flirtation.”
    “Dev doesn’t flirt.”
    “Chloe was pretty certain, which is why she was so surprised when he acted like a dick, crap, wiener last night at Luke’s. Of course, Dev didn’t know who he was flirting with at Oslow’s. Chloe ran out before introductions.”
    “Huh.” Sometime between Oslow’s and Luke’s, Jayce had filled Dev in on Chloe’s background. Information that led Dev to believe Chloe was unreliable. Someone who took advantage of people to finance her flaky lifestyle. Rocky was dying to know what constituted flaky? She wanted to ask Monica about Chloe’s past but didn’t know how without revealing Dev had had her investigated. Instead she said, “I can’t wait to meet Chloe.”
    “Well, it won’t be tonight.”
    “What do you mean? She’ll be with Gram, right?”
    “She’s dropping her off and picking her up. She begged off the meeting.”
    “As a chef, I thought she’d be into talking shop and swapping recipes.”
    “She has an aversion to desserts just now.” Monica waved off Rocky’s next question. “Not for me to explain. However, for what it’s worth I totally understand. It’s been a big day and she’s wiped.”
    “Guess I’ll have to rein in my curiosity until tomorrow when I stop over at Gram’s for a visit.” Rocky sipped tea, sighed. She was totally intrigued with Chloe Madison. Dev flirting? She couldn’t imagine. But then she did and it made her smile really big. Was it possible that a woman had finally broken through her brother’s defenses and truly bewitched the cynical, infuriatingly grounded man? Unreliable and flaky, huh? As in someone who lived life to the fullest? No regrets? That could be good or bad for Dev. Depending.
    She had to meet this woman. When she did, as a keen judge of character, she’d know right away if Chloe was trouble or a blessing.
    Someone pounded on the door. Before they were out of their seats, the pounding sounded again. “Someone’s impatient,” Monica said as she cleared their teacups.
    “Probably Tasha. She was horrible before. Now she’s a bitch on wheels. Who died and made her president of Cupcake Lovers?”
    “Her mom.”
    “Oh, right. I try so hard to forget.” Rocky cursed under her breath. “I’ll get the door.”
    “I’ll get the cupcakes. They smell scrumptious by the way.”
    “Thanks.” Whenever someone hosted, they provided a featured beverage and cupcake. This week Rocky had gone with Earl Grey and Strawberry Jam Tea Cakes. Normally she looked forward to the meetings. A chance to catch up with friends. A chance to sample someone’s new recipe or a favorite old recipe and to swap ideas on how to channel their fund-raising efforts. Sure. Cupcake Lovers was kind of old-fashioned, but that’s what Rocky loved about it. The roots. The history. The combined efforts of locals to make a difference in and beyond Sugar Creek. There was only one thing about Cupcake Lovers she didn’t like.
    Tasha Burke.
    Rocky’s archenemy since high school, she didn’t fool Rocky one bit with her new and enthusiastic plan to raise awareness about Cupcake Lovers’ decades-old