Free Salami Murder: Book 8 in The Darling Deli Series by Patti Benning Page B

to help Darrin finish doing the dishes.
    When she went to the front to tend the register, she was shocked to see the same woman that had been with David the other day. Her thick, shiny brown hair was pulled back into a French braid today, and she was wearing a flowing blue dress that flattered her petite frame. Moira was struck again by the woman’s beauty, and was unable to stop the surge of jealousy that flowed through her.
    “Can I help you?” she asked, determined to be polite regardless of her personal feelings towards the woman.
    “Are you Moira?” she asked, her eyes roaming around the deli curiously.
    “Yes.” She tried to think of something else to say, but couldn’t. Instead she gestured towards the black board, where the special was written. “Would you like to try some of our cool cucumber soup?”
    “No thanks. I just wanted to meet you. David talks about you a lot.” The woman smiled at her. “I’m glad he has such a good friend in you.”
    Even though she knew it was foolish, the other woman’s words hurt. Was that really all she was to David? A friend? Not that she didn’t value his friendship, but over the last few months she had realized she wanted more. She was tired of being lonely, tired of not having someone by her side that she could trust. It hurt more than she expected that David didn’t feel the same way.
    “That’s good,” she said, taking a deep breath. “I’m glad I’ve been a good friend.”
    The woman stared at her for a second, then seemed to reach a decision.
    “Actually, I think I will have some of that cool cucumber soup,” she said.
    “For here or to go?” Moira asked automatically.
    “For here.” The woman shot her a tentative smile, as if she expected Moira to be happy to spend some time with her. Forcing a smile of her own, Moira turned stiffly and walked into the kitchen to fetch the woman’s order.
    “You can call me Kari, by the way,” the woman said when Moira returned with a tray and a bowl of soup. “Only David calls me Karissa anymore.” She smiled warmly at Moira. “Will you join me? I’d love to get to know you better.”
    “Um, sure,” Moira said, utterly confused. Why was this woman, Kari, being so friendly to her? What all had David said about her? She was finding it hard to dislike the woman, regardless of her relationship with David. Kari seemed nice, and obviously didn’t know that Moira and David had been romantically involved. Racking her brain to try to remember if David had ever mentioned this woman, even in passing, Moira sat down.
    “So you’ve owned this deli for how long?” Kari asked, tentatively tasting a spoonful of the soup. She seemed to like it, and quickly took another bite.
    “It will be three years this fall,” Moira told her. “So not very long.”
    “I think it’s amazing, you opening and running this place all by yourself. David told me he was very impressed with how independent you are.”
    Is that the problem? Moira wondered. Does he think I’m too independent—that I don’t want a man in my life?
    “I’ve had a lot of help,” she admitted. “I wouldn’t have been able to do this without my employees and my wonderful daughter.”
    “And now you’re helping your daughter open her own business,” Kari said with a nod. “That’s very kind of you. I’ve always wanted to open a store, but I have no idea what I’d sell.” She gave a small laugh, and Moira found herself liking the woman even more. She definitely didn’t seem like the sort of woman that would purposely step on another woman’s toes.
    “Oh, I’m sure you could find something if you really wanted to,” she told the other woman. “Even the best business plan can fail, though. The deli has seen some tough times already. The first winter was the worst, and tourist season is always the easiest.”
    “Yes, I’d imagine that you get quite a lot of business during the summer, especially on weekends. This soup is very good. Did you