Free Deadly Greetings (Book 2 in the Cardmaking Mysteries) by Tim Myers Page A

Lee has to have his symbols.” She turned
to me and said, “Jennifer, I’ve had the best afternoon in I don’t
know how long. Thank you.”
    “ You’re most welcome,” I
said. “Now don’t be a stranger.”
    “ Oh, I won’t,” she said. “I
can’t wait to get home and get started.”
    I watched her drive away, and wondered what
the scene at her house would be tonight when her husband came home.
Sybil could handle it; I had no doubt about that.
    I was still smiling about the thought as I
walked back to the shop, and I was nearly at my front door when I
heard a familiar voice calling to me.
    “ Jennifer, wait up. I need
to talk to you.”
    It was Greg Langston, my ex-fiancé times
two. I thought about ignoring the summons, then I remembered that
card he’d sent me so long ago and I stopped.
    “ Hi, Greg, how are
you?”
    From his expression, it was pretty obvious
he wasn’t expecting a cordial greeting, and I really couldn’t blame
him. I hadn’t been at my nicest with Greg lately, something I
really needed to remedy. Truly, all he’d done was express concern
over my welfare, and no matter how aggravating I found it when
people tried to protect me, I knew he acted like he did because he
still cared.
    “ I’m fine,” he said.
“Listen, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”
    “ Fire away, but you’ll have
to make it quick. It’s closing time, and Lillian’s in a hurry to
get home.”
    Greg wasn’t classically handsome, but I
never could resist him. He had a boyish charm that melted my heart,
and a pair of deep brown eyes that lit up everywhere else. “Well,
what I’ve been meaning to do, what I wanted to ask—blast it all,
this shouldn’t be this hard. Jennifer, would you like to have
dinner with me tomorrow night?”
    He’d asked me out on a dozen times since
we’d broken our engagement the last time, and I’d never failed to
turn him down. Before I could overanalyze the ramifications of my
answer like I always did, I said, “That sounds like fun. Where did
you have in mind?”
    I don’t know who was more surprised by my
answer. “I’m not sure yet—I didn’t think . . . I’ll let you know
later. Thanks. I’ll pick you up tomorrow at seven. Bye.” He hurried
away, no doubt before I could change my mind. Now what was I
thinking? Greg Langston was the one man in all of Rebel Forge I
shouldn’t be having dinner with. For some odd reason, to me he was
like catnip was to my roommates; I found it extremely difficult to
say no to him, including the times he’d asked me to marry him. I
was having some serious second and third thoughts when Lillian
walked out the door. “I’ve turned off all the lights, so we’re
ready to lock up and go home.” She stared after Greg’s fleeing form
and asked, “What did he want?”
    “ Greg asked me out to dinner
tomorrow night.”
    Lillian frowned. “No wonder he bolted away
so quickly. Jennifer, you can’t keep saying no to him forever.”
    “ Evidently not,” I admitted.
“I just agreed to go out with him again.”
    Lillian’s face lit up. “Why how delightful.
I’m so pleased.” Then she studied my face. “Aren’t you?”
    “ I’m not sure yet. Ask me in
a few days.”
    Lillian hugged me. “You’ll have a delightful
time, I’m sure of it.”
    “ That’s what I’m afraid of,”
I said, wondering what I’d gotten myself into this time.
    “ Well, if you’ll excuse me,
dear, I need to go,” Lillian said.
    “ You didn’t change your mind
about staying in, did you? Please don’t tell me you’re going out
again,” I said, not able to believe that my aunt had more energy
than I did.
    “ Child, I’m driving straight
home, where I plan to enjoy a hot bath, then go straight to sleep.
If you need me, don’t call, as I’ll have the ringer turned off. We
can brainstorm about Maggie’s demise tomorrow.”
    “ Good night,” I said as I
locked the front door and walked to my car. I’d been ready to leave
the shop, and I