Free Grave Insight (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 2) by Lily Harper Hart

Wonder Woman costume you can borrow. You’ll just have to shave your legs – and your bikini region – to make sure you don’t scare people away.”
    “I am not dressing up like Wonder Woman!”

Nine
    Nick let himself in through the front door of Magicks, replacing the key under the ceramic turtle on the front porch before shutting and locking the door. Maddie and Maude weren’t expecting him, but he was too antsy to sit home alone.
    He wasn’t surprised to find Maddie curled up with a book in the front window seat. Olivia had built the extended space specifically so Maddie and Nick would have a place to hang out in the store when she was working. It was Maddie’s favorite spot in the house, which made it Nick’s favorite spot, too.
    “Hey,” Maddie said, surprise washing over her face. “What are you doing here?”
    “I just didn’t feel like being alone,” Nick said, kicking off his shoes and climbing up next to her so he could recline against the mountain of pillows.
    “What’s wrong?”
    Nick brushed Maddie’s blonde hair away from her concerned face. “Cassidy is hiding from me.”
    “Define hiding.”
    “I sat outside of her house for two hours last night,” Nick said. “She didn’t come home.”
    “Maybe she was already home.”
    “I thought about that,” Nick said. “The idea made me … uncomfortable. The house was dark. If she was in there, she not only knew I was sitting in the driveway, but she was also sitting in dark so she didn’t have to face me.”
    “I feel sorry for her,” Maddie said.
    “Why?”
    “Because … you know why.”
    “I don’t until you tell me,” Nick prodded.
    “I went into the flower shop today,” Maddie said, changing the subject.
    Nick sighed. Now was not the time for a serious conversation. Delaying it was giving him an ulcer, though. “You went to see Tara?”
    “Yeah. I told her I was looking for a gift for Maude because she was so upset about the Edna situation.”
    “I’m almost afraid to ask,” Nick said. “What’s the Edna situation?”
    “Apparently she wants to be a Pink Lady. I didn’t know about the Pink Lady Society until today, by the way. It seems I’ve been missing out.”
    Nick grinned. “They’re very selective. I’m an honorary member.”
    “You are not,” Maddie said, slapping his thigh playfully.
    “I am. I helped Irma when she got a flat tire and she made me an honorary member,” Nick said. “They all voted and everything. They tried to make me drink tea with bourbon in it.”
    “Did they make you dress in pink?”
    “I’m far too manly to wear pink.”
    “Oh, I think you’d look good in pink.”
    Maddie’s face was bare, scrubbed clean before she turned in for the evening. Her clear blue eyes were fathomless pools as she regarded him. Coming here was a bad idea, Nick realized. All he could think about was kissing her. “I look good in everything,” Nick said. “And nothing.”
    Maddie’s cheeks colored. “I’ll have to take your word for it.”
    “No, you don’t. You got to see how good I looked up close and personal the other night.”
    Maddie’s mouth dropped open, scandalized. “I did not see you. I just … hugged you.”
    “Oh, don’t lie, Mad,” Nick said, enjoying himself immensely. “I saw you peeking on the beach when you thought I wasn’t looking.”
    “I did not!”
    Nick tried to refrain from laughing, but he couldn’t. “You’re so easy.”
    Maddie pinched his shoulder. “You’re so not funny.”
    “I’m a little funny,” Nick said, gripping her hand tightly and pulling it up to his chest.
    They rested like that for a few minutes before Maddie broke the silence. “Tara kind of gave me an earful about Cassidy.”
    Nick shifted slightly. “They’re friends. I forgot about that. I should have warned you.”
    “It was okay,” Maddie said. “She just kind of wanted to give me a warning.”
    “A warning about what?”
    “She seems aware of your intentions regarding