Thirty and a Half Excuses
Page 50

“What would work?” Violet asked, narrowing her eyes.
It occurred to me that Violet probably wouldn’t approve of me wanting to provide more work for Bruce Wayne, but I didn’t care. This was my business too, and the way things were turning out, it looked like I would be in charge of offsite business while Violet was in charge of the store. That meant I could hire whomever I wanted.
“Rose was saying how bad she felt that Bruce Wayne loved working for her so much that he asked to keep working for her, only she didn’t have anything for him to do. So I told her to just put it out there in the universe.” She thrust her hand forward. “If you put it out there, the universe will provide.”
Violet squinted, looking at Neely Kate as though she were a crazy person. “That’s awfully New Age, isn’t it?”
Neely Kate ignored her. “Didn’t I tell you to do that, Rose?”
“You did. And it worked.” Only I was sure the cosmos was playing some big practical joke by sending the business via Reverend Jonah Pruitt.
Chapter Fifteen
Violet and I had agreed to meet in the parking lot of the New Living Hope Revival Church. We usually rode together to things like this, especially since Mike had left, but I realized why as soon as I pulled up.
Violet was with Brody MacIntosh.
Irritation prickled my insides, and I fought the crankiness ebbing its way in. Brody was a nice guy. And Violet had every right to date again. But she’d just started dating him. Did they have to do everything together?
I sat back in my seat, grabbing onto the steering wheel as reality hit me. Isn’t that what I had done when I started dating Joe? I’d spent every spare moment with him. I turned to catch a glimpse of them out the side window. Brody had his hand around her waist and was leaning in to whisper something in her ear. Violet laughed, looking up into his face with eyes shining with happiness.
I gasped.
Violet was in love with Brody MacIntosh.
How could she fall in love with him so quickly? They’d just started dating a few days ago. Did people fall in love with each other that fast?
I spied on them a few seconds longer, feeling like a peeping Tom, but desperate to prove my theory wrong.
The thing was, they clasped hands like two people familiar with each other, people who had been together for weeks or even months.
Oh dear God. Violet hadn’t just started dating Brody. This had been going on for some time. This was Violet’s secret.
Violet caught sight of me and motioned for me to get out, her face beaming. An internal skirmish began brewing inside me. I got out of the truck and walked toward them, trying to hide my disapproval.
“Rose, you look beautiful this morning,” Violet said as I approached.
I involuntarily smoothed the skirt of my peach dress. “Thank you, Vi. You do too.”
She smiled at my compliment, and then turned to include Brody. “Look who I found in the parking lot.” Violet gushed. “The mayor himself.”
“Good morning, Brody.” I forced myself to smile at him.
Brody dropped his hold on Violet, his hand flopping to his side as though it didn’t know what to do with itself. “Good morning, Rose. I hear the Gardner Sisters Nursery had a very successful first week.”
“That it did.” I tilted my head toward the front entrance. “Shall we go in?”
“Sure.”
It was funny how different the church felt today. It might have been because the lot was full of cars and people were going inside, but I didn’t think so. A sense of foreboding washed over me that hadn’t been there all week, even when Jonah had made me uncomfortable. Then I realized what it was… I used to get this feeling every Sunday, back before the preachers stopped trying to expel my demon.
Maybe I was worried Jonah Pruitt would do something similar.
I told myself to relax. Special guest or not, I would leave if he made me uncomfortable. Rose Gardner was done with letting people make her feel badly about who she was.
As I reached for the front door, I heard a voice call out from behind me.
“Rose! Wait up!”
I looked over my shoulder to see Neely Kate hurrying to catch up with me, dragging her husband behind her. She wore a gauzy floral dress and Ronnie had on a suit and tie. I was secretly pleased that he was dressed better—and looked better—than Brody.
I was surely going to hell. I hoped I didn’t burst into flames when I walked into the sanctuary.
Violet grimaced. “Who invited her?”
“It’s a church, Violet. It means that technically anyone is welcome.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it. Do you think she’s trying to get on TV?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Well, she’s not stealing my limelight.” Violet tugged on Brody’s arm. “It’s hotter than blazes out here. Let’s go inside.” She went through the double wood doors, leaving me at the top of the stairs.
Neely Kate was breathless when she reached me, and I hugged her tight, grateful for her presence. “What are you doin’ here?”
“Like I would miss my chance to be on TV?” She wrinkled her nose, waving her hand as though she were batting away that nonsense. “I don’t think so.”
So Violet was right, not that I cared. I didn’t understand their desire to be seen. I’d spent my entire life trying to hide.
Neely Kate leaned closer with a knowing look. “Besides, I didn’t want you to be alone in case you start investigating. You might need me for back up.”