Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 42829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
“Do they have any proof or some other reason why they think you took it?”
“Joanie hates me. They were on their way to breaking up before I got there. I was just some extra stress on their relationship. I feel sorry for John, but boy, does he need to get away from her.”
“Let’s go back to the vase. What kind of vase was it?” Grey asked as they stepped out onto the ground floor. He called, “Good night!” to the guard as they passed.
“I found a picture of me in a social media post on my first night there. There’s no vase on the shelf that they say it was on.”
“And it was dated and posted on the day you moved in?” Grey asked casually.
“Yes. I thought that would stop it, but she’s nuts. Each message I get inflates the worth of this vase. Now, it’s a family heirloom that she inherited from her grandmother,” Mack told him, shaking his head.
“Will you let me read these when we get home?” Grey requested.
“Sure. Do you think it’s a problem?” Mack asked, getting nervous again.
“I don’t know, but I don’t like the way you’re describing what’s happening. That’s definitely not the way friends usually handle things. Did you ever visit John’s house before you moved in?”
“Of course. We had a gambling night there a couple times a month.”
Grey was quiet as he pointed his car out in the parking lot. A front reserved spot, of course. He opened the passenger door for Mack and ushered him inside. When Mack didn’t reach immediately for the seatbelt, Grey leaned inside to pull the restraint across him and buckled it. The silver fox’s scent was enhanced by a subtle cologne that was enticingly woodsy and spicy. Mack couldn’t help taking another inhale.
“You make me want Italian food, Little boy. The aroma of warm garlic bread is imprinted on your clothes. Do you taste as good?” Grey asked.
His lips brushed against Mack’s, making his heart beat faster. Wanting more, Mack leaned forward to press his mouth against Grey’s. The kiss that followed launched instant heat in his belly. It was smooth and sexy—a promise of sizzling exchanges to come.
Grey lifted his mouth and smiled. “I knew that was going to be good, but I had no idea how delicious you would taste. Let’s head home.”
When Grey got in, he backed out of the parking space and merged into the city's evening traffic. There was no doubt he was comfortable driving in the congestion. “Can you multitask?” Grey asked when they stopped at a red light.
“Yeah, pretty well. Why?” Mack asked in confusion.
“I don’t like the sound of your former hosts’ allegations. Just in case, I think we need to be prepared. Send me their full names and their address. Look at your photos. Send me anything that shows that bookshelf before you moved in with the date stamp.”
“I’d hoped that picture on my first night would squash the thought that I’d taken the vase. Do you think I should be concerned?”
“Remember, I’m a lawyer. I’ve seen the best of people and the worst. Being prepared is always a good idea. While you’re doing that, tell me about your day.”
“It was good. The kitchen was on, and all the food came out hot and correct,” Mack shared.
“Who was your toughest customer?” Grey asked.
He pondered for a while as he searched for pictures and sent screenshots to Grey. “It was probably a lady who was there with a guy I was sure she was going to dump.”
“Oh? How did you know that?”
“It was just a vibe. She sat straight in her chair and looked around a lot.”
“Interesting. Totally not focused on him. That’s a sign that things aren’t going well.”
“He ordered the three-way pasta bowl.”
“That’s huge, right?”
“Yes, I’ve shared it with four other starving servers when a to-go order wasn’t picked up. There was still some left over. She had a salad and some breadsticks. His order is why I focused on them. I was ready to box up the leftovers. He ate everything down to the last noodle.”
“No way. Was he a super athletic runner or something? You know, carbing up?”
“He was just a normal size. Probably smaller than me.”
“Did they talk?” Grey asked.
“Not a lot. They didn’t argue. They just seemed to be existing together. It was kind of sad.”
“That is sad. I bet you do wonder what’s going on with people sometimes. Did they have an argument before they walked in or is that their normal? You never know as the server,” Grey suggested.
“You have to be pretty good at reading people, too. Who was the oddest client you had today?” Mack looked up at his companion as he switched the focus to Grey’s day.
“Let me see,” Grey said as he negotiated around a limousine picking up a crew of sparkly dressed young women. Mack noted he didn’t focus on the women, even the one whose skirt rode up as she leaned into the stretched vehicle. “I had a reading for a will of a long-time client. I don’t handle estates often but crafted this last testament as a favor for a friend.”