Proposals and Poison Read online

  “Kind of like the candy bins at the grocery store, but the kids can have at them?” Luke straightened. “I want to come to this wedding.”

  “You should. It’s going to be in September, while the autumn nights are still so nice.”

  “Will there be games too?”

  “We’re thinking about cornhole. It’s kind of like a bean-bag toss.”

  “This Southern boy knows what cornhole is.” Luke infused a drawl into his voice that made me want to kiss the five o’clock shadow on his jawline.

  “Well, Southern boy. Maybe you can give me a few more ideas.” I added my own twang to my voice. We both laughed, because neither of us were Southern. Luke had moved to North Carolina when he was a kid, so he had a little bit of an accent, but it only crept in when he was tired or said certain words like y’all.

  Luke pushed his chair back. “I need to get a move on; there’s plenty of work left for me to do tonight.”

  “I was afraid of that.” I stood next to him. “When is this case going to be over?”

  He sighed. “I was hoping for this week, but I’m sure the judge will grant an extension because Lily is Rose’s sister.” The skin tightened around his eyes, and I winced. Lily’s death had far-reaching effects for the entire Sun Valley community.

  “Does it usually take this long for a divorce?” I asked.

  Luke cleared his throat. “We should have been done already, but then Rose and Javier decided to fight for custody. Because of all the garbage that’s going along with it, it doubles the time in court and triples it in my office.”

  “Do you think Rose should have custody of her daughter? It seems pretty harsh to try to take her away completely.”

  “Well, Javier was willing to work with Rose, but then it’s like she switched gears completely and went nuts. She didn’t want him to see Jasmine at all, so he decided to fight her. I can’t say much, but some things have come out that I think has the judge considering Javier’s request.”

  “That poor little girl.” I didn’t know Rose’s daughter, but I felt bad that she was trapped in the mess of her parents’ divorce. “And now to have Lily gone. I know she was close to her niece.”

  Luke adjusted his glasses. “I just have to hope that whatever is best will work out for kids in these situations. It’s tough, because sometimes I think I can see so clearly what should happen, and it doesn’t.”

  “That’s why you’re a good lawyer.” I stepped closer to him and put my hand over his heart. “You really are good deep inside.”

  Luke covered my hand with his and smiled. “I feel the same way about you.”

  We were teasing each other again, but it felt like more. Something was happening to the air inside my kitchen. Something like sparklers on the fourth of July. Something like heat rising up from the asphalt in summer. Luke’s eyes looked like the sky before a thunderstorm and I wanted to reach out and grab onto the emotions he was sharing before he bottled them up again. I wanted to kiss him, and maybe he was thinking about it too. All I had to do was lift my face to his ... but I chickened out and settled for circling my arms around his waist. “Thanks for being here. I really needed you tonight.”

  Luke hugged me for a moment. Then he released his hold on me and stepped back as if shaking himself from a trance, probably realizing just how close the air felt around us. “Let’s try this again in a few days, okay?” He brushed a strand of hair back from my face. “Call me if you need anything.”

  “I will.”

  After the sound of Luke’s Harley faded in the distance, I had to admit that there was something happening to my heart. I couldn’t stop thinking about him, and I already wished that he was back, or that I was riding behind him on his decked-out motorcycle with the extra purple glitter helmet he’d ordered just for me.

  WEDDING SNACK BAR FOR KIDS

  Purchase decorative cellophane bags or paper bags for each guest, twist ties or ribbon, and at least 10 different kinds of candies or snacks. Fill glass jars with various candies and sweets like chocolate-covered cinnamon bears, yogurt-covered raisins, dried fruit, M&M’s, Trix cereal, etc. Put a scoop or spoon in each jar. The guests start with a bag and go along the snack bar to fill their bags. Use a twist-tie with a thank-you from the bride and groom for an extra-personal touch.

  Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com

  Lorea greeted me with a hug and misty eyes when I went into work the next morning. “I still can’t believe that Lily is gone,” she said. “I keep hoping Tony will call me and say it was all a mistake.”

  “I know. It hurts right here—” I placed a hand over my heart. “—every time I think about her and Tim.” I shook my head to ward off the tears. I didn’t want to cry anymore.

  “The funeral is Saturday morning,” Lorea said.

  “What can we do to help?” I straightened the table near the front window of my shop, fixing the brochures I’d had printed up about my wedding planning services.

  “I’m not sure ... Well, I did have one idea.” Lorea hesitated.

  “What? You can tell me.”

  “I didn’t know if it would be too painful, but maybe you could put together a little booklet with some of the information you’d gathered already about Lily and Tim.” Lorea followed my lead and moved toward the table where clients helped me see the vision of what they wanted their wedding to be. She busied herself with fixing some of my fabric swatch binders and paint chip cards.

  “That’s a great idea.” I walked back to the cash register and pulled out a cream binder with teal and purple accent colors. Each one of my clients filled out several pages of information in their own event binder, and I used it to keep track of all of their ideas, color schemes, dress details, bridal shower favors, addresses, wish lists, and more. “I hadn’t started a binder for Lily and Tim yet—they were hoping to get married in November—but I’ll print out all the emails she sent me with her wish lists and see what I can come up with.”

  “I think Tim would like that,” Lorea said. She grabbed a catalog of wedding gowns that had several sticky notes protruding from the edges. “On a different topic, tell me what you think of this dress for Jessie.” She pointed to a wedding gown in a creamy organza that hung straight down and flared at the bottom.

  “Wow, that’s gorgeous. I don’t know what Jessie’s looking for, but from what she’s shared, I bet she’ll like it.” I tapped the page and looked at Lorea. “How do you do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “Meet someone and know the kind of dress they’ll like? You’re like a wedding gown genie.”

  Lorea laughed. “Thanks. I don’t know. I just see people and think of different styles that would suit them. With Jessie, I know she always wanted a traditional wedding, but she feels self-conscious because she already has a kid. I haven’t looked at any of the frilly, poofy gowns—my eye keeps being drawn toward these sleek lines with a flowing train.”

  “It’ll be interesting to see what Jessie thinks.”

  “I already ordered it because I know someone will want it. I may make a few alterations,” Lorea said.

  I could tell she was visualizing the dress. Remembering something, I snapped my fingers. “That reminds me. Trixie called wondering if you were ready for the next fitting on her gown.”

  Lorea rolled her eyes. “I know. She called again and is bringing Mike over for his fitting, too.”

  I bit my lip. “This is a first for my business.”

  Lorea smiled and we both busied ourselves with the work at hand. We were purposely concentrating on our work and not on Lily’s death, but it was the only way I knew to cope with the situation. The work still had to be done, but maybe later I could help the family by sifting through the information I had from Lily. I made myself focus on the next appointment I had and the deadlines with my upcoming weddings.

  A few minutes later, the chime on the front door signaled that someone had arrived. We both turned to greet Trixie Kincaid, the very person we’d been dis
cussing.

  “Trixie! Perfect timing. We were just talking about Mike’s tux.” Lorea glanced at me, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.

  “I’m so excited!” Trixie bounced with enthusiasm as she walked toward us. Her dyed-red hair contrasted with the bottom layer, which was highlighted in a deep purple shade. She wore a wide black headband and dangly earrings with multicolored beads that jangled as she walked. In her thirties, Trixie was about five foot six—taller than Lorea, shorter than me—a little on the plump side, and easy to work with.

  “Come back here. I know you’re dying to see it,” Lorea said to Trixie. She motioned for me to follow her to the sewing room in the back of the shop.

  Trixie grinned, and I smiled too. It was fun to satisfy my clients. Trixie and her fiancé met at a dog obedience course where they had enrolled their boxers, so this wedding had an interesting flair to it.

  “What do you think?” Lorea held up a tuxedo in two parts. The back had a long tail coat, and the front had a zebra-striped satin bow tie.

  “He’s going to look so dashing,” Trixie said. “Everyone will love this.” She clapped her hands together and then gave Lorea a side hug. “You’re a marvel. Thank you for doing this for me. Shall I bring Mike around back to try it on?”

  “Yes, I have a space ready for his fitting,” Lorea replied. When Trixie turned to go out the door, Lorea raised one eyebrow in my direction. “This is a first for me too, you know,” she whispered.

  “I’ll help you get things ready. I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” I said.

  A few moments later Trixie knocked on the back door, and I held it open while she brought Mike in. “What do you think, Mike?” Trixie asked as she held up the front part of the tux with the bow tie.

  Mike actually looked excited, and he made a little yipping sound.

  “Well, Mike,” Lorea said. “Let’s get started on our fitting for my first canine client.” She patted Mike on the head, and his tongue lolled to the side. Mike was a brindled boxer, his coat covered with interesting brown and black stripes that reminded me of a zebra; the pattern worked perfectly with the zebra-striped bow tie.

  The dogs were part of the love story in this wedding. Trixie’s dog fell in love at first sight with Derek’s dog, Mike. After the dogs hit it off, Trixie and Derek scheduled a play date and found that they were meant to be.

  Trixie was estranged from her father, so Mike the dog was going to walk her down the aisle—in a tux. If my dad could see this, I’d never hear the end of it. Our dog Samson was a farm dog that chased rabbits, dug for gophers, and barked at the wind. He was a good dog, but there was no way he’d ever wear a tux, or attend a wedding for that matter. But Trixie and Derek’s wedding planning had been a lot of fun. They had ordered special chocolate-dipped dog treats—the chocolate was made especially for dogs so it wouldn’t damage their kidneys, as Trixie had explained to me. The invitations had been sent with pictures of Sadie and Mike on one side and Trixie and Derek on the other. All dogs were invited to the bash this Saturday night.

  Mike’s fitting went well. He was surprisingly calm for a boxer, or maybe Trixie’s enthusiasm overshadowed his. Lorea had to do a few alterations, and I worked with Trixie on ideas to keep the variety of dogs attending the wedding in a pleasant mood.

  “The dog treats will help,” Trixie said. “And since we’re adjacent to the dog park, people will be able to walk their dogs right after.”

  “We’ll keep things short,” I said. “You’ve talked to Pastor Rogers, and I’m bringing in extra help to rearrange seating for the reception. I think it’ll work.” I didn’t tell Trixie that I was a little more than worried about dogs doing their business on the wedding decor.

  But she had anticipated my worries. “I’m glad we decided to purchase everything instead of rent and risk losing our deposit. We’ll clean everything up and sell what we don’t need,” Trixie explained.

  “Yes, that was great thinking.” I made a note in Trixie’s binder. “I think that’s all we needed to cover for today. I guess I’ll see you at Mike’s final fitting on Friday.”

  After Trixie left, Lorea finished up Mike the dog’s tuxedo, and we both laughed when she hung it up in the closet labeled “Trixie/Derek.” I went back to work on the project for Lily. It took about an hour to cut and paste all the email conversations and attachments Lily had sent me into one file. She and Tim had been dating for over a year, and for the past month she’d been in contact with me about potential wedding venues and dates.

  When she and Tim had started talking marriage, she didn’t wait until the ring was on her finger to start planning. She had wanted to be married in the Sun Valley Pavilion, and had even put a deposit down to hold a date in November. Working with people like Lily was what made my job rewarding. She was so happy and excited about the next step in her life and wanted everything to be perfect like she’d dreamed of since she was a little girl. Fresh pain seared my heart as I thought about her life, all of the plans I held in my hands, gone.

  I worked on Lily’s information until my next appointment and then stayed busy the rest of the day on the events I had coming up in the next few weeks. First there was Trixie’s wedding, then two bridal showers, another wedding with a full reception and dinner, and an anniversary celebration.

  My phone chimed with a text at three o’clock from Luke.

  Luke: How are you doing today?

  Me: Staying busy. Thinking about you.

  Luke: Me, too. I have a new case that just came in. I have to do a bunch of reading tonight. Can I take you out tomorrow?

  Me: That would be nice. Good luck with your homework.

  Luke: :( It never ends.

  Luke and I were building a pattern that I really liked. He had contacted me every day this week and wanted to see me again. Maybe he was finally getting over his hang-up with marriage and was ready to take dating seriously again. My poor heart couldn’t take much more drama in the Luke department, so I kept my fingers crossed that he’d keep playing nice and not push me away again.

  Every time I thought of my first meeting with Luke, I had a craving for fried pickles. It’s weird, but kind of a long story, too. I had been attracted to his tall, muscular frame the first time I saw him. He’d hidden the fact that he was a divorce attorney while we shared fried pickles and made fun of my wedding planning business in the same bite. Still, there was something irresistible about the dimple in his chin and the way his carpenter jeans fit just right. Looks aside, Luke had been there for me through some pretty rough times. I fingered the scar on my chest that had ruined V-neck shirts forever—I couldn’t wear them without seeing the pink scar that a previous boyfriend had given me.

  Luke had been my rock through that and in Kauai, when the destination wedding I’d planned didn’t go at all according to plan. He had a way of looking at a situation and seeing just how I was affected by it. When other people were fooled by my great acting skills, Luke could uncover my true emotions. But for all his goodness, he had a jaded view of marriage and kept people at arm’s length, because he knew from experience that it hurt to get too close. I needed him. The thought made me pause, because I was pretty sure that Luke needed me too.

  I pulled up his picture on my phone and studied Luke Stetson. He was ruggedly handsome with steel-blue eyes and smile lines around his eyes that hinted at the easy laughter I’d seen more of lately. Maybe my mom was right when she said that my hero was worth fighting for. The thought was a bit scary, but exciting at the same time.

  MASON JAR SEWING DISPLAY

  Fill a Mason jar or your favorite glass container with old spools of thread stacked on top of each other. Fill another jar with assorted buttons. Fill a third jar with lace or other sewing notions. The jars make a darling accent to any room, but especially the sewing room.

  Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com

  At three thirty that afternoon, Tony walked in the shop and Lorea’s face lit up. She hurried
over to him, taking his hand and talking excitedly. Her black hair was styled in a pixie cut, and next to Tony dressed in his navy-blue police uniform, she looked like a little fairy flitting about. But Tony stepped away from Lorea and motioned for her to follow him to my desk; he was here on official police business. My palms began to sweat as a sense of foreboding followed Tony through the room.

  “Everything just changed with this case,” Tony said. “Because Lily didn’t die of a heart attack. She was poisoned.”

  “No.” Lorea sat back in a chair, her sewing scissors dangling from her neck.

  “There were several things that didn’t match up with a heart attack, and the medical examiner picked up on some evidence that isn’t consistent. The toxicology report isn’t back yet. We have to do some checking, but it looks like foul play.”

  “Murder?” I asked. “Someone killed Lily?”

  Tony nodded. “Off the record, I’ll say that I’m certain this was premeditated. We already have a key suspect.”

  Lorea gasped. “If you have a suspect, then it’s likely someone she knew.” She looked at me, and I blew out a breath.

  “Which means it’s someone we all know,” I said, finishing her thought.

  Tony held up his hands. “I can’t say any more, but I did stop by to see if you had any information that might be helpful.” He looked at me. “Do you still use those planning binders for your clients?”

  I nodded. “Yes. Lily hadn’t filled one out yet, but today I’ve been working on collecting my correspondence with her so that I could put together something for Tim.”

  Tony’s eyes widened. “I’d like to see that, if it’s okay.”

  I hesitated, remembering what had happened to evidence I turned over in the past. “You’re not going to confiscate all my stuff again, are you?”