Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 77576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
No need to take a car tonight. I walk the several blocks from my parents’ residential neighborhood into town and stop at the bakery.
The sign on the door is turned to the closed side.
And I realize…
I don’t have Ava’s number, so how will she know I’m here?
I walk around to the rear of the bakery and knock on the back door.
A few seconds later, Ava answers.
“Hey,” I say. “How are you?”
“I’m good.” She walks out.
She looks lovely. Her warm pink hair is down, and it falls in soft waves around her shoulders. She’s wearing a long dress in muted browns and pinks. The top of it hugs her curves, but the skirt flows, leaving her ass and legs to my very good imagination. On her feet are a pair of brown boots. They look kind of like army boots, laced up, and she’s wearing brown socks.
And it all works for her.
For Ava.
She is as unique as a snowflake.
“I’m glad you answered the back door,” I say. “I wasn’t quite sure how to get up to your place.”
“You can’t get up to it from outside.” She glances at the open door. “I should probably change that.”
“Actually, no, you shouldn’t. You’re much safer without an outside entrance.”
“You sound like my father. Snow Creek is the safest town ever.”
“I suppose so.”
In the back of my mind is always the story of my great-uncle, who my father was named after. The original Sean Murphy, who died here in Snow Creek. Well, not exactly Snow Creek, but on the Steel ranch. At the wedding of Brad and Daphne Steel, Ava’s grandparents. And then later, Daphne Steel’s friend, a young woman named Patty, who disappeared while shopping in this small town. Neither mystery has been fully solved.
We know my great-uncle died of a drug overdose. But it was also well known that he didn’t do drugs. Which means someone dosed him.
At the Steel patriarch’s wedding.
My father, Sean Murphy the second, came to Snow Creek years ago to try to solve the mystery of his namesake uncle.
He found nothing but became so enamored with the small town that he never left. He bought the bar and opened it, met my mother here, and eventually brought his sister, my aunt Ciara, out as well. She still lives here, as does her daughter, Carmen.
Granted, that all happened fifty years ago, but I still don’t think a young woman can be too cautious.
I want to enjoy tonight, though, which means I need to stop thinking about half-century-old mysteries.
“Anything particular sound good to you tonight?”
“How about Lorenzo’s? I love their eggplant parmesan.”
Italian does sound good, but not Lorenzo’s. That’s where Sadie works. She probably won’t be working, since she asked me out for tonight, but still…
“Maybe Mexican?” I suggest.
“Sure, whatever.” She casts her gaze downward.
“You want Italian, don’t you?”
She looks up at me and smiles. “I’ve kind of been craving it all day.”
Her smile makes my heart skip. I want to please this woman. “Then Italian it is. Let’s walk over to Lorenzo’s.”
After all, Sadie’s probably not working.
We arrive, and Lisa Lorenzo herself, the owner, is playing hostess tonight. “Brendan,” she says. “And Ava. How nice to see you both. Two for dinner?”
I nod. “Yeah, thank you, Lisa.”
Lisa grabs two menus. “Follow me.”
She takes us to a table in the back, which I didn’t ask for. We have a secluded little corner to ourselves.
I’m not complaining.
I hold the chair out for Ava, and she raises her eyebrows at me.
What? Has she never been out with a gentleman before? I happen to know all the Steel men practice chivalry.
She takes a seat, and I gently scoot her in. Lisa hands her a menu.
“Thanks, Lisa,” she says.
I take the seat across from Ava, and Lisa hands me my menu.
“Your server will be with you in a moment.” Lisa whisks away.
“So you like the eggplant parmesan here, huh?” I say.
“I do. I already told you I’m not vegan or vegetarian, but it is nice not to eat meat once in a while.”
“Maybe I’ll try it.” I scan the menus. “I don’t mind going veggie now and then.”
“It’s fab.” Ava glances down at her menu.
The shadow of our server casts over the table.
I look up and—
Of course. Brown hair up in a high ponytail, slim figure, and a look of consternation on her pretty face.
“Good evening, Brendan,” Sadie McCall says. “Plans with your friends fell through?”
“Yeah,” I say.
“Right.” She turns to my companion. “Hello, Ava.”
“Have we met?” Ava asks.
“Yeah. Last night at the bar. It’s nice to know I’m so forgettable.” She shakes her head slightly. “To both of you.”
Ava blushes. “I’m so sorry. I remember you now. You were sitting a couple of seats away from me with some friends, right?”
“Yes.”
“Sadie?”
“You remembered my name.” She looks away from me. “More than I can say about some people at this table.”