Tea Cups and Carnage by Lynn Cahoon Page A

can’t get any better, she out does herself. Seriously, if we weren’t dating, I’d marry Sadie just for her food alone. I can’t believe she’s still single.”
    Of course, we both knew that Sadie had been dating recently but when Austin broke it off to return to his wife, my friend’s heart had been broken. She’d forgiven him, but she wasn’t ready to jump into the dating pool again. “I think she and Pastor Bill have been spending a lot of time together lately.”
    Greg nodded. “I could see that. Bill’s a good guy. He was on my basketball team last year at the gym. Pretty good defender with a nice three-point shot.”
    “You judge a guy based on his sports ability?” The coffee had finished brewing so I poured us each a large cup using the wide-mouth porcelain cups we’d brought in last month. Drinking out of them made me want to slip down onto the couch and read while I enjoyed my coffee. I hoped my customers would succumb to the same inclination. But right now, I just wanted some time with my guy.
    “Not just that, but if a guy is a good team member, you can trust him on and off the court.” He shrugged. “It’s just been my experience. Take it for what it’s worth.”
    I thought about the guys Greg played sports with. I’d assumed he pulled the same set of players for his team each time because they were friends, but maybe there was more to it. I’d always been a sit and chat kind of friend. Well, except for with Amy. Now we were taking an exercise class together which gave me something to complain about during our talks. Of course, Amy liked to discuss the actual class.
    I wanted to ask him more questions, but then he turned around and stood. “Got to go. Your new neighbor just arrived.” He kissed me and headed out the door. I hadn’t realized he’d been watching the street using the large mirror over the coffee bar while we talked.
    “See you later,” I called as he strolled to the doorway.
    Greg paused and smiled at me. “I’ll stop by the food truck about noon on Sunday and we’ll go get lunch at that new Cajun place in Bakerstown. Will you be off by then?”
    “I’m working the morning shift, then coming back to close up either Sunday night or Monday morning. You can drive the food truck back to its normal parking spot behind the shop if we do it Sunday.” I put on my hopeful face.
    Greg laughed. “If that’s how you want to spend No-Guilt-Sunday, I’ll do it. But I’d rather sit on the deck and drink a few beers with you.”
    I shrugged. “Then I’ll close up the food truck on Monday morning. Emma is missing her guy.”
    “Sounds like a plan.” He put up a hand waving goodbye and walked out of the shop. I saw him jog across the road and as he left, Ivy Corbin entered the shop door.
    She smiled at me as she walked over to the counter. “You do grow men fine out here.”
    “I think so.” I took Greg’s cup and empty plate off the counter and sat them in the sink. “What can I get you?”
    “Large coffee. I’m heading down the street to talk to every business owner in town. Who knew finding a job would be this difficult? I put in an application at the winery and the diner, but so far, nothing.” She pulled out her wallet and handed me a credit card. “And a girl’s gotta eat.”
    I poured the coffee and sealed a lid on top. Handing her the cup, I picked up the credit card to run the charge. “So where are you staying?” I knew Kathi was still at Bill and Mary’s bed and breakfast, but she had money.
    “I’m at a place down the road, but I need to find someplace cheaper before I run out of credit cards.” She signed for the coffee and stuck it back in her purse. “Do you know anything about the Coastal Inn? It looks cheap.”
    “It is inexpensive, but there’s a family-owned motel just a few miles down the road. It’s not as fancy as the bed and breakfast, but it’s clean.” I wanted to add safer to the descriptor, but felt like maybe that was implied.