Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 72362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
“This is Riley,” announces Martha. “Meet Noor and Joyce.”
I smile and pause to stretch one of my poor sore calves. Might try and cram myself into the bath tonight. A soak in hot water could be beneficial.
Martha no sooner settles into her seat than a ball of wool and a crochet hook appears in her hands. “Riley was good enough to give me a lift from the park.”
“Was it your knee again?” asks Joyce.
“You know it.”
“As Bette Davis said, getting old is not for sissies,” says Noor.
Joyce turns and hollers in the direction of the open café door, “Two more coffees.”
“Coming, Ma,” yells back someone from inside.
“Sit down, Riley,” says Noor with a welcoming smile. She has a husky voice with a Middle Eastern accent. “Tell us about yourself.”
“She just moved here from the city,” Martha answers for me. “There’s gossip going around about her and Connor.”
Noor raises a brow. “Is that so?”
“I don’t even know him,” I say. “It’s all just a misunderstanding.”
“Hmm.” Joyce peers at me over the top of her spectacles. “Maybe you should meet him.”
I don’t smile so much as grimace and it is awkward as fuck.
“What’s your grandson got to say about all this?” asks Noor.
“I haven’t had a chance to ask him yet,” says Martha. “But what really interests me is who’s behind this rumor that he and Riley are together.”
“You think someone’s stirring trouble?” asks Noor.
Martha stabs her crochet hook in my general direction. “She knows what’s going on and won’t tell me. Which makes me highly suspicious.”
“Harsh,” I mumble.
Noor winks at me in a comradely fashion. “What do you do for a living, Riley?”
“I write for a small business,” I say with a smile. It’s my standard vague non-answer. As much as I love romance books, I don’t always want to go there with people. Especially when we’ve just met. There’s a world full of inherited biases, misogyny, and other assorted bullshit when it comes to the genre. And writing for a small business is basically the truth. Sort of.
Joyce picks up a small plate of cookies. “Try one of these, Riley. My daughter makes them to help with the pain from my arthritis. Maybe it’ll help your leg. I noticed you stretching it on the way over. You also seem a little stressed in general, if you don’t mind me saying.”
I smile. “Thank you. Don’t mind if I do.”
Guess the universe really wants me to eat a chocolate chip cookie today. The one I bought earlier from the café accidentally got crushed in my rush to the car. This one is buttery-sweet goodness with an aftertaste of hemp. Nice. Getting stoned isn’t on my list of things to do. But it’s been a heck of a day so far.
“What’s wrong with your leg?” asks Martha.
I swallow another bite before talking. “Just sore muscles from moving my stuff. The elevator is broken and my apartment is on the third floor.”
“You should send Connor over to help her,” says Noor.
Martha frowns. “Do you still need help?”
“Oh, that’s…um…no.” It only takes a moment for the sudden heat in my face to be fanned into a flame. The idea of meeting him shouldn’t rattle me to this degree. He’s just another random stranger I happen to share this universe with. “No, thank you.”
“That’s what she did in the car when I asked her who started the rumor,” comments Martha. “You can see why I’m suspicious.”
“The girl gets flustered easily.” Noor has a charming smile. She really is a bombshell with her curves, flowing silver hair, and red lipstick. “So what?”
“Martha, you’ve been reading too many cozy mysteries. They’ve made you paranoid.” Joyce takes a sip of coffee. “If Riley doesn’t want to tell you what she knows, she doesn’t have to. Stop being pushy.”
“Besides which,” says Noor, “Connor is a grown man who would not thank you for sticking your nose into his business.”
Joyce laughs softly. “Like that’s ever stopped her.”
“I do have my reasons.” I finish off the cookie because it would be a crime to waste such great baking. The world already seems softer and less stressful. Like it’s been dialed down a little. I stretch my neck and settle back into the chair with a happy sigh. There’s every chance my to-do list will have to wait while I enjoy this high. “The sky is such a pretty shade of blue today. Don’t you just love clouds?”
Martha frowns some more. Then she perks up and offers me the plate of cookies. “My friends are right. I apologize for my belligerence, Riley. Have another cookie. Your coffee will be here soon.”
“Don’t mind if I do.”
“Well,” says Noor with a smile. “What shall we talk about on this fine summer’s day?”
An hour later.
“…and then Ava was all like, see you soon,” I tell them in my best evil villain voice.