Queenie's Cafe Read Online Free PDF

sold their property to a grocery chain. He probably made a tidy profit on that deal.
    He didn’t even ask Laura how much she needed to borrow or what she intended to do. He didn’t care.
    He just wanted her property.
    <>
     
    Tuesday morning, Laura drove to Melbourne and filled out loan applications at two banks. Unlike Frank Fosdick, they didn’t turn her down before they’d seen her loan application. If they wouldn’t loan her the money, she’d go to Vero Beach. She’d get it somewhere. She didn’t need Frank Fosdick or his money.
    When she pulled into the parking lot at the motel, she saw a fancy pickup with tinted windows parked beside a big white Cadillac. The car belonged to Frank Fosdick. She had no idea who owned the truck.
    Frank opened her car door, that phony smile on his face again. “Ah, Laura. Glad you’re here. This is Luke Windsor. He’d like to take a look at the motel and café.”
    “Why?”
    “He’s the buyer I told you about.”
    She glanced at the young man standing beside the banker and wondered why he’d want to buy a worn out motel and café. Did he represent some big company who wanted the land?
    It didn’t matter why he was interested in the property. She wouldn’t sell anything through Frank Fosdick. Not after the way he’d treated her when she applied for the loan.
    “It’s not for sale,” she said, dismissing them with a wave of her hand. She went inside the motel office, but Frank followed.
    “Laura, think about it. You can’t run all this by yourself, and hell, it’s falling down around you.”
    “It may be a dump, but it’s my dump. Take your friend and go. You’re not welcome here.”
    His eyes narrowed. “You ungrateful little—”
    “Out!” she yelled, pointing at the door.
    The young man poked his head in the door. “Sorry to interrupt, but I don’t have much time. I have another appointment in Vero Beach in an hour.”
    “The motel is not for sale,” Laura said firmly.
    “I’m more interested in the café, but if it’s not for sale, that’s fine. I’ll look elsewhere. Sorry to bother you.”
    “It’s for sale,” said Frank. “She just doesn’t know it yet.”
    Laura rummaged in the drawer under the counter. “Lookin’ for somethin’?” Frank asked.
    “My father’s gun.”
    Frank’s face paled, but the other man laughed. “Thanks for your time, Miss Whitfield. If you change your mind about selling, give me a call.” He handed her a business card. Frank looked stricken. If she sold it directly to this man, Frank wouldn’t get a cut. Served him right for trying to force her to sell.
    “Why, thank you, Mr. Windsor,” she said sweetly. “I’ll do just that.” She held his card over the trash can and let go.
    On their way out, Laura heard Luke Windsor say, “Frank, what’s going on here? You told me she was ready to sell. If you’re just wasting my time—”
    “She’ll sell. She’ll have to sell. She can’t run this place by herself. Hell, she doesn’t even have enough money to open the café.”
    Laura steamed. Weren’t conversations with people at a bank supposed to be confidential? She didn’t want the whole world knowing her business. If there was any other bank in town, she’d never deal with the Kingston Bank again.
    As soon as her visitors drove away, Laura reached in the trash can and pulled out Luke Windsor’s business card.
    Just in case.

Chapter Three
    L uke sat in the office at his mother’s ranch and watched Carlos cutting wide swaths of grass with the riding lawnmower. They could afford to rent a separate office somewhere, but the office Mom had built into the ranch worked fine. He was on the go too much to justify renting a business office. The other two employees of the corporation, an accountant and an attorney, had their own offices. He carried a laptop and cell phone with him on his business trips, and so far the arrangement had worked well.
    Dark clouds in the distance threatened another spring storm