The Iced Princess Read Online Free PDF

fingernails and cracking knuckles.
    â€œI’d like a box of a dozen muffins and scones to take back to the station with me. We have a meeting later this morning.”
    â€œSure. What kind do you want?”
    â€œA mix, half muffins, half scones, is fine. Blueberry is a favorite, so put in a couple of those. And whatever else you pick will work. They’ll all go.”
    It was nice to have an excuse to make a little noise myself to cover the sound of his slurps. I filled the box and added the extra muffin Pinky always insisted on with a larger order; a baker’s dozen. “Here you go. Anything else?”
    â€œYes, if you could put this in a to-go cup.” He slid his mug toward me.
    Thank God, that meant he was going to leave. “Sure thing.” He paid for his purchases and was out the door and on to other things in no time.
    Another man came in a little while later, and when I saw who it was, I was too stunned to move. Peter Zimmer was walking toward me, in person. “Your shop door is locked,” he said.
    â€œUh, um, we don’t open until ten,” I stammered until it hit me how angry I was that he had the audacity to come within ten miles of me. “Why are you here? And don’t try to tell me something stupid, like you’re looking for a gift to cheer up your wife.”
    A red flush crept up his neck and colored his face. “It would take more than that. You should have been smart enough to support her campaign. You would have if you planned on returning to D.C. Ramona knows enough people to prevent you from ever getting a job there.”
    â€œEver? Peter, I cannot believe you are actually threatening me. You’re the one who caused the whole fiasco in the first place.”
    He smiled and raised his eyebrows. “I’m willing to put any hard feelings aside if you want to get together to finish what we started.”
    I picked up a mug, drew it back like it was a baseball, but stopped before I pitched it at Peter’s head. “You need to leave immediately, or I will call the police.”
    He glared at me, and a stab of fear pierced me. I wondered if he’d come after me. I wrapped my fingers around a knife Pinky used to cut muffins and scones. If the man took one step closer, I’d hold it up to show him I meant business. Whether I could actually use the knife, I wasn’t sure. Even on Mr. Peter Zimmer, the lowest of the low.
    Had he truly cared about his wife, or her career, he would not have acted as he did, time and time again. The Zimmers could cast blame on me until hell froze over, but I was not at fault, and the sooner they realized that, the sooner they could get on with their lives. Together or apart, it no longer mattered to me.
    Peter turned to leave and literally ran into Pinky in the doorway. He stormed out, forcing her to step aside with her bag of groceries. I rushed over to help her regain her balance.
    â€œWowser, that guy is either in one big hurry or totally absorbed in something.”
    â€œYou’re right. He is totally absorbed in something all right: himself. That was Peter Zimmer.”
    â€œ
No.
Oh my gosh, I didn’t recognize him. In the pictures I saw of him, he was always smiling. He looked kind of scary just now with that scowl on his face. What was he doing here in Brooks Landing? Did he come to apologize to you, or what?”
    â€œNot even close. He is stuck in the same old blame game crap, among other things.”
    â€œOf all the nerve.”
    â€œAll I want is to forget about what happened and chalk it up as a life lesson I will never have to study again.” I looked at the time. “We have Emmy and Molly due in a half hour, and I still have to write out those instructions.”
    â€œYou’re right. We have more important things to concentrate on.” Pinky emptied her grocery bag, put the milk and cream in the refrigerator under her counter, and headed to the back room with