Thirty and a Half Excuses Read Online Free PDF Page A

in my office the rest of the day. You can find me there until five-thirty, when I have to leave to get ready for the evening service.”
    “I’ll be there to get a check.”
    “And I very much look forward to seeing you again.” He moved onto a group of elderly women in the garden club who giggled when the semi-famous televangelist started talking to them.
    Violet’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Do you know what this means, Rose?”
    “It means a heck of a lot of work.”
    “But to have our flowers at his church? They’ll be on his TV show!”
    I suspected none of his TV viewers would ever know they were our flowers, but I didn’t see the point of taking her glory from her. “I’ll go measure the beds, and then we can figure out what to plant and how many flats we need before I give him our estimate. And get his check.”
    She scowled. “Why’d you do that? Insist on getting money down? You know we can buy those flowers on thirty-day credit.”
    Violet wanted this order, and so did I, Jonah Pruitt’s questionable character aside. But I saw no reason to tell her about that part. “Just think what we can do with the early cash flow. Besides, we have to hire someone to help plant all those flowers. You and I can’t do it ourselves.”
    Worry wrinkled her forehead. “What are we going to do about that?”
    I patted her arm, watching Jonah work the crowd. “I have a couple of guys in mind.”
    Violet heaved a sigh of relief moments before a woman pulled her aside with a question.
    I wasn’t so sure she’d approve of the two guys I had in mind, but with such short notice, beggars couldn’t be choosers. Besides, their characters might benefit from a little time spent working on church grounds.
    “He sure does know how to work the older women of Henryetta.”
    Mason Deveraux stood next to me, eyes fixed on Jonah.
    “Does he? It looks like they love him.”
    “Oh, they sure do.” There was a suspicious note in his voice.
    I looked up at him with a grin. “Are you worried you have even more competition for most eligible bachelor of Henryetta?”
    His eyes widened in confusion, but I wasn’t sure why. He was a fine looking man from a respected Arkansas family. With his dark blonde hair, hazel eyes, and fit physique, the women in town were trying their darnedest to get his attention. Rumor had it he hadn’t dated at all since his arrival, which only added to his allure.
    I shook my head. “Surely, you know you’re on the list of the most eligible bachelors in town. You and Brody MacIntosh.”
    Mason’s face reddened. “That explains all the baked goods that keep appearing in my office.”
    “And that explains the five pounds it looks like you’ve gained.”
    His eyes widened again, this time in alarm.
    I leaned my arm against his. “I’m joking. You look great, Mason.”
    His shoulders sagged with relief.
    I shot him a glare. “Why have you been avoiding me the last couple of months?”
    It was my day to shock him. “Um…” A frown creased his forehead. “I’m the wrong person to be talking to about that.”
    “Then who is?”
    “I think you know.” Mr. No Nonsense was back, the man I’d met at the beginning of Bruce Wayne Decker’s trial, not the man I’d gotten to know. Without a backward glance, Mason walked toward the cars parked in the street.
    Who was he talking about?
    And then it hit me.
    Joe.

Chapter Three
    When I found Joe, he was carrying a flat of asters to the street and loading it into the car of one of the garden club cronies. The sight of him being so helpful made my irritation fade slightly. How many boyfriends would be so helpful? As the woman’s car drove away, Joe made his way toward me, and my irritation won out.
    “What did you say to Mason about me?”
    “What?” He narrowed his eyes in confusion.
    I grabbed his arm and pulled him to the back corner of the building. “Did you tell Mason not to talk to me?”
    Joe recovered his senses and had the nerve to