Thirty and a Half Excuses Read Online Free PDF Page B

only to disappoint us both. They have an opening for a deputy, though, and I’m sure they’re going to offer me the job.” He smiled. “This is the last time I’m going undercover. I never want to purposely be gone from you this long again.”
    I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Oh, Joe. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”
    His mouth found mine and I clung to him, unshed tears burning my eyes. I told myself the most he’d be gone was a few weeks, and I’d more than likely get to talk to him several times, but the dangerous part of his absence terrified me. What if he didn’t come back?
    “Be careful.” The lump in my throat made my voice tight.
    “Always, darlin’. I’ve got too much to lose.” He wiped the tear escaping down my cheek, his eyes becoming more stern. “And I’m serious about being careful with Jonah Pruitt.”
    Joe’s tone gave me second thoughts about doing business with the man. “Is he really that dangerous?”
    “No, nothing like that. I don’t think he’d physically hurt someone—not that I know of anyway—but watch him with your financial dealings.” He lowered his voice. “I’ve already told you more than I should have.”
    “I told him we need half down, which more than covers the cost of the flowers.”
    He gave me a tight smile. “That’s my girl.”
    I rested my cheek against his chest, the dull thud of his heartbeat in my ear. I soaked in his presence, trying not to think about the dangers he was going to face over the next few weeks. Instead, I had to trust that he’d do everything in his power to come back to me.
    I walked Joe to his car and gave him one last kiss goodbye.
    “I love you, Rose. Don’t ever doubt that.”
    I forced myself to be strong and not break down. “I love you too, Joe. If anything happens to you, I’ll make you regret it.”
    He chuckled and ducked into the car. “I’ll keep that in mind. Stay out of trouble while I’m gone.”
    “It’s not like I go lookin’ for it.”
    He shook his head with a grimace. “That’s the part that worries me the most.”
    I watched him drive away, my heart leaving with him. At least getting the store up and running would fill up my time and keep me from missing him too much.
    We had a steady stream of customers for the next several hours. We’d hoped to sell plants for fall beds, and we were doing better than we’d expected. But then again, the only other places to get bedding plants in Henryetta were Walmart and the hardware store.
    Around two o’clock, things died down so I could get away to measure the New Living Hope Revival Church beds. Neither Violet nor I had thought to bring a measuring tape to the nursery. I had one in my kitchen junk drawer, so I decided to swing by and pick it up on the way there.
    As soon as I pulled onto my street, I knew something was wrong. A small crowd had gathered on the sidewalk in front of Miss Opal’s house, Miss Mildred’s next-door neighbor. A police car and an ambulance were parked at the end of the street, their flashing lights swirling. Over the last few months, anytime there was a vehicle with flashing lights in our neighborhood, it always stopped in front of my house. The ladies of the Busybody Club—a.k.a. the neighborhood watch—had to be confused.
    After I parked in my driveway, I walked across the street to find out what was going on. I lived in an older neighborhood, and the bungalow homes on my street were mostly occupied by elderly women. The only residents under retirement age were me, the neighbors in Joe’s old house, and the house on the corner, the one belonging to Thomas’s family.
    The elderly women huddled in a tight pack, all of them staring at Miss Dorothy’s front door. The front of her house was filled with several emergency personnel. She lived between Opal and Thomas’s family. Mildred stood in the middle of the pack, not surprisingly in the position of ringleader. She lifted a shaky hand to her mouth. “I