consulted, first.”
“This can’t wait,” her breathy voice rose. “Gwen hates me. She’s always hated that Jack and I were together. She made up stuff to keep him away from me.” Tova’s mouth was set in determination.
I didn’t want to help her. My rejection must have been obvious, because she kept pleading.
“That is all I have left of Jack. Pictures. The day I gave him that photo was the day he told me he loved me for the first time. It’s the only copy. Gwen will relish throwing it away. If you were me, you know you’d demand that photo.”
I rubbed the side of my face and sighed. She was right.
“You’re going to keep asking for my help until I say yes, aren’t you?”
She nodded, eyes hopeful. “Yes, I will.”
I’d already experienced Tova’s stubborn doggedness when she wanted something. It was draining. Last time I eventually paid her off to get her out of my hair. I could feel myself relenting.
“Tell me exactly what you want me to do.”
“Just go there with me. They’ll let you in. Talk to Gwen about Jack. Ask her questions, whatever you want, while I sneak to Jack’s office to get the photo. It’ll take five minutes. I promise if you help me get my picture from Jack’s office, I won’t bug you anymore.”
“Ever?” My eyebrow arched until it disappeared under my bangs.
She nodded enthusiastically. “Yes.”
She was seconds away from bouncing up and down in her seat like an excited preschooler. There was no way she could keep that promise.
“What time do they open tomorrow?”
She shook her head. “It has to be today,” she insisted. “The office is closed Saturdays. Can’t we go now? They close in a few hours.”
After deliberately replacing the top on my tea, I stood and grabbed my drink. “I’ll help you, but on my terms. If you don’t like it, that’s fine with me. I’ll happily walk away, and you’re back on your own.”
“Okay. Whenever you say.”
“I’ll meet you there in an hour.”
Tova jumped up, scaring poor Kiki. “Thank you.”
“Don’t make me regret this.”
What was I thinking? The minute I hopped into my Jeep, I regretted agreeing to help nitwit Tova. I had a feeling my impulsive nature was about to get me into trouble. Again.
Chapter Twelve
BEFORE I POPPED over to the studio to talk to Darby, I wanted to check on Betty. Granted, I’d been gone for less than an hour, but I felt badly I hadn’t given her any real training other than a brief explanation on how to run the cash register and credit card machine. I’d also pointed out the bathroom in case she wanted to freshen up. Or fix her eyebrows.
When I got to the boutique, Betty insisted she was fine. She’d certainly kept busy. Somehow, she’d managed to find the last box of Christmas decorations in the backroom.
Blinking colored lights hung precisely from numerous shelves, Santa hats perched on the heads of select dog and cat statues, and a Christmas tree, decorated with a combination of traditional ornaments and moderately priced collars, bows, toys, and other merchandise, stood off to the right. Somehow, Betty had managed to create garland from dog leashes. Every customer would have to pass the tree to reach the register. It was genius. Her retail background was a goldmine.
Confident the store was in capable hands, I let Betty know I’d be next door for a few minutes then darted over to the studio, where I found Darby alone.
Her last session had ended. She bustled around the studio, putting away her props. I rushed over to help her with a large basket of pet toys.
“Weren’t you wearing a dress earlier?” I asked as we shoved the heavy basket onto the metal shelf.
“I changed into jeans for the photo shoot with Shar Summers. I wanted some outdoor shots of her and Babycakes. You would have hated it.” She laughed. “They wore matching pink sweaters and boots.”
Shar had a bad habit of dressing her Chinese Crested in over-the-top outfits that matched her
“This can’t wait,” her breathy voice rose. “Gwen hates me. She’s always hated that Jack and I were together. She made up stuff to keep him away from me.” Tova’s mouth was set in determination.
I didn’t want to help her. My rejection must have been obvious, because she kept pleading.
“That is all I have left of Jack. Pictures. The day I gave him that photo was the day he told me he loved me for the first time. It’s the only copy. Gwen will relish throwing it away. If you were me, you know you’d demand that photo.”
I rubbed the side of my face and sighed. She was right.
“You’re going to keep asking for my help until I say yes, aren’t you?”
She nodded, eyes hopeful. “Yes, I will.”
I’d already experienced Tova’s stubborn doggedness when she wanted something. It was draining. Last time I eventually paid her off to get her out of my hair. I could feel myself relenting.
“Tell me exactly what you want me to do.”
“Just go there with me. They’ll let you in. Talk to Gwen about Jack. Ask her questions, whatever you want, while I sneak to Jack’s office to get the photo. It’ll take five minutes. I promise if you help me get my picture from Jack’s office, I won’t bug you anymore.”
“Ever?” My eyebrow arched until it disappeared under my bangs.
She nodded enthusiastically. “Yes.”
She was seconds away from bouncing up and down in her seat like an excited preschooler. There was no way she could keep that promise.
“What time do they open tomorrow?”
She shook her head. “It has to be today,” she insisted. “The office is closed Saturdays. Can’t we go now? They close in a few hours.”
After deliberately replacing the top on my tea, I stood and grabbed my drink. “I’ll help you, but on my terms. If you don’t like it, that’s fine with me. I’ll happily walk away, and you’re back on your own.”
“Okay. Whenever you say.”
“I’ll meet you there in an hour.”
Tova jumped up, scaring poor Kiki. “Thank you.”
“Don’t make me regret this.”
What was I thinking? The minute I hopped into my Jeep, I regretted agreeing to help nitwit Tova. I had a feeling my impulsive nature was about to get me into trouble. Again.
Chapter Twelve
BEFORE I POPPED over to the studio to talk to Darby, I wanted to check on Betty. Granted, I’d been gone for less than an hour, but I felt badly I hadn’t given her any real training other than a brief explanation on how to run the cash register and credit card machine. I’d also pointed out the bathroom in case she wanted to freshen up. Or fix her eyebrows.
When I got to the boutique, Betty insisted she was fine. She’d certainly kept busy. Somehow, she’d managed to find the last box of Christmas decorations in the backroom.
Blinking colored lights hung precisely from numerous shelves, Santa hats perched on the heads of select dog and cat statues, and a Christmas tree, decorated with a combination of traditional ornaments and moderately priced collars, bows, toys, and other merchandise, stood off to the right. Somehow, Betty had managed to create garland from dog leashes. Every customer would have to pass the tree to reach the register. It was genius. Her retail background was a goldmine.
Confident the store was in capable hands, I let Betty know I’d be next door for a few minutes then darted over to the studio, where I found Darby alone.
Her last session had ended. She bustled around the studio, putting away her props. I rushed over to help her with a large basket of pet toys.
“Weren’t you wearing a dress earlier?” I asked as we shoved the heavy basket onto the metal shelf.
“I changed into jeans for the photo shoot with Shar Summers. I wanted some outdoor shots of her and Babycakes. You would have hated it.” She laughed. “They wore matching pink sweaters and boots.”
Shar had a bad habit of dressing her Chinese Crested in over-the-top outfits that matched her
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