COZY MYSTERY: Trail Mix Murder: A Cozy Mystery in the Mountains (Book 2) by Liz Turner
Authors: Liz Turner
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she ever be attracted to a man like me, then?” Hanson said, sounding suddenly angry. “No, it’s no use my being attracted to her. Not that I am but if I was, it wouldn’t be any use.”
“You’ve been alone since your last wife left you,” Victoria said. “What was she, number three?”
“Number four,” Hanson said, his voice bleak. “Funny thing was, I was quite fond of her.”
“Did it hit you hard? The loss?”
“The loss of my money to fund her alimony is what hit me hardest,” Hanson said. “She spends all her time doing facials and making sure her nails are alright. How on earth I ever married her I don’t know.”
“Well, you change your mind quick,” Victoria said. “Anyway, LeeLee’s ready to marry Declan in three months so I don’t think there’s much hope for you in that arena.”
“Oh please.” Hanson laughed. “Declan’s a fool. LeeLee’s stringing him along, dangling hopes of marriage in front of him so that he’ll be extra nice to her. She has nothing but contempt for him, really. There’s not an ounce of love between them. He’s after her money, and she’s after his youthful looks.”
“Isn’t that a familiar equation for you?” Victoria asked. “Money attracting looks?”
“It’s disgusting,” Hanson said. “A man like that isn’t a real man.”
“A woman like you described doesn’t seem like much of a woman to me,” Victoria said. “I’m sure a woman like that won’t feel like much of one to LeeLee either.”
Hanson gave a big sigh and drained his coffee. “You know, I’ll have another coffee, I think and maybe a piece of that rhubarb pie?”
Victoria plated a slice and added a scoop of ice-cream on top. “There you go.” She said.
“The truth is.” Hanson ate a tiny bite of the pie. “A woman like LeeLee is one in a million. I baited Declan the other day because it felt like such a waste to me that she chooses him out of all the other men she could be with.”
“Men like you?” Victoria asked.
“Maybe.” Hanson mused. “I don’t know. Tell me, Victoria, if I went to her, and made her a business proposition, do you think she’d accept?” Hanson asked. “If we joined my local network and wealth to her global fame and vision, she and I could make magic happen.”
“I think, if you went and told her what you just said, she’d have you thrown out of her house. If on the other hand, you went and told her you liked her, you’d have a much better shot at dating her.” Victoria said. “If that is, you’re right about her not really liking Declan.”
“You really think so?” Hanson brightened. “I mean… not that I will, but I’m just asking.”
“I think that women can’t resist a man who says that he changed for her,” Victoria said. “If you tell a woman like LeeLee that she made you change what you wanted in a woman. That before her, you were only attracted to … well, the kind of women you used to be attracted to, and that after her you can’t be attracted to anyone else. Well, who knows! I think she might just be flattered enough to accept.”
Hanson chewed on another piece of pie. “Maybe,” he said, “Just maybe, I might give it a shot.”
Chapter 10
Dinner at Amanda’s that night was a warm, cozy affair and a much-needed interlude to the violence of the previous few days. Karen had joined them too, and for once, Victoria was happy that someone else was taking care of the cooking. She offered to help, but Amanda strictly told her to stay out of the kitchen.
“Believe me, I’m going to give you a load of work soon enough as maid of honor,” Amanda said. “For now, you just sit on that table there and have a few good sips of wine.”
Steve was pouring nuts and pretzels into a bowl, and he passed it on to Karen. “We made some hummus and a cheese-onion dip.” He said. “I can whip up a nice coriander dip I learned in India too.”
“When did you go to India?” Karen asked, interested.
“Oh, a
“You’ve been alone since your last wife left you,” Victoria said. “What was she, number three?”
“Number four,” Hanson said, his voice bleak. “Funny thing was, I was quite fond of her.”
“Did it hit you hard? The loss?”
“The loss of my money to fund her alimony is what hit me hardest,” Hanson said. “She spends all her time doing facials and making sure her nails are alright. How on earth I ever married her I don’t know.”
“Well, you change your mind quick,” Victoria said. “Anyway, LeeLee’s ready to marry Declan in three months so I don’t think there’s much hope for you in that arena.”
“Oh please.” Hanson laughed. “Declan’s a fool. LeeLee’s stringing him along, dangling hopes of marriage in front of him so that he’ll be extra nice to her. She has nothing but contempt for him, really. There’s not an ounce of love between them. He’s after her money, and she’s after his youthful looks.”
“Isn’t that a familiar equation for you?” Victoria asked. “Money attracting looks?”
“It’s disgusting,” Hanson said. “A man like that isn’t a real man.”
“A woman like you described doesn’t seem like much of a woman to me,” Victoria said. “I’m sure a woman like that won’t feel like much of one to LeeLee either.”
Hanson gave a big sigh and drained his coffee. “You know, I’ll have another coffee, I think and maybe a piece of that rhubarb pie?”
Victoria plated a slice and added a scoop of ice-cream on top. “There you go.” She said.
“The truth is.” Hanson ate a tiny bite of the pie. “A woman like LeeLee is one in a million. I baited Declan the other day because it felt like such a waste to me that she chooses him out of all the other men she could be with.”
“Men like you?” Victoria asked.
“Maybe.” Hanson mused. “I don’t know. Tell me, Victoria, if I went to her, and made her a business proposition, do you think she’d accept?” Hanson asked. “If we joined my local network and wealth to her global fame and vision, she and I could make magic happen.”
“I think, if you went and told her what you just said, she’d have you thrown out of her house. If on the other hand, you went and told her you liked her, you’d have a much better shot at dating her.” Victoria said. “If that is, you’re right about her not really liking Declan.”
“You really think so?” Hanson brightened. “I mean… not that I will, but I’m just asking.”
“I think that women can’t resist a man who says that he changed for her,” Victoria said. “If you tell a woman like LeeLee that she made you change what you wanted in a woman. That before her, you were only attracted to … well, the kind of women you used to be attracted to, and that after her you can’t be attracted to anyone else. Well, who knows! I think she might just be flattered enough to accept.”
Hanson chewed on another piece of pie. “Maybe,” he said, “Just maybe, I might give it a shot.”
Chapter 10
Dinner at Amanda’s that night was a warm, cozy affair and a much-needed interlude to the violence of the previous few days. Karen had joined them too, and for once, Victoria was happy that someone else was taking care of the cooking. She offered to help, but Amanda strictly told her to stay out of the kitchen.
“Believe me, I’m going to give you a load of work soon enough as maid of honor,” Amanda said. “For now, you just sit on that table there and have a few good sips of wine.”
Steve was pouring nuts and pretzels into a bowl, and he passed it on to Karen. “We made some hummus and a cheese-onion dip.” He said. “I can whip up a nice coriander dip I learned in India too.”
“When did you go to India?” Karen asked, interested.
“Oh, a
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