standing and applauding wildly ten minutes after he’d left the stage for the last time. The man is phenomenal. I’ve heard he visits Monarch Bay occasionally, but I’ve yet to see him.”
“Perhaps your luck will change.”
“I sure hope so. I’d love to have his autograph.”
Griffin had scrawled his signature across her first estimate, but Darcy quickly discounted the thought of reproducing it for his fans. He missed no opportunity to take advantage of her, it seemed, but she wouldn’t stoop to taking advantage of him.
She swung by her truck before returning to work and left her new CD there rather than take it into the gift shop to add to their collection. She’d been enthralled by Griffin’s performance, but she didn’t want the plants jarred into collapse, or their customers, either.
After its initial rocky start, the rest of her day went well, and then, at a quarter to six, Griffin walked into the nursery carrying a long, slim package from Fun in the Sun.
“It won’t be dark for another couple of hours,” he said. “There’s a nice breeze, and you’re finished for the day. Come on home with me, and we’ll try out my new kite.”
George had overheard Griffin’s invitation and walked up to Darcy. “I’ll lock the gate. You’ve been working too hard and could use some fun.”
Griffin introduced himself and reached out to shake George’s hand. “Thanks. I’ve tried to tell her the same thing, but totally without success.”
“Did you remember to buy string?” Darcy asked, grasping for a means to postpone the date.
“Of course. They won’t let you out of Fun in the Sun without a big reel. Now, don’t give me excuses, let’s go.”
“All right, but I’ll drive my own truck. That way you won’t have to bring me back into town later.”
“Whatever you’d like.”
George gave Griffin a thumbs up sign behind Darcy’s back. Certain something significant had passed between the two men, Darcy glanced over her shoulder, but George was merely smiling innocently.
“Have fun,” he said.
“If he claims I fell off the bluff, you’ll know he’s lying,” Darcy warned. “Tell the police it was murder.”
Griffin quickly discounted her dark prediction. “I think I’m the one who’s in danger here, George, but I’ll do my best to see no one comes to any harm.”
“You just have a good time, kids.”
Darcy didn’t see any hope of that, but she stopped off to tell Christy Joy a quick good-bye and then went on out to her truck.
Griffin waited for Darcy in his driveway. “I don’t mean to shock you, but unlike most men, I actually enjoy reading directions. Let’s go on out to the terrace. I’ll read the notes with the diagrams, and you can assemble the kite. It’s shaped like a dragon with a long, notched tail. It’s very colorful. I hope you like it.”
“It’s your kite,” Darcy reminded him, but when he pulled it out of the package, she couldn’t help but be impressed. “Start reading, I want to see this thing in the air.”
“First we have to unroll it.”
“All right, I’ll hold the tip of the tail while you walk backwards, and that ought to do it.”
“Hey, I thought I was giving the directions here.”
“Sorry. I’ll keep my mouth shut,” Darcy promised.
“Well, not all the time, I hope.” Griffin soon had the dragon stretched out across the terrace. He checked the directions again and sorted through the accompanying dowels. “These go in the head and wings. Do you see the slots that hold them?”
“Slots?” The dragon was red and breathing orange flames. Darcy felt along the sides. “They’ve got to be here somewhere. This is your kite, after all. Why don’t I read the directions while you attach the dowels?”
“Don’t complicate things. Just get busy.”
Darcy raised a hand. “Let me see that diagram.”
Griffin stepped beyond her reach and hid it behind his back. “Come and get it.”
“No way. You’re the one who wants
“Perhaps your luck will change.”
“I sure hope so. I’d love to have his autograph.”
Griffin had scrawled his signature across her first estimate, but Darcy quickly discounted the thought of reproducing it for his fans. He missed no opportunity to take advantage of her, it seemed, but she wouldn’t stoop to taking advantage of him.
She swung by her truck before returning to work and left her new CD there rather than take it into the gift shop to add to their collection. She’d been enthralled by Griffin’s performance, but she didn’t want the plants jarred into collapse, or their customers, either.
After its initial rocky start, the rest of her day went well, and then, at a quarter to six, Griffin walked into the nursery carrying a long, slim package from Fun in the Sun.
“It won’t be dark for another couple of hours,” he said. “There’s a nice breeze, and you’re finished for the day. Come on home with me, and we’ll try out my new kite.”
George had overheard Griffin’s invitation and walked up to Darcy. “I’ll lock the gate. You’ve been working too hard and could use some fun.”
Griffin introduced himself and reached out to shake George’s hand. “Thanks. I’ve tried to tell her the same thing, but totally without success.”
“Did you remember to buy string?” Darcy asked, grasping for a means to postpone the date.
“Of course. They won’t let you out of Fun in the Sun without a big reel. Now, don’t give me excuses, let’s go.”
“All right, but I’ll drive my own truck. That way you won’t have to bring me back into town later.”
“Whatever you’d like.”
George gave Griffin a thumbs up sign behind Darcy’s back. Certain something significant had passed between the two men, Darcy glanced over her shoulder, but George was merely smiling innocently.
“Have fun,” he said.
“If he claims I fell off the bluff, you’ll know he’s lying,” Darcy warned. “Tell the police it was murder.”
Griffin quickly discounted her dark prediction. “I think I’m the one who’s in danger here, George, but I’ll do my best to see no one comes to any harm.”
“You just have a good time, kids.”
Darcy didn’t see any hope of that, but she stopped off to tell Christy Joy a quick good-bye and then went on out to her truck.
Griffin waited for Darcy in his driveway. “I don’t mean to shock you, but unlike most men, I actually enjoy reading directions. Let’s go on out to the terrace. I’ll read the notes with the diagrams, and you can assemble the kite. It’s shaped like a dragon with a long, notched tail. It’s very colorful. I hope you like it.”
“It’s your kite,” Darcy reminded him, but when he pulled it out of the package, she couldn’t help but be impressed. “Start reading, I want to see this thing in the air.”
“First we have to unroll it.”
“All right, I’ll hold the tip of the tail while you walk backwards, and that ought to do it.”
“Hey, I thought I was giving the directions here.”
“Sorry. I’ll keep my mouth shut,” Darcy promised.
“Well, not all the time, I hope.” Griffin soon had the dragon stretched out across the terrace. He checked the directions again and sorted through the accompanying dowels. “These go in the head and wings. Do you see the slots that hold them?”
“Slots?” The dragon was red and breathing orange flames. Darcy felt along the sides. “They’ve got to be here somewhere. This is your kite, after all. Why don’t I read the directions while you attach the dowels?”
“Don’t complicate things. Just get busy.”
Darcy raised a hand. “Let me see that diagram.”
Griffin stepped beyond her reach and hid it behind his back. “Come and get it.”
“No way. You’re the one who wants
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