Angel Beach (Summer Romance Collection) by Tess Oliver Read Free Book Online

to know what might have happened. But Jamison was the one I trusted the least. At least with the brother I knew what to expect, but Jamison was too good to be true. I wondered if it was all an act or if it was possible that he was different than his brothers. One thing was for sure, I had to learn to put up my guard more around him. He was so good-looking it was easy to forget who he was.
    The dough had been rolled and filled and popped onto shelves for proofing. Two hours of rolling out stubborn yeast dough had pushed the awful incident to the back of my mind. The bell over the back door rang, and I recognized Gertie’s hurried footsteps.
    Gertie’s face was flushed and she pressed her hand to her chest to catch her breath as she stepped into the shop. Zach walked in behind her but she didn’t notice. He pressed the back of his hand to his forehead as if he was an actress swooning in a movie. And I had to force back a smile.
    Gertie finally took in a much needed gulp of air. She was clutching a pink flyer in her hand. “Where’s your grandmother?”
    Mimi stepped out of the office and flicked Zach on the back of the head, startling him out of his comedic mime act. “Zach, why don’t you get Gertie a glass of water.”
    Zach, looking a bit contrite, dashed off to the kitchen for the water.
    “What is it, Gert? What has happened?” Mimi asked.
    Even though Gertie’s normal breathing had returned she place a bracing hand on the stainless steel counter I’d spent the last fifteen minutes cleaning. She held up the pink flyer with the other. “I was walking around handing out flyers for the town’s dance and barbecue this weekend, and I stopped in at Peggy’s Diner for a soda.” She fanned herself. “It’s terribly hot out today. And I can tell you I needed it. I was parched.”
    “Yes, of course, Gertie,” Mimi sounded slightly annoyed at having left her paperwork to hear about Gertie’s dance flyers and dry throat. “You didn’t run all the way from the diner to tell us you were thirsty.”
    Zach walked out with the glass of water, but Gertie shook her head at it. Zach shrugged, pulled up the work stool, and drank the water himself.
    Gertie sighed. “No, no. One cherry cola and I was good as new. But while I was standing at the counter talking to Peggy about her new curtains, which she had Beverly hand sew with the cutest little rose pattern--”
    “Gertie,” Mimi said sharply.
    Gertie waved her hand as if she was waving away the last thought. “Anyhow, I was standing there sipping my cola and those boys walked in, or I should say they burst in like gunslingers taking over a saloon. Loud and rambunctious and with the worst manners I’ve ever seen. The big one all but demanded for Peggy to come and take his order.” Gertie stopped to take a breath. “And poor Peggy, they just about ran her ragged. Those awful girls that came in with the boys kept sending their food back.” Gertie wrinkled up her nose and raised her voice to a squeak which from the little I’d heard, sounded remarkably like the girl on the beach, “not cooked enough, cooked too much, too much salt.” Gertie leaned forward and lowered her voice as if the trays of yeast rolls had ears. “I think Frank, the cook, might have put a little something special in the last plate Peggy carried out. And then do you know what that awful boy did? He said the service and food were so bad, he refused to pay.”
    “Jerks,” Zach muttered. We turned around and found him licking the giant glazing spoon. He lifted it in the air. “Please, continue, Gertie.”
    “You stuck around the entire time they were in there?” I asked. “That must have been a giant cherry cola.”
    “Well, I was worried for Peggy. She looked so shaken by the time they’d left, I had to step behind the counter and wait on the few guests that hadn’t been scared off.”
    “So they left without paying?” I asked.
    “Well, they would have, but then Frank stepped into the