Beyond The Ghosts (Legacy Falls Project) by Jody Pardo Read Free Book Online Page B

lemon bars. I missed them and all of her quirky ways. It's those little things that you think about when shit gets real.”
    “I still think you should give Christina a call. She likes you.”
    “Aren’t you the same sister that was complaining about your bestie always trying to hook you up on blind dates?”
    “This is not a blind date! You're my brother, and you guys have hung out already. How is that a blind date? It’s a completely different scenario.”
    “Whatever you say.”
    “She is coming over later.”
    “Really? Why are you pushing this?”
    “Totally wasn’t me. She is helping Mom with some Rotary Club thing. Just a heads up.”
    I wasn’t sure what exactly the Rotary was, but it was like the Masons for women. Not that I knew what the Masons were about, either, but they had their hands into everything and both factions were frequent sponsors for anything and everything around town.
    “I’m guessing you aren’t gonna get me out of here today then?”
    She feigned innocence.
    “Me?” Placing her hand upon her chest and fluttering her eyelashes, she continued, “Why, I don’t know what on Earth you mean, big brother.”
    “Yeah, right. You can’t pull that Southern belle crap on me, little Miss Mischief.”
    “I have to work tonight, so you are on your own.” She popped up off the couch, planted a chaste kiss on my cheek, and be-bopped out the door.
     

Beth was right and Mom was neck deep as the event chairman for the renovation of the Legacy Falls station celebration. Thankfully, it was not just Mom and Christina, but there was a gaggle of women from the Rotary club that flooded the house like clockwork at 6 PM sharp. 
    There was a definite advantage to the flock of women that invaded our dining room—plenty of coffee and treats. Each woman came bearing a covered dish of something sweet, and the dining room was filled with confections. Mom’s lemon bars, of course, were my favorite followed a close second by Mrs. Taylor’s cinnamon pecan danish with fresh pecans from her trees and Mrs. Jones' peanut butter fudge. Cookies of all flavors, little fruit tarts, and finger sandwiches were perfect bite-sized bits of heaven. 
    Ladies of the South wouldn’t gorge on sweets but coffee for the Rotary with “snacks” was expected. After all, it was Legacy Falls: hospitality central of the South. Christina made caramel mini bear claws. They were sticky and gooey, and I was pleasantly surprised at the hint of chocolate in the center.
    As the women wrapped up their meeting at 7 PM, I returned to the dining room to see what all was left of their confections. I spotted one last lemon bar and the mini bear claws and went in for the kill. The sound of a woman’s throat clearing made me turn around, my mouth stuffed with a whole bear claw as caramel ran down my chin.
    “Enjoying yourself?”
    “Mmmfff mm for wrrrrffyyy gggdd “
    “What was that? I’m sorry, I don’t speak Yogi.”
    I chewed quickly and swallowed hard, the crispy edge of the pastry scratching my throat on its premature way down. I cleared my throat and tried that again.
    “These are really good. You make them yourself?”
    “Yeah, they're my poppa’s recipe.”
    “I never had bear claws with chocolate in them.”
    “They are Rolos.”
    “Really? Huh. They give it a little extra something something.”
    “Is that a good or a bad thing?”
    “What could be bad about chocolate?”
    “Said no woman ever.”
    “Exactly. I am going to have to run like five extra miles with all these sweets, but I can’t stop eating them. I think I’ve gained ten pounds since I got home.”
    “I don’t know where unless you are hiding it in your shoes or your pockets or something. You look the same to me. In fact, I think you can afford to eat a few more.”
    “Don’t tempt me. I’m fighting my inner fat kid right now.”
    “Hey, hashtag yolo, right?”
    “I don’t think that is an acceptable response for my Master