Cliffhanger (The Belinda & Bennett Mysteries, Book One) by Amy Saunders Read Free Book Online

considering she was now at his mercy in her
car. He went straight through the next intersection, hung a right, then another
right, and zipped back towards the market, coming to a stop under the shade of
a tree near the road in the parking lot.
    Before she could
begin to ask all the questions flooding her mind, Bennett got out. "Enjoy
your dinner," he said and started walking away.
    "Pleasure
meeting you!" Belinda called to him, but he didn't acknowledge her.
    She watched him
walk, hoping to get some clue about him other than that she'd seen him two
mysterious times now. But Bennett Tate was not so easily decoded and he walked
across the street and kept going.
    Belinda took a
deep breath to steady her nerves before she attempted to drive home. As she sat
there wondering about her pretend friend, she couldn't decide if she was more
disturbed by his hand holding or the fact that he left without so much as a
glance back at her.
     
    As with most
things in Belinda's life, there was an upshot to the whole weird market
experience: it gave Belinda a story for Victoria the next day and took her mind
off her more immediate troubles.
    "He sounds
hot," Victoria said. "I'd go for a third encounter if I were
you."
    Belinda laughed.
The two of them drove around town, scouting for a possible venue for Belinda's
future cupcake boutique. The town of Portside had almost everything you needed—except
fancy and scrumptious cupcakes. With encouragement and advice from her nana,
Belinda had decided over the winter to use some of her money to fix that.
"You don't think it's creepy?"
    "Yeah, but
it's also hot. Creepy hot."
    Belinda kept a
lookout for empty commercial space, afraid she'd miss something while yapping.
"I'm scared that I'm going senile and I actually do know him."
    Victoria shook
her head. "You wouldn't forget a guy that attractive."
    "You haven't
even seen him!"
    "I have a
good imagination, and you would not forget a man that attractive." Victoria stopped to let a family cross the street. "You know, you keep acting like you
have no recourse to find out who he is. You're a Kittridge. You know everybody
in Portside and everybody knows you."
    Portside was not
a very big town, though it liked to fan out its feathers. It was tough to hide
there.
    "I hadn't
thought of that." Belinda watched the woman push a baby carriage back onto
the sidewalk. That would be Victoria soon enough.
    Victoria grinned.
"That's why I love you."
    Belinda watched
store after store go by, chewing on that.
    "You should
be near the Rusty Pirate," Victoria said, pointing. "People can go
there for dinner and lunch and then cross into your boutique for dessert."
    "There's
also that sandwich place at the end of the shops. Best grilled cheese
ever."
    "But no trip
to Portside is complete without—"
    "Gelato!"
    "I was going
to say billiards in downtown, but sure, gelato."
    Belinda's mouth
turned down. "I stink at pool."
    "You're not
picking a location based on your skill levels. You're just trying to attract
people who will want your cupcakes." Victoria winked and swung into an
open spot on the street right across from the Rusty Pirate. "Time to taste
test the recommendations."
    They waited for
the hostess to seat them and between the leaves of a palm tree, Belinda saw the
glistening black hair of Lily Devore and across from her, Jarrett.
    Belinda elbowed Victoria, moving out of the line of sight so Jarrett couldn't see her, yanking Victoria along with her. "Please, please tell me," Belinda whispered as they
followed the hostess to their seat, "that he did not ask her out and she accepted."
    Victoria climbed
up onto the stool using the bar on the bottom as leverage. "I can't see
that, can you?"
    "Only if
she's using him."
    "What would
Lily need him for? And don't say what you're really thinking because I am
pregnant and might throw up on you."
    Belinda scrunched
her nose in disgust. "I'm not thinking that anyway. It wouldn't be like
her. I actually don't know what to