It's Not About You by Olivia Reid Read Free Book Online

at Sam's information earlier and found Eddie Cooper's name as a contact. I also gave Kevin Eddie's cell number.  
    "Okay. I'll give this information to our domestic violence division. There's really not much else I can do."  
    "Thanks Kevin. You've done more than enough. Oh! One more thing." I looked over at Tom and Michael before I moved back into the office. "Can I get another restraining order?"  
    "On Burt? What the hell is he doing now? I thought you were divorced."  
    "My daughter's coming home for Thanksgiving and he's threatening that he's coming too. I don't want him in my house. The court awarded me the house and I want him to stay away."  
    "Yeah…you can do it. Just go in and tell them I sent you. Like I said, I'm in homicide now."  
    "Thanks Kevin. I appreciate it."
    "Look…do you mind if I start the paper work and just bring it over to you? Maybe have some coffee together?"  
    "I don't mind at all." We hung up and I dropped the phone into my apron again. When I stepped back out Michael was at the counter with a French Press and Tom was ringing him up.  
    "Can I get you a coffee to go?" Mary said as she moved to stand right up against Tom, nearly crowding him away from the register. I watched her bat her eyes and smile with a dip of her head at Michael.  
    I also noticed Michael wasn't even looking at her when he said, "No thanks."  
    With a sigh at the little git's ridiculous behavior, I stepped out and stood a bit to the side. "Picked a French Press. Good choice."  
    "You have one, Grace?"  
    "No. I have a single cup maker."  
    "Do you know how to use one of these?"  
    I approached and put my hand on the top of it. Our eyes met and he gave me that half smirk. So I returned the expression. "Mr. Oliver, I have absolutely no freak'n idea how to use one of these."  
    Tom and he laughed. Mary moved away.  
    Michael handed over his card to Tom. "Then maybe I can become an expert and show you one day."  
    I nodded. Sure. Right. "You do that."  
    As he finished the sale, Tom looked at me. "You hear about Sam?"  
    "Yeah. I'll tell you in just a minute." I watched Michael take his card, replace it in a nice wallet and then heft his purchase into his arms. "I'll see you, Grace."  
    After he left I filled the two of them in on what Kevin told me. Tom whistled. "Wow. I didn't even know she had family. Why tell us her mother had terminal cancer? And she never mentioned a brother."  
    "I have no idea. Either way, I need to call George and let him know. We're going to need to hire a replacement for a while. Maybe someone from one of the other stores."  
    "I've got a cousin," Mary volunteered.  
    I smiled and told her I'd let George know. As I went into the back, Tom followed me. "Hey Grace?"  
    "Yeah?"  
    "That guy? The one that just bought the coffee maker?"
    I stopped and turned to him. "Yeah?"  
    "He was asking me all kinds of questions about you. Wanted your last name, where you lived, were you married and if not were you seeing anybody?"
    Oh. My. I pointed past him to the door. "That guy…wanted to know those things about me ? What did you tell him?"  
    "Nothing really. I did tell him your last name. I figured that wasn't bad. I told him you were a lot of fun and I told him you were divorced but living with a guy. When I told him that he seemed disappointed. Stopped asking me questions."  
    Oh.  
    My .  

The rest of the day was sort of normal and I ended up working a shift and a half with Flower, who said I could leave at any time and she's lock up. Kevin dropped by around four with the paperwork I'd asked for. He looked a little less pressed than he had that morning.  
    "Rough day?" I asked as we took a free table and chairs near the back in front of the bathroom.  
    He sat back with a long, exaggerated sigh. "Always and never. Every day's a rough day so it's sort of the norm. But," he said as he sat forward and rested both elbows on the table. "It's what I wanted. What I signed on for.