Not One Clue by Lois Greiman Read Free Book Online

here?” I was struggling to breathe normally. He was lucky my instincts were such that protecting dinner was more important than fighting intruders.
    “I came to adore my stunning bride-to-be,” he said.
    “Why?” I asked, and checked the side of the bag, making sure no yummy juices had spilled.
    “Why?” He grinned at me. Or maybe he had colitis. I believe the results can be similar. “Because she’s the air that I breathe. The wind beneath my wings. The light of my—”
    “Try not to creep me out,” I said, and pressing past him, made my way into the kitchen.
    Laney was there, setting the table. It looked as if she was just recovering from laughing at my expense. “Hard day?” she asked, far too smart to admit she habitually finds my grouchiness amusing.
    “I actually thought it couldn’t get any worse,” I said, and she chuckled. Somehow my aversion to her betrothed completely failed to upset her.
    “Jeen just stopped by to discuss the floral arrangements.”
    “Buying the tropics, are you?”
    “It is getting a little out of hand,” she admitted.
    “Uh-huh. So Solberg’s leaving soon?” I tried not to sound jubilant at the idea, but I’m not much of an actress. There had been a time I could have said the same of Laney. But no more. She was now the darling of Hollywood and would start filming her first motion picture soon. But that wasn’t entirely due to her thespian skills. She was built like a fairy-dusted goddess and smart as a firecracker. Not to mention she was the most adorable person on the planet.
    “Sorry I can’t stay for dinner,” Solberg said, walking into the kitchen. “But I’ve got stuff to do.”
    Despite my better judgment, I glanced up at his mysterious tone. “What stuff?”
    His lips jerked as his colitis acted up. “Stuff I can’t talk about when Angel’s here.”
    Which meant I would never know, because I wouldn’t be caught dead alone with him. I’d made that mistake before. In fact, I had dated him once. But that was before he’d caught his first glimpse of Brainy Laney. As far as I know his jaw hasn’t been located since.
    “He’s buying my wedding gift,” Laney said.
    “I didn’t know there were still continents for sale,” I said. Solberg was just a little bit richer than God, which, oddly enough, had absolutely nothing to do with why Laney was marrying him. It was anybody’s guess what her mind-boggling reasons might be. But I suspect they might have had something to do with eye of newt and possible necromancy. Voodoo is still alive and well in the greater Los Angeles area.
    “I’m not buying your gift,” Solberg said.
    Laney and I looked at each other. She shrugged. He grinned.
    “I gotta go,” he said.
    I turned away as he kissed Laney’s cheek. Why spoil my appetite now?
    The door closed behind him.
    “You really don’t know what he’s getting you?” I asked.
    “Not a clue,” she said, and reached up to fetch the glasses from the top shelf. She was wearing green canvas shorts she had gotten from Goodwill in junior high. There was not a molecule of cellulite on her thighs. The sight made me want to eat until I was catatonic.
    I opened the carton of lo mein. It was as pretty as a picture. “What did he mean by he’s not buying it?”
    “Maybe he’s making me something.”
    I fished out a noodle and tasted it. Asian ambrosia. “Or renting you a slave.”
    “Can you do that?”
    I shrugged one shoulder. The other was on sabbatical. “I’d rent myself out for the right price.”
    “I’m going to have to think about that. Tell me about last night,” she said, and sat down at the table.
    I did the same, then scowled as I dished up the lo mein and passed it to her.
    She only took some lo.
    “A client called,” I said, beginning slow.
    “Here?”
    I nodded and tasted the sauce. It made chocolate pale by comparison. I swear to you, I wasn’t drunk.
    “How’d he get this number? You didn’t give him your home phone, did you?”