The Diva Digs up the Dirt by Krista Davis Read Free Book Online Page A

hadn’t put it quite that way. “I’m afraid so.”
    He pointed at the climbing rose near the table where Nina and I had talked with Mona in the morning. “Just be sure they don’t tear that one out.”
    “It should be safe. They’re going to work on the other side of the yard.”
    “I stopped by to beg off dinner tomorrow. Meet me for lunch at The Laughing Hound instead?”
    “Sorry, I have a meeting. How about dinner tonight at my house?”
    “I thought you were taking some time off.”
    “I am, but Roscoe Greene wants to see me tomorrow.”
    Wolf’s face grew stony. “What does Roscoe want now?”
    I continued in our jolly vein. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous of him, too?”
    “Stay away from him.” Wolf wasn’t joking.
    “Don’t be silly. He just got married. I’m sure he wants to talk about another event.”
    “Then turn him down.”
    Just past Wolf, I could see Nina, her expression showing the bewilderment I felt. “I gather you have some kind of issue with Roscoe?”
    His hands balled into fists. “Isn’t it enough that I ask you not to get involved with the man?”
    I thought about it and took a step back. “No, it’s not enough. If you expect me to refuse to do business with someone, I want to know why. What’s wrong with Roscoe?”
    Wolf turned so red I was afraid he might have a coronary on the spot. Instead, he turned and walked toward the street. I watched as he disappeared along the side of my house, but I had no desire to run after him.
    “That was weird,” said Nina.
    We returned to my kitchen, and I put on a pot of coffee. “Wolf never acts like that. Do you know any gossip about Roscoe?” Nina knew everything. If there were stories about Roscoe or his family, she would have heard.
    “Nothing other than the new wife. I gather Olive was extremely put out about the divorce and Roscoe’s relationship with Mindy.”
    “Surely that wouldn’t bother Wolf.”
    Angry voices outside drew us to the kitchen door. Daisy, Nina, and I crept toward the backyard.
    Someone shouted over the sound of the engine, and Natasha staggered through the gate in a panic. A backhoe crashed through my fence, knocking down a substantial portion of it. I grabbed Daisy’s collar to keep her out of harm’s way.
    “Oh, this is going to be fun,” said Nina.
    “That’s not nice. They just destroyed my fence!”
    “Yeah, but look who he’s after.”
    Natasha stumbled toward us, a bit disheveled in her effort to dodge the big machine.
    Heath drove the backhoe, his grin revealing too much joy in scaring Natasha and ruining my fence.
    I retreated to my kitchen, already ruing my decision. I was pouring coffee for Nina when Natasha barged in.
    “Did you see that? The nerve of that man! He’s a menace!” Natasha patted her hair in place with trembling hands. “I don’t know what they’re so upset about. Honestly, I think men are intimidated by me.”
    She paused at the kitchen sink, gathering her composure. When she turned around, the old, confident Natasha was back as though nothing had happened. “Sophie, you’re not allowed to see your backyard unless they ask you.”She opened my cabinets and pawed through dishes, selecting some. “I’m supposed to keep you from looking. We’re going to do all kinds of projects.”
    So much for a relaxing week off.
Apparently, she had never watched Troy’s show. The owners were periodically taped showing their dismay over the wreck in their yards. “What are you doing with my dishes? Are you feeding the guys?”
    “We should do that! How thoughtful of you to make coffee for them. The plates are for our first project. Your terra-cotta pots are so drab. We’re going to dress them up by breaking plates and adorning them with the pieces. Some of these are very colorful.”
    I whisked my dishes away from her. “Not with these plates, you’re not! Besides, you’re in luck this morning, Natasha. I have plans, so you can help Troy instead of watching