The Sweetheart Secret by Shirley Jump Read Free Book Online

Harold in the back of his oversized egg head.
    â€œHarold sure does like you, Greta,” Esther said, her gaze on the knitting needles and giant skein of brown yarn working together in furious movements. “I don’t see why you keep resisting his attentions.”
    Greta signaled to the waitstaff for a fresh cup of coffee. Lord knew she was going to need one. Not to mention a second jigger full of the supplemental beverage tucked in the pocket of her sweater. “Esther, I do not cavort with evil, especially in human form.”
    Pauline hurried up to the table in her usual cyclone of stuff. She dumped her purse, coat, and hat into a chair, followed by a set of keys, a bundle of newspapers, and a thick manila envelope. It all poured out of her arms and into a teetering mountain that dwarfed the high-backed chair. Every time Pauline entered a room, she was like a passel of clowns exploding from a VW bug.
    â€œWho’s evil in a human form?” Pauline said.
    â€œHarold Twohig.” The words burned past Greta’s lips. Why did the man insist on plaguing her so? She didn’t have the stomach for him. Not today. Heck, not any day.
    â€œYou say his name with such vehemence,” Pauline said. “And here I thought you two were getting along.”
    Pauline slipped into a cushioned seat across from Esther and her growing bundle of furry yarn. Esther kept on knitting away, a woman on a mission to fill her tiny Golden Years apartment with a faux menagerie.
    â€œHarold and I never got along,” Greta said. “I merely formed a temporary alliance with that spawn of Satan so I could work some magic between Diana and Mike. As painful as it was to be in Harold’s presence, it warms my heart to see those two engaged.”
    Two happy endings already this year. Her grandson Luke and darling Olivia, set to get married next month. Now Luke’s friend Mike and Olivia’s sister Diana, engaged and setting up house together in Rescue Bay with Mike’s adorable little girls. At the end of the day, that was the kind of thing that gave Greta comfort and told her that when her time to go came, she’d be leaving a legacy of happily ever afters.
    Except for Edward. Her only child had yet to do so much as glance in the direction of any of the women Greta had tried to set him up with. He’d been widowed so long, it was as if he’d forgotten how to date. She worried about her son, and about him living the rest of his days as a workaholic hermit.
    Pauline cleared her throat. “Speaking of Harold—”
    Greta grimaced.
    â€œDid he say if Earl was joining the guys for their card game today?”
    â€œI didn’t ask, Pauline. I try never to talk to Harold. Especially immediately after eating.” Greta leaned in and eyed Pauline. “Why do you care what Earl Harper is doing today?”
    â€œNo reason. I was just hoping to get a chance to pick his brain. My Cadillac is acting up a bit and I thought he might know why.”
    â€œThe man’s retired, Pauline. Let him live in peace.”
    â€œI’ll run by the garage this afternoon instead.” Pauline retrieved the envelope from the chair, and undid the metal clasp. “Okay, girls. Time for us to get to work. I’ve got the latest letters for our Common Sense Carla column. Let me read a few and we can decide which one we’re going to tackle this week. We have several doozies in this batch. I’m thinking a secret lover would be good to spice things up.”
    â€œI like the idea of a secret lover. Or spouse.” Greta grinned.
    Pauline shuffled through the stack of letters in the envelope and pulled out a pale blue sheet. In the year the three women had been writing the local advice column, they’d covered the gamut of topics. Several local papers were carrying the Common Sense Carla column now—part of Esther’s attempt at world domination. Either way, Greta enjoyed helping