A Frothy Fiasco: A Cozy Mystery (Sweet Home Mystery Series Book 3) Read Free Page A

strawberry banana smoothies.
    “Essie and Hildie, do you ladies need a ride home?” Tony asked as he stood up to go. “I’m heading back to Sabina, so I have to go right past the village.”
    “Thanks, Tony,” Hildie said, “but we need to stay here for another couple of hours. And we have our golf cart here too.”
    “That fancy buggy with the flamingos is yours? I like the lights strewn over it. Gives it finesse.”
    He shook Harvey’s hand and then put his hand on Toe’s shoulder and leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Be careful with Essie now…she’s a real fire cracker…but I’m sure you already know that.”
    Tony patted Toe’s back and then looked at Jules and me. “And don’t you two break that thing now. I’ll stop by in a day or two to have a cappuccino.” He winked at Jules and left.
    “Jules,” I said, half seriously and half in jest, “you don’t keep breaking that coffee machine so Tony will have to come back and fix it do you?”
    She looked at me like I was accusing her of murder. “Seriously? He’s a good looking guy and all, but he’s not my cup of tea – or espresso. His cheesy smile reminds me too much of my ex, and that just creeps me out.”
“Well, he’s sure got eyes for you. Maybe he’ll grow on you.”
    We flipped the sign on the door to Open , but with the mercury heading for triple digits, there weren’t a lot of people rushing in for coffee.
    “I guess we should make some signs for the window for the cold drinks. I got the markers and poster board. Can I borrow some of your artistic talent, Jules?”
    We left the aunts and the boys to themselves and set up shop at the counter. Jules could have been an artist and quickly sketched out signs for the espressos, frappes, and fruit smoothies, and we both started filling them in with the colored markers. I started with a big blue “Ice Cold” at the top.
    Time flew by, and pretty soon the boys got up to leave.
    “Where’s my pen now, dang it,” said Toe tapping his chest pocket. “I want to put your arch on my calendar so I don’t forget about it in the morning. Well, I got a bunch in the car. See you all now.”
    Toe used his pens like business cards and always had a boxful with his name and phone number. “I‘ve got to go too,” Harvey said climbing out of his chair. “Don’t forget your dohicky,“ Toe said as he picked up Harvey’s iPad and handed it to him. Harvey waved his farewell, and the boys were gone.
    The aunts, Jules and I performed a few chores around the shop and then I motioned towards Essie and Hildie.
    “Why don’t you ladies take off too? There’s nothing happening here. Jules and I will watch the shop, and if nobody comes we’ll just lock up early.”
    “That would be great, Lily. I need to get home and enjoy some of that air conditioning. Come on, Hildie.” A minute later they were rolling down the street in their golf cart.
    Lily waved to them from the door and then to a middle-aged couple who had been preparing the storefront across the street for a new business. Then they went inside and sat under the fan.
    “You know, Jules, things have really slowed down as we got close to summer, and we really need this espresso thing to draw in the younger crowd, or we’re going to be in financial trouble soon.” Jules and I share everything and it felt good to be able to tell someone my concerns about the financial hardship I was afraid was looming on the horizon.
    “Don’t worry, babe. It’s going to work. There are more people coming to town every day, and a good coffee house is in big demand. Besides, I’m going to help you advertise.”
    I laughed a little. “Well, these window signs will help a little, but they’re not going to turn things around for us.”
    “That’s not what I mean.”
    Now I was curious and gave her an inquisitive look.
    “I told you we finally sold the house.”
    “Yeah, but you only owned it for a couple of years, so there can’t be that much