Dead in the Daisies (A Heavenly Highland Inn Cozy Mystery) (2 page)

Mitchell
had grown up in the deep south, and had moved to the area only a couple of years ago. They got along very well, but Vicky still held him at arm's length. She didn't want to be pressured into an official commitment. Mitchell on the other hand was not to be deterred. He was honest to a fault and had made no bones about telling Vicky that he wanted the opportunity to get to know her much better. 

“
Hello?” Mitchell's harried voice answered the phone on the second ring.

“
Hi there, I thought I'd get your voicemail,” she admitted with an awkward laugh.

“
Oh, well, did you want me to take a message?” he suggested in a playful tone.

“
Ha, ha,” Vicky replied dryly and tried to hide a giggle. His jokes were often cheesy but she still liked them. There was something about his voice that made her feel cheerful. “I was wondering if you might be available this evening to come to dinner...” she started to say.

“
Absolutely,” he said abruptly, interrupting her.

“
At my sister's,” Vicky finished, and was greeted with silence on the other end of the phone. She waited a moment and then checked to make sure the call was still connected. “Mitchell, are you there?”

“
Is this it then?” he asked when he finally began to speak again.

“
Is this what?” Vicky asked with confusion. She wondered if she had upset him somehow.

“
Is this the official introduction to the family?” he inquired rather gleefully. She could hear the anticipation in his voice, and realized he was reading a lot more into this than she had expected.

“
Uh,” Vicky hesitated, wondering if there was a way to soften the blow that she didn't consider the dinner to be a gateway into the next stage of their relationship.

“
This is great,” he said eagerly before she had the chance to correct him. “Of course I'll be there, what time?”

Vicky was silent as she tried to process what had just happened. She hadn't intended for it to be an official introduction, and what exactly did that mean?

“Six,” she managed to say as her mind still spun around the implications of a family dinner.

“
I'll be there,” he said happily. “Can't wait to see you, Vicky,” he added, before hanging up the phone.

Vicky stared at the phone for some time after he hung up. Had she just
unintentionally sped up the development of their relationship?

Oddly, as Vicky prepared herself for dinner that evening, she felt nervous. She wasn't sure what to wear. It was just dinner at her sister's, and yet it felt as if she was about to walk the runway for some reason. This was exactly why she tried to avoid serious relationships. Finally, she settled on some jeans and a button-down blouse. When she looked in the mirror she wasn't very satisfied, but she knew it would have to do for the night. The contents of her closet were spread all over her bed and bedroom and she would have to settle on something.

Vicky
was still feeling a little anxious when she arrived at Sarah's house. When she opened the door and let herself in, Vicky found herself immediately assaulted by the surprisingly strong and unyielding grasp of her nephew, Ethan. He was only five, but the child seemed to know all there was about take downs. Vicky suspected Aunt Ida had been teaching him some Jujitsu behind Sarah's back. Aunt Ida had experience in a little bit of everything, from the martial arts, to pottery, to parachuting.

“
Hey there,” Vicky choked out and patted Ethan’s blonde hair gently. “Good to see you champ,” she said with a smile as he released her and she was able to breathe again. Just as she took a breath, her three year old nephew, Rory came ploughing towards her. She braced herself, and let out a quiet grunt when he slammed into her stomach.

“
Ethan, don't hurt Aunt Vicky,” Sarah called from the kitchen with laughter in her voice.

“
It wasn't me, it was Rory!” Ethan shouted back with a pout.

“
It's okay,” Vicky called back. “I survived.”

Rory grinned up at her devilishly.
“Hello to you, too,” she smiled at him.

As the boys ran off to
finish their current favorite television show, Vicky was drawn to the lovely scents that were drifting from the kitchen.

“
Oh Sarah, everything looks great,” Vicky said as she stepped inside and offered her the loaf of French bread she had picked up at the store. “I hope this will go well.”

“
It's perfect,” Sarah agreed and gave her a younger sister a quick hug before tending to the boiling pasta on the stove.

“
You look nice this evening,” she cooed. “I guess that means that Mitchell said yes? Hmm?” she winked at her sister.

“
Yes, he said yes,” Vicky sighed as she picked at a bit of cheese. “He's acting so strange though.”

“
Strange how?” Sarah asked and smacked her sister's hand away from the cheese. “That's for everyone,” she said sternly. 

“
He seems to think that tonight is a big deal,” Vicky explained hesitantly. “You know officially meeting the family.”

“
Isn't it?” Sarah asked as she tasted the sauce she was simmering. “Mm, here,” she held out the wooden spoon for Vicky to try. Vicky had a taste and sighed with pleasure.

“
Perfect, as usual,” she mumbled.

“
Thanks,” Sarah laughed as she studied her sister. “Come on, out with it, what's really bothering you?”

“
Well, why can't things just be good as they are?” Vicky asked with a frown. “Why do they always have to progress, and get messy?”

“
They're supposed to progress because people have feelings, and those feelings grow stronger with time,” Sarah explained patiently as if Vicky was asking a simple and obvious question. “It's so wonderful you don't even notice that it's messy.”

Vicky shivered a little.
“I guess it's just not my style,” she frowned. “I just don't want Mitchell to get hurt because we have different ideas of what we want.”

“
Hmm,” Sarah nodded a little. “Or maybe you're just afraid, that things are progressing whether you like it or not.”

Vicky started to open her mouth to argue with her sister, when there was a knock on the front door.

“That must be Mitchell,” Vicky said with relief. She was glad to avoid the unfolding conversation. Vicky stepped away from the kitchen to answer the door, but Sarah's words stayed in her mind. When Vicky opened the door an irresistible smile of excitement rose to her lips.

“
Look who I found,” Mitchell said, his fierce blue eyes shining as he smiled at her. Aunt Ida was snuggled up next to him, her arm tucked through his and a wide grin splayed across her full lips.

“
I swear officer, I didn't do it,” she lifted one set of long fingers to cover her mouth as she giggled. “Oh please, who's going to buy that?” she laughed out loud.

“
Aunt Ida,” Vicky said with a playful grin. “Come on in,” she stepped back and held the door open for Mitchell and Ida to step through. Aunt Ida reluctantly relinquished his arm so that Vicky could embrace him. When his lips sought hers, she pulled back slightly. He met her gaze questioningly, but that question was answered when Ethan popped his head up between the two of them.

“
Are you Aunt Vicky's boooooyfriend?” he asked with a mischievous gleam in his eyes that were the same bright green as his aunt’s.

“
Uh well,” Mitchell cleared his throat and then dropped down to the boy's eye level, a move that impressed Vicky.

“
I don't know, what would you think if I was?” he asked curiously. Sarah had stepped into the living room to observe, and was whispering to Aunt Ida about how sweet Mitchell was.

“
Hmm,” Ethan narrowed his eyes as he scrutinized the man before him with all of the seriousness of a grown man. “You don't seem like the last guy on earth,” he concluded.

“
What?” Mitchell asked with confusion and glanced up at Vicky for help. Vicky's eyes widened some as she tried to anticipate what he was going to say next. She had to remember the kid liked to repeat things, this was something she could never seem to grasp.

“
Well, Aunt Vicky said that she would only get married if there was only one man left on earth,” Ethan declared happily. “So, I guess you're not her boyfriend,” he shrugged and seemed to be satisfied by his own deduction.

“
Oh, Ethan,” Sarah gasped and grabbed her son gently by the arm to tug him away from Mitchell who had glanced up with curiosity at Vicky. Vicky could only stare down at him uncertain as to whether she should defend herself.

“
Kids,” Aunt Ida volunteered as she noticed her niece squirming. “They say the strangest things,” she laughed lightly and Sarah soon joined in, hoping to break the mild tension that had formed.

“
Yes, they do,” Mitchell laughed as he stood back up and slid his arm around Vicky's waist. “Sarah, these are for you,” he added as he held out a small bouquet of flowers.

“
Oh, thank you so much,” Sarah gushed as she took the flowers and carried them into the kitchen to put them in water. When Mitchell glanced over at Vicky, he couldn't hide his smile of amusement

“
Last man on earth, hmm?” he murmured beside her ear.

“
Well,” Vicky hesitated. Her opinion hadn't really changed that much. As lovely a marriage as Sarah and Phil had, she considered herself to have her Aunt Ida's spirit, free and wandering.

“
I'm just kidding,” he assured her and kissed her cheek softly. As they gathered around the kitchen table Sarah finished preparing their meal with the assistance of Ethan.

“
Sorry guys it looks like Phil is running a little late,” she sighed as she slid the ravioli onto a serving dish. “He's been busy lately, sometimes it's like we're passing ships rather than husband and wife,” she laughed, but Vicky could sense the sadness in Sarah's voice. Phil had taken on some extra hours since the inn had not been producing as much income as it usually did. Aunt Ida was toying with her cell phone, she even turned it upside down once and shook it.

“
What are you doing?” Vicky laughed as she watched her aunt getting more and more aggravated by the device.

“
How do you get the texts out of these things?” she asked, obviously stumped by the tiny buttons on the phone. She was very intelligent, but she didn't handle technology too well.

“
Here,” Vicky took the phone from her and showed her the steps to access her text messages. “It's pretty simple,” she said and then frowned as she hit the wrong button. “Well, I guess it could be simpler,” she laughed a little and handed the phone back.

“
Thanks sweetie,” Aunt Ida said with a sigh of relief. She began scrolling through all of the messages that she had missed.

“
Yes!” Aunt Ida shrieked with joy. “Yes! Yes! She can fit me in!”

“
Who?” Sarah laughed as she added the French bread to the table and glanced towards the door once more. 

“
There's no time to waste,” Aunt Ida announced as she stood up from the table. “I have an emergency appointment to get my hair done,” she said and ran her fingertips through the short strands with a slight frown. “It's such a mess right now and luckily Sandra’s new hairdresser has time to do it.”

“
You haven't even eaten,” Vicky protested with a frown.

“
Sweetheart, beauty waits for no one,” Aunt Ida announced dramatically.

“
Your hair looks wonderful,” Sarah said with a sigh as she studied her aunt. “Everything about you always looks wonderful,” she added as she tugged a stray feather out of her own hair. “I’ve been working on some costumes for Ethan and Rory, and I can’t yet figure out how I have more feathers on me than on the parrot costumes,” she laughed.

“
I don't know how you ever have the time to do all of that,” Vicky said as she plucked the feather from Sarah's hand. Just then the front door swung open and Phil called out from the living room.

“
Never fear, Phil is here!” Phil walked up to the table to join them with a wide grin. “Sorry I'm late,” he added as he leaned over to kiss Sarah gently on the lips.

“
Ew,” Ethan complained and covered his eyes. Rory just wiggled out of his chair and hid under the table.

“
It's a team effort,” Sarah said with a sweet smile at her husband. Vicky glanced over at Mitchell who seemed to be enjoying the banter between family members. Vicky loved her single life. She liked the idea of being free to wander as she pleased, but she still wondered sometimes if that would ever change. Sarah seemed to have everything, not only a normally successful business like Vicky but also an amazing husband and two beautiful children. The more Vicky got to know Mitchell, the more certain she was that if she were to ever have that life, she wanted it to be with him, but getting to that point at the moment seemed impossible. She just wasn't sure it was what she wanted. Was it fair to him to make him wait while she figured it out?