Brett. That was his name, and he owned a restaurant down in West Palm Beach. And he’d been at the wedding too. Lots of sex happening the night of Rosie’s wedding, but not for Annabel.
Or for Ethan.
Nope. All they got were a couple of broken hearts and a pair of hangovers that, in her case, lasted for two days.
“Better to find out before you got married.” Or spent eight years of your life waiting for a man to decide that he ‘just wasn’t marriage material.’
“I would have rather known before we got engaged. Why she said yes is beyond me. What’s really funny is the ring I gave her, she conveniently lost two weeks after we broke up.”
“Now that really sucks.”
“I’m honestly over it—and her—but she invited me to the wedding.” He raked a hand across the top of his head.
“That’s weird.”
“It is and I’m not going, but it just brings it all to the surface, and seeing you again, well…” he laughed, shaking his head, “in spite of it all, I had a really good time with you that night.”
“I did too,” she admitted.
“I have to say I’m really surprised you came back. I remember when you were a kid, you couldn’t wait to get out of God’s Waiting Room.”
That had been her nickname for Florida because so many old people came there to live out their senior years. “I got out, and the grass isn’t greener on the other side.”
“Is there grass in the Big Apple?” Ethan graced her with a big smile and that damned wink.
Trouble meowed as he settled into the seat, his front paws crossed, and his eyes locked on her. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear the darn cat just winked too.
“You’re a funny man, Ethan.”
“I have my moments.”
“So, what brings you by? Should I be worried about my things stored here?” she asked. “I saw a man upset with the office manager just as you pulled in.”
“I’m not sure what that was about,” Ethan said, glancing around. “No one said anything to me. I used to have a unit here, and I just stopped by to pick up my lock that I left.” He pushed away from the hood of the car. “I better get back to work, but I’d like to meet for a drink sometime, maybe tonight?”
“I could do tonight,” she said, biting the inside of her cheek. “Rosie has my number. I’m working part time for Coastal Realty until I get my license, but I’ll be off at six.”
“Perfect.” He pushed his silver-rimmed, dark sunglasses up his nose. “I’ll see you tonight. I’ll bring the Jameson.”
She laughed. “I gave up shots and letting men near my belly button.”
“I’m not just any man.” He gave her a lopsided grin. “Have a great day, Annabel.”
“You do the same.” She buckled herself in.
Ethan took a few steps back and waved.
She drew a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she backed out of the parking spot, and pulled out onto Military Trail, constantly looking in her rearview mirror.
Did she just agree to a date with Ethan?
End of excerpt from Trouble’s Wedding Caper
by Jen Talty
Trouble Cat Mysteries #8
Please join our Trouble Cat Mysteries page on Facebook:
fb.me/TroubleCatMysteries
www.troublecatmysteries.com
Familiar Trouble | Carolyn Haines
Trouble in Dixie | Rebecca Barrett
Trouble in Tallahassee | Claire Matturro
Trouble in Summer Valley | Susan Y. Tanner
Small Town Trouble | Laura Benedict
Trouble in Paradise | Rebecca Barrett
Turning for Trouble | Susan Y. Tanner
Trouble’s Wedding Caper | Jen Talty
Bone-a-fied Trouble | Carolyn Haines
Trouble in Action | Susan Y. Tanner
Trouble Most Faire | Jaden Terrell
A Whisper of Trouble | Susan Y. Tanner
The Trouble with Cupid: 10 Short Mysteries Spiced with Romance | Multiple Authors
Trouble Under the Mistletoe | e-novella | Rebecca Barrett
A Trouble’d Christmas | e-novella | Susan Y. Tanner
Year-Round Trouble: 14 Original Cozy Holiday Mysteries | Multiple Authors
Trouble’s Double Contest Winner
Sable
My daughter Piper is holding Sable in this photograph. Sable is a lovable, loyal cat who lives with her tabby brother Gus, two pups, and two human siblings. She was the runt of her litter which her nickname, Piglet, comes from because she is about the size of a baby pig. We adopted her into our family in 2009 from a local animal shelter to keep Gus company. She spends her time snoozing with Gus and catching rays in the window. She loves to be snuggled and enjoys a good game of fetch with her catnip mouse. She is very patient with her human siblings who dote on her and Gus. We can't imagine our family without her!
Corinne Markey