2 Yule Be the Death of Me Read Online Free Page B

gingerbread train engine pulling a
caboose.
    “Are you two thinking
of moving away?” Kathy’s voice raised an octave in concern.
    “No.” Vivienne
shook her head. “Joshua just mentioned how nice it would be to spend the
holidays in a warm climate like the Florida Keys.”
    Relief washed
over Kathy’s face. “Oh, thank God. I thought you were going to leave me here
with Nora.”
    “I wouldn’t do
that to my best friend,” Vivienne answered, “Unless you really did something to
tick me off.”
    “Perish the
thought.” Kathy quipped.
    “I guess I
don’t have a say in the matter.” Joshua raised an eyebrow.
    “Of course you
do, honey.” Vivienne tipped her head against his shoulder. “We women only pay
attention when you men say what we would have said anyway.”
    Joshua scoffed
and admired the gingerbread train. “I figured as much.”
    Vivienne and
Kathy shared a laugh that echoed through the gallery as Joshua steered them
toward the south wing where some of the other displays were waiting. “Where’s
the wine bar?” Kathy asked.
    Cassandra
Pembroke appeared from behind the archway leading to the next room with several
members of the city council flanking her. Dressed in a flattering two-piece
navy-blue business suit with a tasteful strand of pearls, she managed to appear
elegant yet approachable. “Vivienne, Kathy, Deputy Arkins ,
so very nice to see you.”
    “Hello
Cassandra.” Vivienne stopped and corrected herself. “Excuse me, Madame Mayor.
It’s so very nice to see you too.”
    Cassandra
waved her hands at mention of her formal title. “Please, don’t start calling me
that or I’ll have to start calling you Miss Finch.”
    “I’m sorry,
Cassandra.” Vivienne had to admit that it was still hard to think of Cassandra
as the town’s new mayor. After Richard Clarke resigned his post in late
September following the murder of his wife Mona, a special election was
announced to fill the vacancy. Vivienne, of course, had helped to solve the
murder much to the annoyance of Sheriff Rigsbee .
    In the month
that followed, Cassandra put her name in for the running along with several
other candidates and won by a landslide when Election Day arrived. Her no
nonsense style of dealing with sticky situations during her time as a socialite
in New York City gave a unique advantage to reigning in the often cantankerous
town council.
    “I must say
that Samantha Charles’ gift certainly helped to calm down the situation on Main
Street.” Kathy added. “The new sidewalks really made watching the holiday
parade more enjoyable.”
    Cassandra
nodded. “Yes, her monetary offer certainly took the heat off me coming into
this job. I can’t wait to see the new building facades and signs next spring.”
    Vivienne’s
thoughts drifted back to late October when Samantha had generously dipped into
her family’s deep coffers and assumed seventy-five percent of the cost for the
revitalization project, reducing the burden to the Main Street store owners
greatly. Her friend, the New York hotel heiress, was true to her word to make
her new summer home location a jewel in the Finger Lakes. “I love the idea of
the little park area next to the post office. Dedicating those benches and the
new fountain to Mona Clarke will be a fitting tribute when it’s completed next
year.”
    “Have you seen
Samantha in town lately?” Cassandra asked. “I saw some work crews updating the
house she bought.”
    “A few weeks ago.”
Vivienne replied. “I know that she’s had her hands full buying out Fiona
Meadows’ publishing company.”
    “And everyone
thinks local politics is tricky to navigate.” Cassandra added. “They’ve got
nothing on upper social circles.”
    A young waiter
in a rented tuxedo that had sleeves a tad too long for his arms appeared
carrying a tray with drinks loaded on it. “Sparkling cider?” He asked.
    They each took
a glass as he moved on. Joshua guzzled his down with gusto. “Not bad