COZY MYSTERY: Trail Mix Murder: A Cozy Mystery in the Mountains (Book 2) Read Online Free
Author: Liz Turner
playing “Happy Birthday”.
Victoria, not for the first time, stared at LeeLee’s impassive face and wondered what, if anything, the birthday girl felt. She seemed to treat life as a grand joke, with only herself knowing the answers. And yet, behind the mask of impassivity, Victoria thought there lurked an unhappiness.
Across the floor, she saw Declan dust himself off. Still looking furious his blank eyes met LeeLee’s. Then, deliberately turning, he walked away from her.
Chapter 4
It rained unexpectedly hard all the next day, and so Amanda and Victoria had to postpone their hike. When they did manage to go the day after, Amanda warned Victoria that rock-slides had occurred in a few places, and they’d have to be extra careful. Talk soon turned to the events of the party, though.
“Man, I thought we outgrew fighting at parties in our teens,” Amanda said as she and Victoria walked together. “Now I wish I’d been there.”
“It was alright after Hanson left,” Victoria said. “But I think it sobered us all down a little bit you know. Except for LeeLee though, who was totally unfazed. In a way, I think I’ve never met a woman as strong as her. I’m amazed by her capacity to look so stoic even when things are in shambles around her.”
“I suppose it’s a result of having seen far worse tragedies in life,” Amanda said. “Or maybe LeeLee was just drunk.”
“LeeLee wasn’t drunk.” Victoria shook her head. “She never drinks. She hasn’t had a drink for forty years.”
Amanda raised an eyebrow. “Then she’s a strong woman indeed, considering she’s surrounded by fountains of drink at her parties.”
“Well, enough about them,” Victoria said. “Tell me how you’ve planned this wedding!”
Amanda laughed. “Well, so far, Steve has asked me to marry him quickly and quietly in the old historic Calgary Town Hall.”
“But I thought you wanted flowers, fireworks, all of it?” Victoria sighed.
“Oh I do, but what Steve said made sense, as always. If we get married at the town hall and have the proper reception about three months from now, then we can get a head start on the adoption process.”
“Adoption process?” Victoria stopped.
“I’m officially adopting Ida, of course.” Amanda had tears in her eyes and a blush on her face.
“Oh. Oh, Amanda! Congratulations! This is just as big as the ring!” Victoria hugged her again, delighted. Thirteen years ago, after she had lost her first husband in an accident, Amanda had found out that she would never be able to bear children. Steve’s entry in her life had been a double miracle of sorts. Amanda loved Ida just as much as she had loved Steve.
“Ida’s happy about it too,” Amanda said. “It’s really sad for a girl to grow up without a mother, you know. And now she’s at that age when she’s first getting interested in boys and makeup.”
“Oh thank goodness my Annie’s still a little child,” Victoria said. “Though I know she’ll start having her own phases soon.”
“The two of them are really fond of each other, by the way,” Amanda said. “Annie and Ida, that is.”
“They ought to be,” Victoria smiled. “They like the same music, they both like swimming, their favorite hero is Channing Tatum and they are both obsessed with the books of Louisa May Alcott. Precocious little girls.”
“I think you mean precious,” Amanda smiled. “Anyway, my mother wasn’t very keen on it. She thought it improper to marry first and have the official ceremony later but I quite love the idea. Oh, Victoria, I’ve been staying up nights the last few days planning how I’ll redecorate the house now that Steve and Ida will move in after the wedding.”
“They’re moving in with you? Not the other way around?”
“My house is closer to town,” Amanda said. “You know I can’t leave the shop very long.”
Victoria nodded. Besides volunteering as the town librarian three days a week, Amanda owned an art gallery
Victoria, not for the first time, stared at LeeLee’s impassive face and wondered what, if anything, the birthday girl felt. She seemed to treat life as a grand joke, with only herself knowing the answers. And yet, behind the mask of impassivity, Victoria thought there lurked an unhappiness.
Across the floor, she saw Declan dust himself off. Still looking furious his blank eyes met LeeLee’s. Then, deliberately turning, he walked away from her.
Chapter 4
It rained unexpectedly hard all the next day, and so Amanda and Victoria had to postpone their hike. When they did manage to go the day after, Amanda warned Victoria that rock-slides had occurred in a few places, and they’d have to be extra careful. Talk soon turned to the events of the party, though.
“Man, I thought we outgrew fighting at parties in our teens,” Amanda said as she and Victoria walked together. “Now I wish I’d been there.”
“It was alright after Hanson left,” Victoria said. “But I think it sobered us all down a little bit you know. Except for LeeLee though, who was totally unfazed. In a way, I think I’ve never met a woman as strong as her. I’m amazed by her capacity to look so stoic even when things are in shambles around her.”
“I suppose it’s a result of having seen far worse tragedies in life,” Amanda said. “Or maybe LeeLee was just drunk.”
“LeeLee wasn’t drunk.” Victoria shook her head. “She never drinks. She hasn’t had a drink for forty years.”
Amanda raised an eyebrow. “Then she’s a strong woman indeed, considering she’s surrounded by fountains of drink at her parties.”
“Well, enough about them,” Victoria said. “Tell me how you’ve planned this wedding!”
Amanda laughed. “Well, so far, Steve has asked me to marry him quickly and quietly in the old historic Calgary Town Hall.”
“But I thought you wanted flowers, fireworks, all of it?” Victoria sighed.
“Oh I do, but what Steve said made sense, as always. If we get married at the town hall and have the proper reception about three months from now, then we can get a head start on the adoption process.”
“Adoption process?” Victoria stopped.
“I’m officially adopting Ida, of course.” Amanda had tears in her eyes and a blush on her face.
“Oh. Oh, Amanda! Congratulations! This is just as big as the ring!” Victoria hugged her again, delighted. Thirteen years ago, after she had lost her first husband in an accident, Amanda had found out that she would never be able to bear children. Steve’s entry in her life had been a double miracle of sorts. Amanda loved Ida just as much as she had loved Steve.
“Ida’s happy about it too,” Amanda said. “It’s really sad for a girl to grow up without a mother, you know. And now she’s at that age when she’s first getting interested in boys and makeup.”
“Oh thank goodness my Annie’s still a little child,” Victoria said. “Though I know she’ll start having her own phases soon.”
“The two of them are really fond of each other, by the way,” Amanda said. “Annie and Ida, that is.”
“They ought to be,” Victoria smiled. “They like the same music, they both like swimming, their favorite hero is Channing Tatum and they are both obsessed with the books of Louisa May Alcott. Precocious little girls.”
“I think you mean precious,” Amanda smiled. “Anyway, my mother wasn’t very keen on it. She thought it improper to marry first and have the official ceremony later but I quite love the idea. Oh, Victoria, I’ve been staying up nights the last few days planning how I’ll redecorate the house now that Steve and Ida will move in after the wedding.”
“They’re moving in with you? Not the other way around?”
“My house is closer to town,” Amanda said. “You know I can’t leave the shop very long.”
Victoria nodded. Besides volunteering as the town librarian three days a week, Amanda owned an art gallery
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