Elisabeth Crabtree - Pink Flamingo Hotel 01 - Death by Pink Flamingo Read Online Free Page B

wanted, we were treated to a sales pitch for a new type of speedboat that Gabriel Carrera was thinking of purchasing for himself.
    I uncrossed my legs and pushed myself away from the table , wincing slightly at the sudden pain that radiated through my foot. I knew I should have said no to that last dance with Simon , I thought as I pushed aside the pain and began to rise. “Do you want me to ask Jesse to leave?”
    Victoria reached out and pulled me back down. “Wow, you are just so anxious to get over there to talk to him, aren’t you?”
    “ Nonsense, I just don’t want your party to be ruined.”
    “Then why did you invite Krista?” She flung her hand out, gesturing to the statuesque blonde standing a few feet behind Mr. Carrera.
    “Well, one she’s my cousin , and two, she’s your father’s personal secretary.”
    Victoria snorted. “Personal secretary today. My stepmother tomorrow. That’ll be fun. Luckily, I’m too old for her to ship me off to boarding school.”
    I looked at my friend in sympathy. Victoria had a rather difficult relationship with my cousin Krista who was a couple of years older than both of us were. Krista and I had never been close, but we were family and had spent a great deal of time in each other’s company growing up. She was my parents’ go-to babysitter when we were pre-teens and later, when she got her license, she was our chauffeur. She had been cool about it. She never complained. In fact, she never said much of anything.
    Victoria , a naturally out-going and friendly person, had tried her best to bring Krista out of her shell and there was one year in high school, when it seemed like Krista’s attitude, which had always been very cool, especially to Victoria, went into a deep thaw. She began to seek out our company and appeared to be trying to become Victoria’s friend. However, whatever friendship developed, grew strained when we discovered that Krista had been using Victoria to get close to Mr. Carrera.
    It had started innocently enough, Krista told me. Just a simple crush. I thought it would go away when Krista left for college, but the crush grew into love, the unrequited kind, during college and then blossomed into a full blown obsession after graduation. She moved from intern in Gabriel’s company to his personal secretary in just a few years, making enemies of anyone within Gabriel’s sphere, including his daughter. Much to Victoria’s chagrin, Krista was now an established feature in Gabriel’s life.
    I waved my hand at party decorations . “Who do you think helped throw this little shindig together?”
    “I thought my father helped you.”
    “He did help. He provided the money and his personal secretary.” I patted her hand. “Happy Birthday, Victoria.”
    “Thank s,” she said dryly as she looked around at the packed room. “Speaking of business opportunities, how is ours going? Has anyone mentioned the renovation, yet?”
    “ They absolutely love it. I even have a few reservations for the weekend and I’ve made sure to mention your name anytime someone says how pretty everything looks. Everyone’s raving about it.” I glanced over at Beatrix Allen, reporter for the Hatter’s Cove Gazette , who was wandering around. I had personally invited a few local reporters from town to get a sneak peak at the new Pink Flamingo Hotel. Victoria and I figured it would be a good idea to get as much press coverage as possible before the big opening. Her, for her interior design, and me for the hotel. “Have you spoken to Beatrix, yet? What does she think about the change?”
    “ Uh, I didn’t have time.”
    I glanced over at her in surprise. After Victoria dragged me to my quarters upstairs and insisted I get ready, she supposedly was down here greeting her guests, corralling the reporters and showing off the newly redecorated lobby. “What have you been doing?”
    Victoria grinned as she tapped her fingers against the table in beat to the music. “Okay,