Never Say Pie (A Pie Shop Mystery) Read Online Free Page A

How, why, when, and where did this happen?
    She nodded as if she knew what I was thinking. I probably wasn’t the only one she’d surprised. Marty Holloway. I tried to match a face to the name.
    “Marty Holloway, wasn’t he …”
    “He wasn’t anything,” she said flatly. “Not in high school. But he went to veterinary school and bought old Doc Prentice’s practice. He specializes in large animals.”
    “And you specialize in caramels,” I said. “Nice work. I’ll be back to buy a whole box.”
    “Don’t wait too long, they’re going fast,” she warned.
    I walked away still dazed to think of how Nina had changed. Obviously I hadn’t because she recognized me right away. Even with the makeover Kate had performed that morning I hadn’t changed that much. Maybe I ought to work on my looks along with my baking and selling skills. Why hadn’t Kate or someone mentioned Nina’s transformation so I could be prepared? Not only did she look great, she made amazing candy.
    Next I sampled a small piece of wood-fired pizza a few booths away. The seller whose name was Gino did not go to my high school. At least not when I was there. He was at least ten years older than me. He wore a white chef’s hat and he offered me a taste of his latest creation topped with sliced figs, onions, tomatoes, and cheese.
    “Unusual,” I said, trying to decide if I liked it or not.
    “Unusually good or bad?” he asked with a pronounced Italian accent. “Maybe I should stick to pepperoni for this area.”
    I didn’t like the implication that Crystal Cove was a backwater where we didn’t appreciate gourmet food.
    “It’s very good,” I assured him. “Different.”
    At this rate I’d have to skip dinner tonight. When I finally staggered back to my booth at least five pounds heavier, Grannie and her friends looked exhausted but triumphant. They’d sold a dozen pies and taken orders for more.
    “This was fun,” Grannie said rubbing her manicured fingers together. “Wish they’d had a Food Fair when I ran the shop.”
    “Well, you can come by any Saturday for the rest of the summer and spell me,” I said.
    “And guess what?” Grannie said. “A reporter from the Gazette was here. He tasted everything and he took notes. He’s doing another story on the fair.”
    “So I heard. What did he say? How did he look?”
    “Looked darned cute,” Helen said. “About your age too. And he wasn’t wearing a ring.”
    I couldn’t blame these women. They hated to see someone in my age group like Sam or the reporter unmarried and alone in the world. So they were always on the lookout for Mr. Right for me and for anyone who wasn’t attached. I know they meant well. They’d all been happily married and wanted the same for me. They couldn’t understand that at the moment I was fine being on my own. I’d been in love only once; it ended badly and I wasn’t ready to take the plunge again and risk having my heart broken another time. Not any time soon. Kate warned me about building a wall around my heart, and maybe I had, but flirting was another matter and not off limits. Sam was also definitely another matter. He was definitely worth tearing down a few walls for. If he asked me to, which he hadn’t.
    “I mean did this guy look like he liked what he tasted?” I said.
    “Couldn’t tell,” Helen said.
    Grannie nodded. “He had one of those faces. You don’t know what they’re thinking.”
    I guessed we’d all find out what he was thinking when the next issue of the Gazette came out. I wasn’t that concerned. Why should I be? Everyone loved my pies. Let others make mini-pies, they were only a fad. I’d stick to the original. If someone didn’t like my pies, I was open to suggestions. Pies might be old-fashioned, but as long as they were mouth-wateringly delicious I had nothing to worry about.
    Instead of inviting someone to dinner that night, I collapsed in front of the flat-screen TV Grannie bought me and fell asleep