A Deal to Die For (30 page)

“Laura, dear,” she began, “just so we’re clear. I was dating a very nice boy back
in high school and, yes, I did think that Summer had hooked up with him, but it turned
out she had another boy wearing my boyfriend’s football jersey to trick me into thinking
he was cheating on me.”

“Ah!” Laura gasped. “That’s vile.”

“Oh, no, that’s nothing,” Maggie said. “Seeing Summer buck naked, now that was vile.”

Summer whirled around and glared daggers at Maggie while Ginger snorted trying to
keep from laughing. Maggie saw Janice, the owner of the shop, approaching to unlock
the door. Knowing she could lure Summer away from the door, she took a step back.
Summer followed just like she knew she would.

“Why you—” Summer began but Maggie interrupted her.

“What?” Maggie said, stepping back from the others. Again, Summer followed and Maggie
watched as the GBGs closed ranks on the door. “Did you really think Sam and I wouldn’t
figure it out?”

“Oh, so you admit that you are ‘Sam and I’ now,” Summer said. “Do not tell me that
fabulous hunk of man is interested in you again.”

Maggie maintained eye contact with Summer but she could see over her shoulder that
the door had opened and the GBGs had filed into the shop.

“It’s none of your business,” Maggie said.

“Oh, please,” Summer said. “Your shop is right across the street from mine. Do you
honestly think I haven’t noticed that Sam stops by regularly? What’s going on between
you two?”

“He’s the sheriff. He’s just doing his job,” Maggie said. Now that the girls were
in the shop, she didn’t want to be out here in the cold debating her love life with
Summer. “Oh, look at that!”

She scuttled around Summer toward the shop.

“Oh!” Summer cried. “You distracted me on purpose.”

“You think?” Maggie asked.

Summer’s longer stride overtook her and Maggie let her. She trusted her peeps to have
already scored the good stuff, leaving the dreck for Summer.

“I loathe you, Maggie Gerber!” Summer cried as she yanked open the door and stormed
into the shop. The door slammed in Maggie’s face and she smiled. The feeling was entirely
mutual.

“Maggie, what are you up to now?” a voice asked from behind her.

Maggie turned around and felt her chest get tight. Speak of the devil, Sheriff Sam
Collins was standing behind her with his arms crossed over his chest and a small smile
playing on his lips.