a deep, personal connection to every one of our employees. He knew them all by name, the names of their spouses and children. He may have seemed the classic, absentminded professor, with his head off in the clouds. But Jeremy was very much of this world and cared about the well-being of everyone who works in this company.”
Maggie noticed Rebecca nod in agreement. She was proud of her late husband’s fine qualities. At least that was some comfort to her.
Finally, the minister led the group in a short prayer. Maggie bowed her head, though she didn’t close her eyes completely. She noticed Lewis Atkins had not closed his eyes, either, and now glanced over one shoulder.
What—or whom—was he looking at? she wondered. She couldn’t help herself and discreetly followed his gaze.
The beautiful EricaFerris. Of course. Erica met his glance for a moment, then quickly shook her head. She closed her large brown eyes and continued—or pretended?—to pray.
When the service was over, Maggie rose and looked around for her friends. But before she could make her way out of the row, Lewis Atkins drew her attention.
“It was nice meeting you, Ms. Messina . . . even under such sad circumstances. May I stop by your shop sometime, to say hello?”
Maggie was suddenly flustered. She still didn’t know what to make of Lewis Atkins. Was he the villain of this drama . . . or just much maligned by the Lassiters? The family was no prize package, either. That was for sure.
“Please do. Anytime. Here’s my card.” She pulled one from her knitting bag and handed it to him.
He looked at the card a moment, then slipped it into his wallet. He then offered his card to her.
“Here’s one for you. In case you’d like to Google me,” he joked.
“I didn’t think of it,” she admitted. “But I guess I probably should.”
Her frank reply made him smile. He seemed to like her all the more for it.
“Just remember, you can’t believe everything you read on the Internet,” Atkins reminded her.
“Yes, I know. Remember that if you Google me,” she added as they parted.
As Maggie had expected, the line leading to Rebecca, Jeremy’s mother, and the rest of the family could have circled a city block. Maggie had to get back to hershop and she doubted Dana or Lucy wanted to wait, either.
She found her friends and they made their way to the foyer, retrieved their coats, and gave the valet their car ticket.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get to speak to Rebecca. But I’m glad I came,” Lucy said.
“I’m glad we came, too. It was very interesting to hear everyone speak about Jeremy. That’s a great benefit of these gatherings,” Maggie noted. “Especially for people like us, who hardly knew him.”
“Who was that sitting next to you, Maggie? You seemed to be getting along very well,” Dana asked as Maggie’s car pulled up.
“You’ll never believe it.” Maggie slipped into the driver’s seat. “It was Lewis Atkins, Philip Lassiter’s former partner. We had an interesting conversation. He said he wants to stop by the shop.”
She didn’t relate that he suggested she Google him. She knew they would tease her mercilessly.
“That is interesting,” Dana murmured in the backseat as they headed to town.
“I also got an earful, sitting behind Jeremy’s brother and sister,” Maggie added. “I didn’t mean to listen in. But they weren’t even trying to be discreet.
“It’s funny how well we can hear when we really want to, isn’t it?” Dana asked. “It’s some amazing connection between our mind and body going on, I think.”
“What did they talk about? Now you’ve made me curious,” Lucy admitted.
Maggie smiled at her. “It was all very. . . juicy stuff. But I think I’m going to save it for our meeting tonight. I’ll feel bad enough repeating it once. I don’t want to be a complete gossip.”
Dana laughed. “Very noble of you. If you only disclose it once, that doesn’t count?”
“I suppose it
Maggie noticed Rebecca nod in agreement. She was proud of her late husband’s fine qualities. At least that was some comfort to her.
Finally, the minister led the group in a short prayer. Maggie bowed her head, though she didn’t close her eyes completely. She noticed Lewis Atkins had not closed his eyes, either, and now glanced over one shoulder.
What—or whom—was he looking at? she wondered. She couldn’t help herself and discreetly followed his gaze.
The beautiful EricaFerris. Of course. Erica met his glance for a moment, then quickly shook her head. She closed her large brown eyes and continued—or pretended?—to pray.
When the service was over, Maggie rose and looked around for her friends. But before she could make her way out of the row, Lewis Atkins drew her attention.
“It was nice meeting you, Ms. Messina . . . even under such sad circumstances. May I stop by your shop sometime, to say hello?”
Maggie was suddenly flustered. She still didn’t know what to make of Lewis Atkins. Was he the villain of this drama . . . or just much maligned by the Lassiters? The family was no prize package, either. That was for sure.
“Please do. Anytime. Here’s my card.” She pulled one from her knitting bag and handed it to him.
He looked at the card a moment, then slipped it into his wallet. He then offered his card to her.
“Here’s one for you. In case you’d like to Google me,” he joked.
“I didn’t think of it,” she admitted. “But I guess I probably should.”
Her frank reply made him smile. He seemed to like her all the more for it.
“Just remember, you can’t believe everything you read on the Internet,” Atkins reminded her.
“Yes, I know. Remember that if you Google me,” she added as they parted.
As Maggie had expected, the line leading to Rebecca, Jeremy’s mother, and the rest of the family could have circled a city block. Maggie had to get back to hershop and she doubted Dana or Lucy wanted to wait, either.
She found her friends and they made their way to the foyer, retrieved their coats, and gave the valet their car ticket.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get to speak to Rebecca. But I’m glad I came,” Lucy said.
“I’m glad we came, too. It was very interesting to hear everyone speak about Jeremy. That’s a great benefit of these gatherings,” Maggie noted. “Especially for people like us, who hardly knew him.”
“Who was that sitting next to you, Maggie? You seemed to be getting along very well,” Dana asked as Maggie’s car pulled up.
“You’ll never believe it.” Maggie slipped into the driver’s seat. “It was Lewis Atkins, Philip Lassiter’s former partner. We had an interesting conversation. He said he wants to stop by the shop.”
She didn’t relate that he suggested she Google him. She knew they would tease her mercilessly.
“That is interesting,” Dana murmured in the backseat as they headed to town.
“I also got an earful, sitting behind Jeremy’s brother and sister,” Maggie added. “I didn’t mean to listen in. But they weren’t even trying to be discreet.
“It’s funny how well we can hear when we really want to, isn’t it?” Dana asked. “It’s some amazing connection between our mind and body going on, I think.”
“What did they talk about? Now you’ve made me curious,” Lucy admitted.
Maggie smiled at her. “It was all very. . . juicy stuff. But I think I’m going to save it for our meeting tonight. I’ll feel bad enough repeating it once. I don’t want to be a complete gossip.”
Dana laughed. “Very noble of you. If you only disclose it once, that doesn’t count?”
“I suppose it
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