Page 12 of Married to Mischief

“Yes, please assist him; he’s clearly lost his mind,” Serena says, with a smile that seems to throw the young woman.

“She’s kidding,” I say to comfort the poor girl. “After she stopped trying to kill me, she decided she can’t get enough of me.”

The woman’s ankle tips in her heels, and I reach out to steady her. “A-and you want to look at engagement rings now?” She lowers her voice and looks around. “Are you sure that’s wise?”

Serena bites her bottom lip, and I can’t help but laugh. “Possibly not. But we like to see where life takes us.”

“Maybe just a brooch.” Serena jumps in.

I raise a brow. “A brooch. Really? Like that raccoon one you lost?”

Serena swallows. “Earrings then.”

“No ring?” The woman looks between the two of us like she’s desperately trying to understand the situation. She never will.

“We’ll circle back to that.” I wink.

“Okay.” The woman settles us around the display and turns to get a key.

“Now what?” Serena whispers. “How do we find any clues here?”

“I don’t think there are any clues here,” I whisper.

“Why do you say that?”

“I did some research while you were in the cottage. Thank you again for leaving me behind like that.”

Serena’s lips twitch.

“Anyway, this isn’t the original building. The old building burned down in the fifties.”

“So…why are we here?”

I shrug. “I thought it would be fun. There is one room that survived. It’s the back office. I doubt we’ll find anything, but let’s pretend we’re interested in some jewelry, then I’ll distract everyone here while you sneak a peek.”

“Yellow gold or white gold?” The young woman places two velvet cushions on the case in front of us.

“White,” both of us say, turning our attention to the cushion with the white gold earrings. I know exactly which one Serena’s eyes have narrowed in on—the solitaire studs.

“Do you have these with the December birthstone?” I ask.

I can feel Serena’s gaze on the side of my face, but I don’t move my eyes from the sales associate. Of course I’d remember when her birthday is.

“Yes,” the associate says and digs in the case until she finds the light blue studs and pushes the earrings in front of Serena.

“We’ll take them,” I say to the woman.

“Would you like to see the matching necklace?”

“No. My fiancée doesn't like things that could be used to commit murder.” Serena pinches my thigh so hard I nearly jump. “I mean, yes, we’d love to see it.”

“Why don’t you decide for me, honey?” Serena pinches my leg again before standing up. That spot is going to be sore. “I need to use the restroom. Is it back that way?”

The sales lady nods, and when Serena is gone, I whisper to the lady, “You know what, let's see the matching ring and bracelet too.”

Chapter 6

Serena

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