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We stood there awkwardly, the air thick with unspoken questions. I had intended to arrive in town the previous day, but a canceled flight had delayed my plans. Mr. Daphne, my uncle’s attorney, had assured me that Imogen and Dorothy were handling things efficiently, so I hadn’t felt the need to contact them until now.
“You did know about me, didn’t you?” I asked, breaking the silence.
Dorothy smoothed down her hair nervously. “Uh, well, yeah. You were mentioned to us.”
“But?” I prompted, sensing there was more to her hesitance.
Dorothy forced a smile. “But, we didn’t... I thought...”
I tilted my head, waiting for her to continue.
“I didn’t think you would be you,” she finally confessed, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as her gaze flickered away.
I couldn’t help but chuckle at her honesty. “What were you expecting?” I prodded gently.
Dorothy hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. “Well...”
I understood the misconception. Given my uncle’s age, they probably expected someone much older to take over the business. But at thirty-five, I was hardly a senior citizen.
“You thought I would be much, much older,” I finished for her.
Dorothy shifted awkwardly. “I mean, well, not old old, but older than... what you seem.”
My mom, Donald’s sister, was born when Donald was twenty-one, and then mom had me when she was forty-one. I was one of those change-of-life babies.
I’m sure Dorothy was expecting someone in their fifties and not their mid-thirties.
I grinned, appreciating her honesty.
Another silence settled between us, but this time, it felt less awkward and more comfortable.
“Well, it’s late, but did you want to come in?” Dorothy offered tentatively. “Imogen is more than likely sleeping, so we’ll need to try to be quiet...”
I shook my head. “No need. I just wanted to stop by to let you know I’m here.”
Dorothy nodded. “Yup, you are here.”
I gestured towards my rental car. “I’ll just head to my hotel, and we can continue this in the morning. How does that sound?”
“That sounds like a plan,” Dorothy replied, visibly relieved.
“Ten?” I suggested.
Dorothy blinked in surprise. “What?”
“Does ten tomorrow morning work for you?” I clarified.
“Oh,” she laughed. “Yeah, that’s fine. We have everything ready for the viewing and funeral tomorrow.”
“Great,” I nodded. “Then I will see you at ten tomorrow morning, Dorothy.” With a final glance, I made my way to my car.
I started my car and watched Dorothy in my rearview mirror. She waved awkwardly as she passed, then disappeared into the night. Uncle had mentioned that Imogen had gotten a boyfriend a few months back, so I assumed that was who the motorcycle belonged to. That also must be who Mace was.
Uncle hadn’t prepared me for Dorothy’s striking beauty. He had briefed me on her efficiency but had neglected to mention her looks. It seemed I had a lot to learn about the dynamics of this funeral home and its employees.
I was going to start with Dorothy first.
Chapter Three
