The Readaholics and the Poirot Puzzle (25 page)

Mary hugged Francesca and told Constance, “
Simply
lovely to see you again.”

While I was wondering if her emphasis on “simply” was a sly dig at Constance or if that was how all authors talked, she took the gorgeous man's hand and said, “Everybody, this is my brother, Lucas.”

We all chorused, “Hi, Lucas,” as if we were at an AA meeting.

He flashed a brilliant smile that dispelled the broodiness. “Nice to meet you all.”

“There's quite a crowd out there already,” Mary said, apparently delighted. She had a way of talking that made every sentence sound as if it ended with an exclamation point. “Scads of people waiting to meet us and hear about our books. This is going to be such
fun
!”

Strike three . . .

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