Excerpt of Up to No Gouda by Linda Reilly

Carly had only seen Tiffany a handful of times, and each time she’d been dressed to the nines. Today was no different. Clad in a satiny white halter top over skinny red slacks, her face made up to perfection, she strode toward Lyle on red stiletto heels that echoed off the diamond-patterned tile. Looking slightly embarrassed, she opened her purse and pulled out a legal-sized envelope. She gave the envelope to Lyle.

Lyle took it from her and set it on the counter in front of Carly. He slipped his arm around Tiffany’s tiny waist and gave her a little squeeze. “This is your official notice, Carly. You need to be out of here by the end of July. If you need help removing the fixtures, I can get a crew in here. But the date is firm. Anything left here on August first will be demolished.”

Carly swallowed back a huge lump of pride. “Are you sure I can’t have another month or two?”

“Sorry, Carly. No can do. This place has to be gutted and all the restaurant fit-ups removed.”

Gutted. The word alone made Carly’s stomach turn.

It was then that Carly realized Suzanne had been glued to her stool, glaring at Lyle as if he were the devil himself. She hadn’t spoken a word, but her face had gone a scary shade of gray. She stood, now, snatched up a metal napkin dispenser, and slammed it down on the counter. Lyle flinched and Tiffany let out a startled squeal, while Suzanne’s pointed finger hovered about an inch from Lyle’s nose. “One of these days, Lyle Bagley, you’re going to get what’s coming to you, big time. You can bet on it.”