Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 132321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 441(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 441(@300wpm)
“Really?” April tips her head toward the paper.
“I need to do something with my hands.”
The president of the Empire Funeral Directors Association steps up to the podium to welcome everyone. “Good morning…” I tune out until he gets to our speaker’s bio. “...a third-generation funeral director…”
Just like me. My grandparents, my parents, and now me. It sounds so weighty. How did this guy transition into giving lectures instead?
“According to our industry’s comprehensive cremation statistics,” the lecturer’s face shifts into a devilishly comedic smile, “cremation is the burning desire of a growing portion of our consumers.”
The room vibrates with groans and chuckles. Tittering with my own laughter, I roll my eyes April’s way. Her shoulders shake and she gestures toward the front of the room.
“We paid two hundred bucks for this,” she whispers.
Two hours later, I’m dizzy with statistics and ideas for ways to offset the revenue losses from more people choosing cremation over casket burials.
“What’d you think?” April asks as we walk out to our cars.
“I wanted to ask if that shift is true in rural areas or just urban. His numbers didn’t break it down.”
“You’re not seeing more cremations?”
Yes, but not legal ones.
That’s not true. Besides the bikers’ late-night usage of our crematorium, a lot of our customers have chosen that path lately. “There’s been an uptick in clients choosing it but not the seismic shift he’s talking about.”
She shrugs. “You’re probably right about the shift being slower in rural areas. I’m more interested in some of the green alternatives being developed. He didn’t spend a lot of time on that. Just how to boost revenue for the industry.”
“Well, yeah.” There’s one part of the business I’m more intimately acquainted with than April would be.
“What else have you been up to?” April asks with a saucy eyebrow lift. “Seeing anyone?”
I’ve never been the kind of girly-girl to talk about relationships with my friends or, God forbid, sex. Probably because none of them had been worth talking about. “Not really.”
She leans closer. “Margot.” Her stern friend voice rings loud and clear. “You’re blushing. Who is it?”
“Just a guy.” I give her a teasing push away. “But we don’t really have anything in common.”
“Is he hot?”
Burn down a barn hot. Why is my mouth twitching into a smile? “Yeah, kinda.”
“So, who cares. Opposites attract, right?”
“Maybe. It was just…”
“Were you using him for sex?”
She’s teasing, but the question stops me cold.
“Oh my God, were you?” she asks in an interested whisper.
Yes, I was. Holy shit, that’s awful. No wonder Jigsaw decided he’d had enough.
“No. It’s nothing.” I squeeze her arm. “I really have to get back.”
I take a short detour home, cruising by the Horizon Inn. What a shabby looking motel. I stop across the street and study the parking lot for a few minutes.
On the way home, my mind returns to Jigsaw. He said he didn’t do relationships. Claimed he liked me and found me attractive for some reason. Gave me high marks in all of our lessons. So, was I really using him? Or was he using me? He promised to help me, then bailed. I was so stupid for asking him to do that in the first place. Who does that?
I pass the restaurant he took me to the night I was so distraught about Laurel, and it only makes me feel worse about the situation.
“Oh, Margot, I’m glad you’re home.” Dad steps out of his office to greet me as I come in the back door.
His urgent tone promptly drags my mind away from my Jigsaw dilemma.
I set my purse and tote bag on the bench by the door, and hurry toward Dad’s office. “What do you need?”
“Can you give the bikers a call?” he asks. “We need that oversized casket brought upstairs. Paul’s busy.” Dad rests his hands on his lower back. “And I tweaked my back. I have a family coming by today and from what they said on the phone, I’ll need to show them that one.”
“Uh, I can move it,” I offer, not sure how the heck I’ll accomplish that all by myself. “No reason to make them ride all the way out here.”
“Margot, it’s heavy and awkward. You might get it on the gurney but guiding it into the elevator by yourself? No. Call them. Marcel said he’d make himself available to us as needed.”
“All right.”
“How was the lecture?” he asks.
“Interesting. The speaker had a lot of out of the box thinking and integrated some interesting ideas into his family’s business.”
A flicker of annoyance crosses my father’s expression. “You’ll have to tell me about it later.”
“Oh, and Justin Packer says hello and said to give him a call.”
He nods quickly. “That’s good. I’m glad you spoke to some people there. How’s April?”
“Good. Still likes her organization.”
“That’s good to hear.” He winces. “I’m going to ice my back before the family gets here.”