Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23116 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23116 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Jack and Tinsel came over for dinner two nights ago, and Clause actually seemed to have a good time. Jack was able to pull some conversation out of him, and Clause started to relax, which warmed me. I know his family history isn’t good, and I’m sure he has all kinds of issues of not understanding unconditional love, but if he lets the people of Troping in, I think he might get a piece of something he doesn’t know he’s missing.
“You’re in love.” Tinsel beams at me. A month ago, she would have gagged after saying those words. Now there are hearts dancing over her head. It’s crazy how love can change someone.
“Maybe,” I say and pretend not to feel instantly shy and goofy.
“Don’t lie to me. You’ve been staying at his place every night.” She snags a cookie off the table of my little booth. I have a bunch of small treats out for people to take. I’m glad I made so many because everyone is gobbling them up. It might be a good sign. If they love my cookies, they might love my cake too. It’s all in the frosting.
The contest is set up inside of Westchester’s town hall. They have a giant banquet area since their town is bigger than ours and they’re closer to the city. You cross through Westchester to make your way down to Troping, which can be a sore spot to Westchester. They want some of the tourists, but our little town has made a name for itself.
“Will you not eat all those?” I grab her hand when she goes for another, and her mouth falls open.
“Again with the not letting me steal food.”
I roll my eyes at her. “Okay fine, yes, I’m in love with him, but I can’t tell you that. I haven’t told him that.”
“Right, yeah. This is you not telling me. Got it.” She tries to wink at me but ends up closing both her eyes. “Anyway, why am I here?”
“The contest.”
She snaps her fingers. “Right.” She drops her voice. “The contest.” Tins opens her black coat, and inside I see a stack of cash and some syringe-looking thing.
“You’re not bribing or messing with anyone else’s food.”
“What?!” Her shoulders drop. “Then why am I here?”
“To steal my cookies and watch the competition.” All of the cakes are displayed at the back of the room.
“Fine, I mean, I know you’re going to win anyway. I thought it would be fun to bribe someone.”
“Or ruin someone's cake. That’s not cool.”
“I would never!” She pretends to be appalled. “This is liquid Colace.”
“Why the hell would you need that?” A shot of that, and someone would be in the bathroom for the next hour.
“You never know.” She shrugs. “I wanted to talk to you about getting pregnant.”
“You’re giving me whiplash.”
“But am I?” she counters.
“Go on.” I am used to her hopping from one subject to another, but that’s a big one. Probably because it’s one that’s been in the back of my mind. Unless we’re having sex, and then it’s in the front because Clause talks about it, and every time he does, I get so turned on.
“Are you working on that, because we need to be pregnant together.”
“Tins,” I hiss and look around us to make sure no one is listening.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Excellent.” Wait, is she pregnant or working on it?
“Frostie Charm, is that you?” Both Tins and I turn to see Ray Harrow before I can ask any more questions.
“I’m right here too.” Tins raises her hand.
“Maybe it’s the undercover gear,” I tease her under my breath.
“Tinsel.” Ray’s mouth forms a straight line when he sees her.
Ray was in the police academy with Tins. She actually had to stay in the city off and on during that time, and I’d go out and see her over long weekends. I met a handful of the people she trained with, and Ray was one of them. He asked me out more than once, and one time I felt guilty and agreed. Thankfully when your best friend is Tins, she is more than willing to crash your date. Which thankfully she did. I haven’t seen Ray since, and that was years ago.
It's funny he’s here today because when Tins and Jack came over for dinner, she told the story about crashing my one and only date with Ray. Clause didn’t have much of a response to the story as Tins laughed about it.
I could see on one hand him not wanting to hear about me going out with someone, but on the other, Tins ruined it, so it wasn’t much of a date. I quickly changed the subject, not wanting to go into details because Tins was trying to say all the men in her class had the hots for me. I kicked her under the table because she was full of shit. If they did, she never told me that. I think she was needling Clause to see what kind of reaction she would get out of him. The man is a bear, and he doesn’t need to be poked.