Kiera sucks in a breath as she looks around at the crowd. “I don’t try to prove I’m just like one of you on my website,” she shouts to the dozens of women who have stalled their knitting needles while observing the shout-fest at hand. “I try to prove I’m just like one of you on my social media page. Please follow me at Kiera don’t care dot com! You’ll find links to all of my social media outlets. And just a quick freebie, grow out your brows right now, ladies. It’s always prudent to stay ahead of a trend!”
Regina quickly snags Sophia and navigates her over to the counter for a little comfort, while I head over to Kiera in an attempt to comfort her with words rather than hard liquor.
“Are you okay?” I ask as the room roars back to life at a far more intense volume than it had been.
“Oh, I’m fine.” The sassy blonde averts her eyes. “Sophia is just bitter because she thinks I’m getting it on with Maddie’s ex.” She rolls her eyes at the thought. “Sophia never did appreciate a little competition.”
“Oh? So have you, you know? Offered to console him?”
“Lucas?” She shrugs as if she were indifferent to the idea. “I don’t think he needs consoling.” She shoots a sharp look to Sophia. “She’s got that handled. But I wouldn’t call what they share love.” She grunts at the thought because that’s exactly what Sophia referred to it as a few angry minutes ago.
“Hey, Kiera, can I ask you something?” I step in close and she nods for me to continue. “I heard a rumor that Madeline stole a serum that Parker Goldman was working on.”
Her eyes enlarge twice their size.
“I didn’t realize that.” She takes a breath as she looks to Sophia. “That’s unfortunate Maddie had to stoop so low. She was Parker’s biggest supporter.” She gives a little laugh as if breathing a sigh of relief. “I guess I could use a shot of whiskey after all. Excuse me.” She takes off, and I keep an eye on both her and Sophia for the rest of the night.
But something about that conversation doesn’t sit well with me. Kiera looked a little too relieved to hear Maddie was being pinned with the beauty-based crime, and it makes me wonder.
The night winds down and Jackson helps Tilly and me haul the tea sets back to the café to be washed in the morning. It’s almost ten o’clock at night and Opal doesn’t pay me near enough to keep me here another second.
Once we’re through, Jackson picks up Tilly’s hand, and for a second I think he’s admiring her alternating black and purple fingernail polish, but he leans in and gazes right into her starstruck eyes.
“You ready?” He winks her way.
“You bet, rocket man.” She winks right back.
“Good.” He gives a seductive growl. “Because I’m going to give you a night to remember.”
“The vision!” Tilly gasps and squeals as she jumps up and down. “It was for me!” She jumps over and gives my shoulders a rattle before yanking Jackson out the door so fast I don’t get a chance to say goodbye or wish them well, or tell Jackson that I hope he survives whatever Tilly has planned for him. I’m pretty sure it concerns a meat hook that’s been underused in her bedroom since Christmas.
I guess I’m not the one getting lucky tonight.
Not that I would have taken Jackson up on his indecent proposition.
I lock up and head home, passing Shep’s cabin slowly because I’m tempted to make an indecent proposition myself.
But instead, I head on into my cabin and curl up with Pixie on the couch while thinking about Kiera and that vision I had of her and Lucas a few weeks back.
“Nobody needs to know,” he said to her as he gave her a slight rattle.
“Nobody tells me what to do,” she snipped right back. “I should have done this the very first night and saved myself the trouble.”
“What trouble could they have been talking about?” No sooner do I pose the question to Pixie than a knock erupts at my door and my heart seizes. “Why does that sound like trouble?” I whisper as I squeeze the tiny kitten close.
“It’s me, Bowie.” Shep’s voice comes through the other side, muffled.
“Oh, thank God.” I carry Pixie over with me in hopes Shep is here to offer up an indecent proposition of his own.
“Shep!” I beam a greedy grin his way in the event he’s got a few naughty intentions up his sleeve. Nothing wrong with giving him all the green lights. A man needs to know when he’s got the all clear in the dirty department. “What brings you a knockin’ at this indecent hour?” I do my best to flirt, ala Tilly.
I wouldn’t knock it. It happens to be working for her.
Shep’s hair is slicked back, his eyes shine like stars, and he’s far too comely for his own good at this late hour. Someone is liable to take a bite right out of him if he’s not careful, and that someone is me.
“I’ve got a gift for you.” He holds out a diamond tennis bracelet in his hand and I gasp.
“Wow, Shep.” I pull it forward. “I didn’t think we were at this stage in our relationship,” I tease, admiring the string of jewels as they sparkle in the night.
“Neither did I,” he says
