“You miss me,” I say, giving him a squeeze.
“I miss you already.” He dots another kiss to my lips. “Stay out of trouble.”
“I’ll stay out of trouble. All I have planned this afternoon is a little light shopping for our wedding.”
“Sounds like I’m missing out.” Jasper kisses me with far more intensity and a dark laugh trembles through me.
“No fair,” I say, giving his tie a tug. “I’m genuinely missing you already.”
“My job here is done. Have fun shopping.”
Jasper takes off and I indulge in a few of Emmie’s delicious blondie bars.
An arm falls across my shoulders and I turn to find my handsome brother with that goofy grin of his I’ve grown to love.
“Huxley!”
Huxley stands tall with dark hair and light blue eyes that match my own. He’s a divorce attorney who just so happens to be on his third marital dissolution. Suffice it to say, he’s always had questionable taste in women.
No sooner do I throw my arms around him than I spot his less than savory other half—his next questionable choice in women.
“Mayor Woods,” I grouse, mostly because I can’t seem to hide my displeasure with her today—or any other day for that matter.
Mackenzie Woods and I were best friends growing up, along with Emmie, of course. And when we were about thirteen, Mack tossed me into a whiskey barrel filled with water and apples at a Halloween party gone awry. Long story short, I nearly drowned, and after that day my life changed forever.
It was that very incident that brought on four pivotal things in my life. First of all, I’ve been terrified of being immersed in water ever since, thus the added trauma of watching Julian before he drowned—nonetheless after.
Second, I loathe confined spaces. Just thinking about being in a cloistered environment makes me break out into a sweat.
Third, I no longer trust Mackenzie Woods. Although our friendship dragged on for a bit after that misadventure with near-death—in which she proceeded to steal every boyfriend I had in high school—I finally figured out she was no friend at all.
And fourth, perhaps best and worst of all, I came away with the ability to read people’s minds. I’m not sure how that near-drowning spurred me on into my telesensual powers, but that’s exactly how I came to be this way.
“Bizzy Baker.” Mackenzie’s lips stretch tight, no smile. It’s a neat trick only someone of her wicked stature can pull off. Mack is also wickedly beautiful with long chestnut-brown hair, high cheekbones, and demanding eyes. I can see the appeal the male gender has with her, but I’ve never understood what they see beyond the physical. “Will you be joining us for brunch?” Please say no.
“Nope.” I don’t bother sugarcoating it—not that my answer wasn’t the sweet treat she was looking for. “I’ve got a wedding to plan.” I look to my brother. “And it just so happens to be the last Saturday of this month.”
His eyes bulge a moment. “I’m well aware.”
I look to Mackenzie. “Are you well aware?”
“Why should I care about your wedding day?” Mack snips and Hux pulls back a notch, examining his paramour’s true nature. “I mean, of course, I care. I’m Huxley’s date for the spectacle.” Her arms wrap around him like twin serpents. “What would you like as a gift? A toaster for the bathtub perhaps?” She riots out a laugh, and shockingly Hux joins in on the homicidal fun.
“Hux.” I poke a finger to his chest. “And, Mack, I really need you to consider moving the beautification ceremony. Georgie is officiating my wedding. She can’t be at the unveiling of her project at the very same time. She worked on that mosaic all of last year. And, of course, the Cottage Café would be happy to cater the event, as you asked earlier, but it’s also catering my wedding. And don’t you dare play innocent with me. You knew darn well what you were doing. You’re trying to ruin my wedding, and there’s no way in heck I’m going to let you.”
A hard sigh escapes my brother. “Bizzy.” Why can’t the two of them get along for five minutes?
“Don’t you Bizzy me,” I’m quick to scold him. “I’ve got to go. I’ve got a wedding dress to shop for.”
Mack’s mouth falls open. “You don’t have a dress?” Her chest bucks with a silent laugh. “Oh dear, Bizzy. You won’t need me to ruin your wedding day. You’re well on your way to do it yourself.” And, boy, am I ever glad to have scored front-row seats.
A groan comes from me as I give Hux another quick embrace.
“Talk her out of it, would you?” I whisper as I take off like a woman on a wedding mission.
I’m off to do a little shopping with my very first suspect, Michaela Harvey.
Let’s hope I won’t ruin that, too.
Chapter 5
Rolling Oaks is one of those ritzy towns that makes regular working-class people like me feel inferior for the simple act of rolling my tires through their zip code. And yet, the glossy buildings in its downtown district and the upper crust stores only found in the world’s wealthiest locales—I’ll admit, it all sponsors a touch of giddy excitement in me.
Minty’s Department Store is a gold building, three stories tall, and the size of a shopping mall.
No sooner do Macy, Georgie, Juni, and I get off the escalator on the top floor than we’re met with a couple of rail thin women dressed in navy pencil skirts and sequin tank tops as they gift us each a glass of champagne.
The store is light and bright, modestly decorated for fall with gold pumpkins and gilded fall leaves. Polished women stride around with personal shoppers at hand and the requisite tiny pooch peeking out of their purse. But the odd man out, and I do mean that literally, is the bevy of handsome men dressed in suits that stalk the vicinity.
Macy slinks forward in a metallic red dress. “Hubba hubba.” Come to Mama,
