“What did I tell you, Bizzy?” she shouts while kicking me on the arm with her shoe. “Third time’s the charm.” That last word gets pulled out as he swiftly makes off with her.
“Should we be worried?” I shout as they disappear out of sight.
“Nah,” Jasper says, navigating us in the same direction. “Juni is perfectly capable of handling anything he throws her way. Let’s hope I don’t have to make an arrest at the end of the night. And I’m talking about Juni herself.”
“Hear, hear,” I say as we move from one boisterous car to the next, until we come upon a narrow hall with doors that lead to rooms on either side of us. The music is just as loud, the lights are just as seizure-inducing, but there’s not a soul in sight.
Jasper and I try each one of the doors until we come upon one that isn’t locked.
“In here,” I say, pulling him in and groping for a light switch before flipping it on.
Both Jasper and I gasp in unison as the tangle of bare limbs splayed before us—and oh my word, is that a…?
The man turns our way with a fury in his eyes, and it’s none other than Tiger Caldwell. And from over his shoulder pops the familiar blonde mane of my sister.
“GAH!” I call out as Jasper flicks off the lights and yanks us out of there at dizzying speeds.
“I saw his—”
“I know,” Jasper grunts. “A bad moon rising. Let’s find a place to call our own.”
“Good idea. And I promise, no lights this time,” I say as we try another set of doors until one opens up again.
Jasper twirls us into the room, and just as he’s pulling me close, the train gives a rather violent jerk and I stagger off to my left.
A hand reaches for me and my arms glide around his body, but I can’t help but note his cologne holds more of a bitter appeal than it did before.
His mouth finds mine, and his kiss feels off and sloppy. Come to think of it, this doesn’t even feel like Jasper—
I slap the wall until the lights pierce the darkness and four voices cry out at once—the loudest of which is my own.
“I JUST KISSED MY BROTHER!” I shout as I smack Hux on the chest.
To my left, Mackenzie stares dreamily at Jasper right up until I pluck her off my husband and break the spell.
“Do you mind?” I snap as I quickly trade places with her. “And for the record, this never happened,” I hiss as I switch back off the lights and lead Jasper the heck out of that den of depravity. “Geez,” I say, rubbing my lips over my sleeve like a toddler. “We’d better wash our mouths out. She didn’t infiltrate the fort, did she?”
Jasper sighs. “Entirely my fault. But in my defense, I thought we were finally about to communicate effectively.”
“Come on,” I groan as I pull us back out of this rabbit hole. “Let’s disinfect your kisser with hard liquor.”
No sooner do we get to the car in front of us than I spot Tiger looking no worse for wear with another blonde dangling from his arm, and now I’m wondering if he was with my sister at all.
“There he is.” I point his way. “I’m heading in.”
“I’ll meet you there.” Jasper nods to the bar to our left. “I’m in desperate need of a disinfectant.”
We part ways, and I thread my way through the bopping crowd until I come upon the untamable tiger himself.
“Hello,” I say as he laughs at something the blonde just said to him. Normally, I wouldn’t interrupt what looks to be an intimate moment, but considering the fact I’m still convinced that was Macy he was entertaining minutes ago, I don’t mind busting up the party. “I’m Huxley’s sister, Bizzy.”
Tiger does a double take in my direction. “Bizzy? It’s good to meet someone in the same unique name club. Tiger has garnered me more than a few odd looks.” He laughs as we shake hands. “Hux is one of my favorite people.” And my favorite clients. He’s swept so many attorneys my way, I pulled my advertising last month, and now I’m saving a bundle.
The blonde in his arms whispers something into his ear before slinking toward the bar.
“Well, Hux is one of my favorite brothers. My only brother,” I tease. One I never want to kiss on the mouth again for as long as we both shall live. Here’s hoping I can get over the trauma. I’m sure I’ll be kissing Jasper with my eyes open for the next solid year just to keep my mind from playing cruel and unnecessary tricks on me. “And Macy is my favorite sister.” I shoot him a sharp look. “Blonde, yea high.” I hold up my hand an inch taller than myself. “I believe you’ve met?”
He winces. “That’s right. You walked into the room. My apologies. That was not only highly unprofessional, it was something I’ve never done before.” That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
Any trace of a smile quickly dissipates from my face. “I run the Country Cottage Inn,” I tell him, choosing to avoid the fact I recently inherited it. I’m sure he’d see me as nothing more than a money grab.
“The inn?” He takes a partial step back as he examines me in this new light. “I was there the other night. Tragic, wasn’t it?”
“That’s an understatement. Did you know the Buckinghams?”
Nothing like a little litmus test to start the interrogation off. Let’s see how he fares.
“I did.” He gives a long blink. “Chip and I were friends.” Right up until we weren’t. “He was a good guy.” When he wasn’t blowing his money on superfluous things—or people.
“Did you manage his money?”
I wonder what he means by superfluous people?
“Oh yeah.” All fifteen cents’ worth. “It wasn’t much. I mean, you would think he and Bobbie were worth a lot, but the truth is, they were just
