Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 21027 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 105(@200wpm)___ 84(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21027 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 105(@200wpm)___ 84(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
“I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but maybe undercover work isn’t your thing.”
“I’m not doing undercover work,” I mutter.
“Then what are you doing?” Carol laughs as she rubs her stomach. I’ve never seen anyone more adorable while pregnant than her. She has the perfect little baby bump that just popped out recently.
“What’s with all the questions? I’m the cop here. You want to tell me where you got that baby bump?” I point at her stomach, and Carol flushes.
“Your mama never told you about the birds and the bees?” she teases me.
Oh, she told me. She just happened to leave out the parts about the bees spanking the birds.
“Why is it even called that?” I scrunch my nose.
“I think it has to do with bees pollinating flowers, which symbolizes male fertilization, and the birds laying eggs equates to female ovulation.”
“I think they need to do an updated story.”
Carol snorts a laugh. “Why don’t you write one?”
“I’m a cop.” Why do I have to keep reminding people of this? Carol shakes her head at me like I’m ridiculous. I should investigate what bee pollinated Carol. Now that’s a mystery I’d love to solve.
“Is there something that brought you in here? You want to get your mom a dress for Christmas?”
“Hey, what if I want a dress? I rocked that red sweater dress the other night.”
“That was Frostie’s.”
“Jeez, you have to call me out?”
“All right, let me pull some dresses for you to try on,” she challenges, and I fold like a cheap chair.
“Whoa, let's calm down. I was only testing my disguise.”
“Well, if you think it’s going to work on Jack, you’re dead wrong. He was already by the coffee shop trying to find you.”
“Jack who?” Carol laughs. “Wait…” I snap my fingers. “He owns that resort, right? Place is a dump.”
“If that’s how you want to play it. It’s not like Frostie and I didn’t see him go up to your apartment and not come down for quite some time.”
Great, how many people saw that? Secrets in this town never stay that way for long. It’s probably why Carol isn’t saying who her baby daddy is. I have done the math, and I think it happened when she was out of town one week, but I could be wrong.
“Okay he kissed me,” I admit. “But there wasn’t tongue.” The bell over the door goes off, and Frostie comes walking in. “You told her I was here.”
“I did.” Carol shrugs unapologetically as Frostie locks the door behind her.
“A business must remain open during posted hours,” I remind them, and they ignore me.
“You’ve been avoiding me.” Frostie puts her hands on her hips. “You didn’t even come down for your coffee this morning.”
“I’m the cop around here! I don’t need extra coffee and donut stereotypes.”
“What’s going on with you and Jack?” Frostie pushes on, determined to get information from me.
“You mean Jack-ass,” I correct.
“Whatever. What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” I pull the stupid wig off. This thing is freaking hot. “We hate each other. Don’t you all remember?”
“Nah, we’ve all had bets on when the two of you would finally crack,” Carol informs me.
“Seriously?” They both nod. “You’re telling me that Jack-ass is a jerk face to me because he likes me? What are we, in the fourth grade?” Now I’m getting mad, though I don’t think I would mind him pulling my hair. Oh my God, Tinsel. Get yourself together.
“We all see how he stares at you.” Frostie nods in agreement.
“You mean glare. He glares at me.”
“At the last winter festival, there was a group of college guys here from Townsin, and they were talking about how hot you were. One was going to ask you out, and Jack freaking lost it. He grabbed one by the collar and threatened him with an ass stomping if he or any of his friends went near you.”
“You’re shitting me,” I grit out. “I could have gotten him on assault. That would have been a good ticket.”
“I wasn’t sure if it was some big brother thing or jealousy,” Frostie admits. “That's why I didn’t say anything to you about it.”
“Oh, it was jealousy. I promise you that. I’ve never seen Jack so pissed in my life.”
“This is bullshit! Have you been to the resort? Those little snow bunnies flock to him, and I don’t say anything, but he’s scaring off someone that might want to date me? That’s messed up.”
“I’ve never heard about him hooking up with them,” Carol says, and she is a pretty good source. She knows most of the good gossip.
“Yeah, but he can sneak them back to one of his rooms or up to his fancy secluded cabin and no one would know. Not only that, if what you’re saying is true but if he’s been into me all this time, why hasn’t he done anything about it? He treats me like a jerk instead.” Frostie cringes, knowing I’m right.