Miss Frost Ices The Imp: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost Book 2) (12 page)

I stifled a laugh. “Now, you will be on your best behavior tomorrow, won’t you?”

“Child, I am the embodiment of genteel civility. Unless you cross me. Then I cannot be held responsible for what happens. But yes, I’ll be good.”

At least until someone crossed her. But I was a big girl, I could handle a slightly older than middle-aged werewolf. I hoped. “Perfect. See you at Mummy’s.”

I hung up and dug out the box of eggnog fudge my mother had sent. Just popping the top off filled my office with a smell so sweet and delicious my back teeth started to ache. I grabbed a hunk and took a bite, letting the creamy fudge melt over my tongue. The stuff was like elf crack. I had to share this with Juniper.

I wrapped a piece up in one of the paper napkins I kept in the snack drawer and headed into the shop. I needed to spend a little time on the floor anyway.

Kip was behind the counter with Juniper when I strolled in. The shop wasn’t overwhelmed with people, so it was a good chance for him to learn the register. “How’s he doing?” I asked her.

“Hey there.” She smiled. “He’s doing great.”

Kip shrugged and grinned shyly. “I have a good teacher.”

“Think you can handle the register on your own for a few minutes?”

“No sweat.”

“Good. Juni, I need to show you something in the action-figure section.” I kept my hands, and the fudge, behind my back.

Her brows knit in curiosity. “Sure thing. Kip, hold down the fort.”

“Will do.”

She walked with me toward the rear of the store where we stopped in front of an array of superheroes. “What’s up?”

“Someone has a little crush on you,” I singsonged.

“What? Kip? No way.”

“Uh, yes. Did you see the way he looks at you?”

“Well, he can crush all he wants. I’m with Pete.” She crossed her arms. “What did you want to show me?”

I put my hand in front of me, the paper towel-wrapped treat front and center. “This.”

She sucked in a breath. “I smell something sweet. And it smells like eggnog.”

I pulled the paper towel back. “It’s my aunt’s eggnog fudge. It’s kinda famous.”

Juniper let out a soft squeal. “Are you snowing me? Your aunt. As in Martha Kringle. Santa’s wife. This is
her
eggnog fudge?”

“Yep.” I laughed. “Are you going to take it or let it melt in my hand?”

She snatched it up and took a bite. A second later, she groaned and closed her eyes. “Oh wow, that is unbelievable.” She looked at me. “Please tell me you can get more of this.”

“I do know the woman who makes it.”

Kip came skidding around the corner. “Miss Frost? I’m sorry to interrupt, but there’s a man at the counter who says he needs to speak to you immediately.”

I started walking. “Upset customer?”

Kip shook his head. “I don’t think so…”

Cooper stood by the counter, hands on his hips and a scowl on his face. It was a hot look, especially when you threw in the effect of him in his fireman uniform. Plus, there was something about Cooper angry that made him even prettier. “We need to talk. Now.”

“In my office,” I responded. I had no idea what he wanted to talk about, but discussing my personal business in front of my employees or my customers wasn’t going to happen. I didn’t wait for Cooper to respond, just spun on my heel and stalked toward the warehouse door.

The thump of his lug-soled work boots on the store’s polished concrete floors told me he’d followed. Then a second or two after the warehouse door shut, he grabbed my arm and turned me around.

“I get not wanting to talk in the store, but this is far enough. You’ve got to figure out how to stop this magic and now.”

He was certainly worked up. “What happened? More cats in trees?”

“No.” His blue eyes clouded with frustration. “But you’re not far off. Engine number one is on top of the fire station. And no one knows how it got there. Except we do.”

Snowballs
. “On top of the building?”

“Yes. And this isn’t funny anymore. You need to do something about this and fast.”

“I never thought it was funny, and if I could have done something by now, I would have.”

He took a breath. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to imply you were just letting this happen. I know you’re not. But it’s been a very stressful day.”

“I can imagine. I’m really sorry about your fire truck. Please tell me the town has another one in case there’s actually a fire before we can get number one down.”

“We do.” He let out a hard exhale and popped his jaw from side to side. “It feels like these pranks are getting worse.”

“To me, too. But first thing tomorrow I’m meeting with Francine, so I’m hoping she can shed some light on what this magic is specifically and how to stop it.”

That seemed to relax him. “Good.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry about the outburst.”

I shrugged. “I get it. Stress happens.” And he was clearly stressed based on the little shimmers of heat coming off him.

“Yeah, but I shouldn’t take it out on you.” He shook his head.

I felt for him. “I bet your chief had a few words to say.”

Cooper snorted. “Boy, did he.”

My phone rang. “Hold that thought.” I pulled it out of my back pocket and checked the screen. It was Greyson. I answered. “Hey, can I call you back?”

“No. We have a problem.”

I had a pretty good idea I knew what that was. “Is this about the fire truck on top of the station?”

He hesitated. “How did you—the all-American elf is there, isn’t he?”

I shifted a little so Cooper couldn’t see my smile. “Yes, and I’ll call you later.”

“Tell me I can take you to dinner tonight and you won’t have to call me later.”

I twirled a length of hair around one finger and decided to make him work for it. “I have an early morning.”

“I could come over. With Salvatore’s.”

Which was only the best pizza on earth. Clearly, the man knew my weaknesses. “Sold.” So much for making him work for it.

“Seven?”

“Perfect.”

“See you then, Princess.”

With a smirk, I hung up. “Sorry about that. This whole magic-gone-wrong thing has made me a lot more popular.”

“I’m sure. Listen, about what I was saying. I really am sorry for taking my stress out on you. How about you let me make it up to you with dinner at Howler’s tonight?”

I bit my lip. Greyson’s timing was impeccable. “I can’t tonight. I’m having breakfast with Birdie Caruthers at eight A.M. tomorrow—she’s going with me to Francine’s—and besides, I already have plans. Another time, though.”

He rolled his eyes. And it sort of seemed like he flexed a little. Like he was trying to show me what I was missing. “Let me guess. You’re going out with the undead leprechaun.”

“Coop.” I shot him a look. “Greyson and I aren’t technically going out. He’s…coming over. Just like you did last night.”

“Touché.” He held his hands up. “Well, I’m not going to tell you to have fun.”

“Understood.” I turned my phone over in my hands. “I should probably get back to work.”

“Me too. The chief will be wondering what happened to me.” He leaned in and kissed me, nothing major, just a soft brush of his lips on mine and enough to raise my pulse a few beats. “See you later, beautiful.”

I swallowed and waved. “Bye.”

He went back through the shop door, and I returned to my office, where I immediately finished the hunk of eggnog fudge sitting on my desk. Men were awesome and confusing, and I was never going to be able to decide between Cooper and Greyson.

Unless one of them gave me an ultimatum, which I really hoped didn’t happen. I didn’t want to be forced to make a choice, and honestly, if one of them insisted I choose, I was probably not going to pick him.

But that wasn’t happening today, and by five, I was ready to head up to my apartment and spend some quality time doing nothing with my talking cat. At least until Greyson came over with the best pizza ever.

I went into the shop to say hi to Buttercup and Holly as they took over for Kip and Juniper. The store was busy with the pre-dinner crowd. “How was the day, Juni?”

“Good.” She waved a hand at the sales floor. “And still going strong as you can see. How was your day? Everything all right with Cooper?”

“It will be as soon as I figure out how to deal with that wayward magic.” I turned to Holly, ready to change the subject. “How are you getting on?”

“Great. Thank you. I love working here.”

“Glad to hear it.” She’d arrived a few days after Kip but seemed to be catching on.

Buttercup came out from the back of the store. “Hey, Jayne. How’s it going?”

“Good, you?”

“Can’t complain.” She smirked. “And if I could you would have heard about it already.”

I laughed. “I’m sure.”

“Thanks for the promotion, by the way.”

“You earned it.”

Juniper and Kip took their aprons off, and we all walked to the elevator. I pushed the up button, but Kip backed toward the warehouse door.

“I’m headed to Howler’s for happy hour. You guys want to join me?”

“Another time maybe,” I said. “I have a date.”

“So do I.” Juniper gave him a wave. “But you have fun.”

He gave us a salute and was gone.

I watched him go. “He seems to be working out pretty—”

Juniper spun around. “Cooper or Greyson?”

“Greyson.” The elevator door opened, and we got on.

She pursed her lips in a rather judgmental way as she pushed the button for the second floor.

“Hey,” I said. “You ought to like him. Or at least give him some credit. He’s the only one so far who’s been able to give me any clue about what was in that box. But I hope to find out more tomorrow.” I told her about my impending meeting with Francine and taking Birdie along.

“That sounds promising. How was dinner with Cooper last night?”

“Good. And before you ask, yes, there was kissing, but that’s all I’m saying about that.”

She shook her head. “I told you so.”

The elevator chimed that we’d arrived, and we got off on our floor. I fished my keys out. “You and Pete going out?”

“Staying in. He’s bringing Thai. We’re going to watch last night’s King of the Kitchen episode. I DVR’d it. What about you guys?”

“Greyson’s bringing Salvatore’s, and then we’re going to make out like teenagers.” Maybe. Maybe not.

She rolled her eyes. “Keep the moaning to a minimum, will you?”

I laughed as I turned the key and pushed the door open. “You too. Pete looks like he has the potential to get handsy.”

She stuck her tongue out at me, then waved and disappeared into her place.

I closed the door behind me. “Spider, Mama’s home. You hungry?”

He came zipping out from the bedroom and slid halfway through the living room until he hit the edge of the new rug and tumbled over once. He popped back up to meow. “Yesssss. Starving. Dying. Mama was gone forever.”

“Wow. Okay, chill. I’m here now. And I leave every day, but I’m always coming back. I promise.” I scooped him up and kissed his head. “Dinner is on its way.”

I carried him over to his dish and put him down, then got to work fixing him a bowl of Chicken Party, his newest addiction. He wound around my legs, purring. Except when I listened closer, he was actually saying, “Hurry, hurry, hurry.”

I put the dish down and watched him dig in. “Don’t forget to breathe.”

He was too busy eating to answer me. I went to freshen up and change into something more comfortable. Not that my sundress wasn’t comfortable, but work clothes weren’t lie-around-the-house clothes. And since I hadn’t dressed up for Cooper, I wasn’t dressing up for Greyson either. Black yoga pants and a tank top was as much effort as I was making.

Once in my new outfit, I pulled my hair into a high ponytail and went back out to the living room. Spider was sitting on the window sill, cleaning his face.

“How was dinner, baby?”