Page 47 of Karma's Kiss

I made a mistake not hunting Pink Flats down at The Black Door when I had the chance. I could have explained thesituation, and if that didn’t work, I could have blackmailed her. Sure, okay, I’ve never blackmailed anyone and I’m not certain I know exactly how to do it. What’s the difference between blackmail and extortion?Isthere a difference?

It doesn’t matter; I would have figured it out on the fly. Anything would have been better than this slow trudge back to my car through the vineyard, muddy and dejected.

Sawyer’s truck is still parked where it was earlier, but he’s nowhere to be found. For a second, I debate searching the area so we can talk, but you know what? I don’t really feel like it! I’ve spent the last thirty minutes winding my way through grapevines, completely lost. It was like a freaking corn maze out there. Left turn, right turn, left, right.TwiceI found myself right back where I started, and now I’m seeing red.

I’ve got twin blisters on my heels, a parched mouth, and mud caked in my hair. My cheeks feel tight from an impending sunburn, and if I saw Sawyer in this state, I know we’d get into a huge fight. I don’t feel like explaining whatever he’s been told. I want to lay into him for trying to punish me.

How childish!

Never mind that I was also being childish.

How cruel!

Again, pot calling the kettle black…

He thinks I was messing around with him for the fun of it? Obviously we’re even now.

Back at the house, Queenie takes one look at me and cracks up.

“What in theworldhave you been doing?”

I clench my jaw. “I don’t really feel like talking about it.”

“Weren’t you supposed to be on a date with—”

“DO NOTsay his name.”

My tone is deadly, and Queenie’s eyes go round as saucers.

“From this point forward, Sawyer Garnett is dead to me and to everyone else in this family. Got it?”

“Sure thing, honey.”

“Swear to me—”

She’s barely restraining a smile, I can tell. “Oh all right.” She holds up her hand like she’s about to make a sworn statement in a courtroom. “I hereby declare that Sawyer Garnett…”

She doesn’t know the rest so I help her along. “Is a horrible man with no heart and no soul and from this point forward—”

“Now slow down, I’m not going to remember all that. I’ve got ‘is a horrible man’ but then you lost me with the soul stuff.”

Her phone rings, interrupting our binding oath. I’m annoyed she goes to answer it, but it’s Lindsey, and though I only hear Queenie’s end of the conversation, I can tell where things are headed.

Once Queenie hangs up, she nods toward me. “Go shower and clean up. Lindsey’s freaking out about Cruz’s birthday. Apparently none of the decorations are hanging right and she’s worried she won’t have time to get everything set up tomorrow morning before the party. She’s promised us dinner and wine if we’re willing to come help her out.”

I’m already headed for the stairs so I can clean up. “If it’s Starlight Vineyards wine,I don’t want it!”

Queenie loses the battle with her smile. “Sounds good. We’ll toss it if it is. And sweetie?” She taps her forehead. “You’ve got a little mud right there.”

CHAPTER 12

I’msad to report that David is apparently not the brother I thought he was. He’s a traitor! A snake! A veritable Judas.

“It’s a simple oath. Repeat after me. Sawyer Garnett is—”

David laughs me off, continuing to tear into a twelve pack of beer. “Would you cut it out, Madison? I’m trying to get these on ice before Lindsey chews me out.”

It’s late Sunday morning and I’m over at Lindsey and David’s house with my mom doing all the last-minute prep for Cruz’s first birthday party. We’ve been at it since eight AM, and we didn’t leave here last night until close to midnight. We’ve DIYed the hell out of this place. We’ve created a balloon arch, a balloon garland, and a balloon backdrop. We’ve applied personalized party stickers with Cruz’s cute little face to bags of Goldfish and cookies and juice boxes. There’s a blueberry fruit plate that’s been arranged to look like Cookie Monster’s face and a strawberry fruit plate that looks like Elmo. We’ve assembled an Oscar veggie platter and a Big Bird cheese board. I’ve burned my fingers with a hot glue gun one too many times to count (birthday banner) and poked them with thorns (floral arrangements) and I’m too scared to go back into the kitchenbecause Lindsey—my usually cool, calm, and collected sister-in-law—is losing it in there.

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