Page 37 of The Jinglebell War
“We’re both beyond lucky to be related to Blue,” Peach says. “From what I hear, you’ve been nothing but rude to her.”
He frowns in mock concern. “Demon. Have you been spreading naughty rumors about me?”
Cherry laughs in delight. “Oh, you’re way more fun than I thought you were, Garrick.”
“Do not encourage him,” I say.
“She’s telling you the truth, though,” he says, looking far too handsome when his eyes sparkle with mischief. “We didn’t have intercourse in town hall. She tackled me to the cold, hard ground simply because I didn’t answer immediately when she asked me to wait for her.”
“You probably should have waited for her,” Peach says. “Blue hates being ignored more than anything.”
Garrick turns an interested gaze on me. “Is that right?”
“But youwantto screw her in the town hall,” Cherry says, playing up a party girl attitude for effect. “I see the way you’re looking at her.”
Garrick’s eyes go wide for the merest moment before he recovers his smirk. “I learned a long, long time ago never to lie with a demon.”
Cherry shivers in delight. “Oooh, biblical. I love it.” She pauses. “I mean, it’s not literally biblical, I don’t think. I’ve never read the bible, but it reminds me of what this evil pastor said in that horror movie about the killer swans. Have you seen it?”
Garrick stares at my cousin for a long moment. “Usually, I can tell right away when someone’s fucking with me, but you’re good.”
Cherry’s smile is wicked. “I’ve had years of practice. What I can’t tell for sure is if you’re fucking with my cousin because you’re just an asshole, or because she’s truly wronged you in some way.”
“You don’t believe the rumor that we’re secret lovers?” Garrick asks.
Cherry and Peach laugh at that.
“Blue doesn’t date, and she definitely doesn’t love any man for more than a night or two,” Cherry says.
“Besides,” Peach says. “Blue would have told us if she’d slept with you. She always shares the postmortem with us.”
Garrick snorts. “Postmortem? How fitting.”
“You wish you had any idea,” Cherry says. “Blue once sexed a man up so good, he followed her around for two weeks trying to convince her to run off with him.”
“Cherry.” My stomach aches. I don’t like Garrick talking to my family. “Garrick doesn’t need to know about my sex life.”
Peach leans across the table toward Garrick. “Are you still pissed at Blue because you think she’s the one blocking your permits?”
And that’s enough. “Okay, Garrick.” I shove at his shoulder. He doesn’t budge. “Time to go.”
“No,” Garrick says. “I want to hear this. Are you telling me Blue supported my requests?”
“She’s not telling you anything,” I say.
“Of course she supported them,” Cherry says. “Anything that helps business grow is good for the town. And your business draws new tourists in. Blue’s not stupid.”
“She doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” I say, but no one is paying any attention to me.
“If she’s not blocking my permits,” Garrick asks, all skepticism, “who is?”
“The council, of course,” Peach says. “They aren’t agreeing to anything she asks for because they hate her and want her to fail as mayor.”
Garrick turns to me. “Is that true?”
“My sister isn’t a liar,” I say, because how dare he?
“Why did you let me think you were blocking my permits?”
