Page 13 of The Proposal Pact
Hell, I wasn’t really planning on making it out of there. Ever.
But then the news of my sister…and here we are. I was planning to leave right after making sure Griff would take care of my sister and their baby properly.
What I didn’t anticipate was getting accosted by half the town—the pain in my ass across the desk included—about helping out my hometown in a time of need.
Somehow—and I really don’t want to know how, but I’ll bet my life savings on Fanny’s spies—they found out I had my POST certificate. It’s this training one needs to go through if they want to be a police officer, and they kept nagging for months for me to takethe position. I didn't need it. I simply got it because it was something to do to kill time. That sort of became my life.
I was just killing time.
Finally, I relented, but only as a temporary measure, until they found someone else. Meanwhile, enjoying spending time with my family and friends.
Speaking of which…those assholes, Luke and Griffin, laughed their asses off when I told them. And at that time, I couldn’t understand what was so funny. But now, I do. This was never going to be temporary, and they got me right where they wanted me.
See what I mean about scheming and plotting? It’s in the fucking blood here.
“I like the way you think, Cake pop,” Fanny says. “We have a few candidates in review. Serena Bringham, Molly Tilmak, Lia—”
“Lia, my sister’s employee?” Julie owns her own non-coffee-coffee-shop and the girl working there is barely past the legal age. I grimace. “She’s a baby! Are you completely off the rocker?” I see her opening her mouth and decided to add something while I have the chance. “And no, I don’t like the other twocandidateseither.”
There is nothing wrong with any of the girls, apart from the nineteen-year-old Lia, but I’m not interested. In anyone.
“Don’t you worry your handsome self. The masters will take care of it all. For now, we have more pressing matters to attend to. So, back to the quiet hours.”
“No,” I cut off that subject.
“What do you mean, no?”
“No means no. The hours stay.”
Fanny puckers her lip for a second before getting up. “Fine. See you tomorrow. Same time, same place.”
“No, you will not!” I call after her retreating form, and just before she slips out, she hollers, “I’ll bring some cake pops!”
Before I have the chance to take a breath, the door opens and I groan.
“No.”
“No, what? You didn’t even hear what I had to say!” Sam Colson, Luke’s dad strides up to my desk.
“I’m saying that in advance.”
“Oh, you’re being funny!” Mr. Colson laughs but there’s absolutely nothing funny about me or the murderous glare I’m sending in all directions.
“Just look at what I was able to secure for you!” He waves something light blue and sparkling in front of me. “For the new uniform!” he proclaims excitedly, his graying eyebrows dancing up and down as he shakes his body.
“What uniform?” I run a hand over my face.
“Yours! For the police staff! The glitter in this fabric would bring out the color of your eyes! And it’s stretchy!”
“Uncle Sam, my eyes are green not blue.”
“See? You could have blue also!” No, what Icouldhave is an aneurysm.
“No.”
“No to this fabric?”
“No to the whole fucking thing.”
