Page 27 of The Twelve Knots of Christmas
Shit. Just when I was getting somewhere.
“Lyla is going to take Hazel to the hospital, but you don’t need to come home. Enjoy your fancy dinner out. You deserve it.” Eloise gave Mariska a hug and patted her cheek. She then turned a more stern look to me. “I trust you with my girl here. It’s about time you head over for your cocktail and then to dinner. Spoil her. She might tell you she doesn’t want dessert, but she has a notorious sweet tooth.”
Panic raced across Mariska’s face. “No, really, I should come home with you and help you with the girls. Julie and Katherine have a ton of energy. I’ll have them do races with Artemis and tucker them all out.”
“Stay. Enjoy.” Eloise locked her gaze with Mariska’s, and the pair of them had a whole conversation without saying a word. Apparently the chaperon won, because Mariska’s shoulders sagged and she nodded.
“Good.” Eloise smiled at me. “Thank you for taking us to the festival. I had a lovely afternoon. I’m sorry to have to run off like this, but have a nice dinner and continue your chat.”
“Thank you for your trust.” I could hear Mariska’s nearly silent growl beside me and grinned. “Do you need a ride?”
“No, no. Lyla is already coming to get me.” Eloise said her goodbyes and hurried off.
I kept my grin and looked to Mariska, offering my arm. “Shall we head to the Whisper Room?”
She gritted her teeth and huffed. Ignoring my arm, she stuffed her hands into her pockets with force and headed out of the circle of trees without waiting for me.
I fucking loved a challenge.
CHAPTER ELEVEN - Mariska
I should have insisted on going with Miss Eloise. Not to help with the kids next door, because she would be able to handle them just fine, but to get away from the jerk of an Alpha who escorted me into Lindy Lou’s Bookshop and Café. If not for the fact I needed the pack to help me through my heat, I would have slapped his smug face and walked away.
The bookshop was a sleepy place just off the main downtown street. It wasn’t flashy to attract tourists, but the locals all knew the secret in the back. I’d been in only ever once to pick up some donuts for work, but apparently Jasper was a regular.
He greeted Lindy who glanced up from the book she was reading and waved as we headed to the rear of the shop where the back wall was occupied by full shelves. He went to the second shelf from the right and reached to tug on a thick copy of Edgar Allen Poe’s complete works. There was a click, and he pulled open the shelf with a quiet swish.
“After you, my lady.” Jasper smoothly motioned for me to go ahead of him. I might have paused to admire him in his black blazer which hugged his wide shoulders and black jeans that made his legs look so long. The top two buttons of his white button-up shirt were undone. No tie, just a casual GQ man who at the same time pissed me off and made my knees weak.
No one I knew had ever been to the Whisper Room. Omegas didn’t go out for a night on the town on their own after all. It was a small bar dimly lit with Edison bulbs. Three stools stood empty in front of the counter, and about six small tables for two were positioned in the small space along with a vintage couch opposite the bar. It was designed to look like a 1920’s speakeasy done up with red, black, and gold. Vintage Christmasdecorations sparkled adding a garish trim. Classy and forbidden, like a place you’d meet a handsome devil to sell your soul.
Four customers crowded around a table in the far corner, drinking and playing cards. Lindy’s twin sister, Lauren greeted us from behind the bar. While Lindy was sweet and angelic, Lauren was sexy as sin in a red flapper’s dress with lipstick to match.
“Hey Jasper. Good to see you as always.” The way she smiled suggested that she had seen much more of Jasper than just as a customer.
I clenched my jaw and turned away from Lauren so I wouldn’t shoot her a death glare. I had no right. What Jasper did was his own business, just like why I didn’t like Christmas was mine.
“You too, Lauren. Could you bring us over two cranberry gin rickeys and add them to my tab, please?” Jasper herded me to the table farthest away from the other people and pulled out the chair for me with one hand. The other helped ease off my coat and draped it over the back of the seat.
“A tab, hm?” I smoothed out my dress and sat, crossing my legs at the ankles. “I guess I don’t need to ask if you come here often.”
“I like the ambiance.” Jasper undid the one button of his jacket and sat with an arm resting on the table.
Lauren sashayed over. The fringe on her dress swayed as she walked and set the drinks on the table. The ice clinked and the lime slices bobbed down then up again. “You’re Mariska Belmont, one of the Primrose House girls, right?”
I didn’t like that she knew my name, but having never met her, I’d known who she was too. Small towns allowed for no privacy. “Yes. This place is really cool. Would you mind if I took a few pictures later and shared them with my friends?”
This time when she smiled, it was the sweet mirror of Lindy’s. “Thank you, and yeah, go ahead. Just as long as you don’t post anything to social media. This place is just for the locals.”
“No problem.” I’d heard about the rule before as I’d been told Jack went there a few times to meet girls he was cheating on me with.
Ugh. I had to deal with Jasper right now. I didn’t need to be thinking about my stupid ex.
“Enjoy your drinks.” Lauren winked at Jasper and left us with our drinks.
“You like theambiance.” I snorted and picked up my drink, sipping it from the straw. I rarely drank, but I couldn’t taste the alcohol in it. It was sweet like cranberry juice but without the sharp tang at the end.
“Lauren’s an old friend. I was in high school with the Hill sisters.” Jasper’s gaze fixed on me as I took another gulp. I could have sworn he was staring at my lips. “And because you’re wondering, we never dated. She has a long term girlfriend.”
