Page 49 of One Hot Rumor

"Lighten up, Nick. They're nice people, not a swarm of killer bees."

I grunt. "Depends on what they're up to."

"Let me go find out."

Before I can stop her, Siobhan jumps up and marches straight over to the American Wives Club. She smiles and inserts herself into their conversation, though the other women don't seem to mind her cheerful intrusion. They welcome her with open arms—literally, since most of them hug her.

One woman separates from the crowd and approaches me.

Rika Dixon sits down on the chair Siobhan had vacated. She smiles and pats my thigh. "Don't worry, Nick, this won't hurt a bit."

"What won't hurt? I thought you lot were meddling in my love life, not scheduling a root canal for me."

She laughs. "Oh sweetie, we want to help. That's why we're plotting the most expedient ways to force you to do whatever we want. Brainwashing has been discussed. So has spellcasting, since we do have a witch on the premises. Ooh, and Maddie suggested we could slip some oysters into your meals."

"I hate oysters."

"Yeah, Richard told her that."

For a second or two, I freeze up like the temperature has dropped a hundred degrees in the span of a heartbeat. "Richard did what? He couldn't have been…"

"Participating in the meddling?" Rika waves her hand in a dismissive gesture. "You silly goose, your brother is an active and willing participant."

"You lot must've slipped a mind-altering drug into his tea." I freeze again, though not as solidly as before. "Did you say spellcasting?"

"Mm-hm." Rika pats my thigh again. "But I was kidding. Kirsty MacTaggart is a Wiccan, but she doesn't have magical powers. Now, about you…"

"There is no 'about me.' I don't need you lovely but insane women poking your noses into my life."

"Oh, it's too late, honey. We're already poking."

My gaze flies to Siobhan, who's laughing with the other American women. What are they saying to her? About me?

"What do you mean you're already poking?" I ask carefully.

"Don't worry. We're starting with your other problem, then we'll move on to helping you and Siobhan."

My other problem?

"No, Rika," I say as emphatically as I can while I'm still slouched in a chair. "I do not want or need your help. That goes for every member of your barmy club."

"Told you, it's too late. The meddling has begun. In fact, it started months ago."

Bloody perfect. They've dedicated months to plotting a way to marry me off.

I straighten in my chair and squint at her. "Why are you over here telling me this? I thought meddling was meant to be secret."

Rika grins and punches my arm. "I'm the official ambassador to Nick Hunter."

"Am I a country now? I don't need an ambassador, not even a beautiful one."

"Thank you for the compliment, Nick. You are such a sweetie."

I throw my head back and groan. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I'm your ambassador," she says like I'm a very slow-witted child. "And because I love you."

Can't help it. I smirk and say, "Does Dane know you love me? He seems like the sort who would dismember my body and dump it in the Thames if he found out how you feel about me."

---