Page 7 of The Mistletoe Switch

"She sounds horrible." The lollipop in Blue's mouth makes her harder to understand, but I'm used to translating. Her blond hair is pink this month, bringing out the bright blue of her eyes. "You aren't having bad feelings about taking back your man from her, are you?"

"Not really. But if that's the kind of women he likes, I'm not sure I can compete."

"Did the plan work?" Blue asks. "Did you find someone to seduce her away?"

I groan and tell them the entire story. A year ago, Peach, Blue, and I, along with a few close friends, started a romance book club. It's a fun way to spend time together and the discussions about the books can get really heated and fascinating. Some of my friends are into kinks I never even knew existed.

One of the books we read reminded me of RJ and our perfect romance, and I realized I let him go too easily. I want a second chance, no matter what it takes to get it.

"RJ is so mean." Peach's delicate features crease in distress, her green eyes sad. "What's he even got to be so angry about? He dumped you."

"He thinks I was helping Mom try to rob that safe during our bachelor bachelorette party." I take another sip of wine and close my eyes as the memory of RJ's disdain washes over me.

"But you weren't helping her, you were trying to stop her." Peach sounds more distressed than I feel. "You just have to explain it to him."

I open my eyes. "He was justifiably angry." It didn't feel that way at the time, but I'm trying to see things from his perspective. "Unlike us, he doesn't just go with the flow and he hates surprises. He's got serious morals and stuff. Unless I can prove my innocence, I don't think he'll believe me."

"You can do better," Blue says. "RJ is boring and self-righteous."

"He's also the kind of guy who'll stick around." It's not the first time I've said it, but it bears repeating. Blue doesn't get why I'd ever want a guy to stay. She's more the love him until she gets bored and moves on type. "I'm not going to be like Mom, married and divorced three times."

Blue shrugs. "The heart wants what it wants. What's the new plan?"

"I don't know. If I could get him to listen to me, I could tell him how I've changed." I could tell him about my associate's degree in marketing and my life design business. "After tonight, though, he's probably not going to listen. My usual flirtations won't work on RJ."

Though they definitely seemed to work on that delicious hunk of man meat who drove me home. If I was single, I would definitely take advantage of the way his eyes kept drifting to my lips and the way he watched my ass when he dropped me at my rental.

Speaking of which, my feet are still cold, so I add more hot water to my foot bath.

"I was such a mess when RJ knew me." I raise my voice over the running water. "I had no direction, no sense of self, and I didn't stand up to Mom the way I should have. He wanted to marry the mess I was, so he'll definitely fall in love with who I've become if I can just get him to spend some time with me."

"We need a man who thinks like RJ." Blue taps her chin, brow creased in thought. "What about your sister? She's the low-drama, responsible-living type."

"She hates RJ. She's definitely not going to help me."

"Know any men who think calculators are fun?" Peach asks.

I tap my chin, an idea forming. "I don't know any men exactly like that, but I do know Alice's brother and he wants the two of them broken up as much as I do. I bet he'd help me."

Blue purses her lips. "Based on that story you just told, he doesn't sound subtle. He sounds more like the kind of man who barges into a room and demands everyone do whatever he says or else."

"Got any better ideas?" I huff, annoyed with myself and RJ and snowdrifts. "This was supposed to be like in the books. He would see me across the bar and remember how great we were together and… There'd be some bumps in the road, but just two hundred pages and bam! Happily ever after."

"Quit whining," Blue says. "The reason fifty-two percent of marriages end in divorce is because people are lazy. They settle for the wrong person because they aren't willing to do the damn work to get the right person." She pulls the lollipop out of her mouth and yells at me like a drill sergeant, "Are you lazy, Cherry?"

"Honestly…?"

She scowls. "Are you lazy, Cherry Beckstone? Or are you the kind of woman who doesn't quit until she gets her man?"

I push out my chest. She's right. The Beckstone women never walk away from a challenge, unless there's a really good sale or a free spa day, but mostly, we never walk away from a challenge. "I'm not going to quit until I get my man."

"That's right." Blue points at me with her lollipop. "Now, tell me everything you know about this brother. I have a feeling convincing him to help you might require blackmail."

"Blackmail isn't necessary. He'll do everything he can to end this thing between his sister and RJ."

Blue rolls her eyes. "He's a man, honey. Either he'll be worried about pissing off his sister because he's a yellow-bellied coward or he'll be too damn weak willed to do what needs to be done." She pops her lollipop back in her mouth. "Most likely, he'll think he knows the best way to handle the situation, take over, and ruin everything."

Blue has an exceedingly low opinion of men, marriage, and people in general.

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