Chapter 12
My resumé is merely a list of things I hope you never ask me to do.
Cole
Istudy the room and note the entire town seems to have shown up for the announcement of who won the bid to design and build the community center. I sniff. Am I smelling popcorn? I glance behind me and find all of Ellery’s sisters are here. They’re drinking beer and eating popcorn.
“I’m Ashlyn.” The blonde waves at me. “I’m Ellery’s favorite sister.”
“Are not. I’m Juniper, and I’m the favorite.” Juniper bumps her shoulder, and then they shout in unison, “Drink!”
“Are you supposed to be drinking at a town meeting?”
Ashlyn points to the rear wall. “There’s a bar.”
Sure enough. There’s a makeshift bar set up and it’s doing good business judging by the line.
“It’s completely legal. I don’t know if you remember me. I’m Lilac.” As if I could forget the woman in charge of evaluating the bids. “And this is Aspen.”
Aspen waves. “I’m the oldest West sister.”
Ashlyn rolls her eyes. “I’m the youngest. Mom stopped having babies after me because she obviously had achieved perfection with me.”
“Behave, dream girl,” Rowan growls as he sits next to me.
“But you enjoy it when I misbehave,” she says with a waggle of her eyebrows.
“Does he punish you? Does he tie you up and spank you?” Juniper asks.
“Spanking is the most popular bondage activity,” Lilac announces, and I choke on my water.
Rowan slaps my back harder than necessary. “You get used to them.”
Lyric collapses in the chair on the other side of me. “Made it.”
Ashlyn slow claps. “Good job, Chief. You managed to walk from your office to this room, which is in the same building.”
“Careful,” he growls at her. “Being my future sister-in-law doesn’t mean you’re above the law.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” She flutters her eyelashes and even I can tell she’s guilty as hell.
“I want my key back.”
Aspen leans forward and smirks at him while holding out a key. “Ellery says hi.”
Ellery? Where is she? I searched the room when I arrived, but I didn’t notice her. I assume she’s still hiding from me.
Rowan holds his phone out to me. I glance down at the display to see a picture of Lyric crawling out of a window. It’s not the most flattering of pictures with his ass hanging out of the window. I cover my laugh with my hand. There’s no need to anger the Chief of Police.
Lyric snatches the phone from Rowan and stands. “Who took this picture?” He holds up the phone and glares around the room.
“Wasn’t me, Chief,” a woman hollers.
Rowan leans close to whisper, “That’s Sage. She’s the police dispatcher and she definitely took the picture.”
Sage speaks before I have the chance to tell him I met her the last time I was in Winter Falls.
“You can’t fire me for taking a picture of you and posting it on social media,” she claims.