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Lilac clears her throat. “Unfortunately, a sibling being irritating is not a valid defense to murder.”
“What if the body is never found?”
“Can you please stop talking about murdering someone in front of me,” Lyric pleas.
“You’re not the Chief of Police when you’re in this house,” Aspen says.
“I’m not? What am I then?”
“You’re a member of this family. My soon-to-be husband. Speaking of which, we need to set a date. I don’t approve of my baby sister getting married before me.”
Ashlyn rolls her eyes. “I didn’t realize there was a rule about who can get married first.”
Aspen crosses her arms over her chest. “Yes, you did. You would have told someone you were eloping otherwise.”
Rowan kisses Ashlyn’s hair. “She’s got you there.”
She growls up at him. “We’re supposed to be partners. You and me against the world.”
“We’re not the world. We’re your family. And you should have told us. I’ve never been to Vegas. I would have loved a trip,” Juniper says.
Huh. Ashlyn and Juniper are as close as Aspen and I are. I’m surprised Ashlyn didn’t tell Juniper she was getting married.
“We decided spur of the moment. You wouldn’t have had time to arrange someone to watch your animals.”
“I could have found someone.”
“Oh yeah.” Ashlyn taps her cheek. “The same someone who’s been phoning you constantly all day and you’ve been ignoring his calls?”
“Hold up. Juniper has a secret admirer, and we don’t know about it?”
I shrug at Aspen’s question. Between managing the inn, being pregnant, and dealing with Cole, I can barely remember my own name at the end of the day. I have zero brain space to consider Juniper’s love life.
“She does,” Ashlyn answers at the same time Juniper shouts, “I don’t!”
Mom returns to the living room with Amy following her. She surveys the room before clapping her hands.
“You.” She points to Ashlyn. “You will have a wedding reception to celebrate your marriage.” She points to Juniper. “And you will you use prophylactics when you have sex with your admirer.” She points to me. “And you will stop having a hissy fit every time we use the term ‘baby daddy’. You should know better. Everyone’s saying it because your eye twitches and you lose your mind every time.”
“Once again, I am the perfect child,” Lilac gloats.
“The perfect pain in my ass,” Aspen mumbles.
“Did everyone forget I’m the mayor now?” Ashlyn grins. “You can’t order me around anymore.”
Mom pats her cheek. “Baby girl, I’m your mother. I will always have the right to order you around. Even when I’m on my death bed.” Ashlyn sticks her tongue out and Mom tweaks her nose.
“Follow me. There’s a ton of food to carry into the dining room. Pregnant women and their baby daddies are exempted from helping.”
Everyone trudges into the kitchen leaving Cole and me alone in the living room.
“Are you certain you want to be a member of this family?” I ask as I watch Juniper trip Ashlyn.
His hand splays over my belly. “Too late now, baby mamma.”
“Don’t make me get out my shotgun.”
He chuckles at my empty threat and his dimple comes out to play. I glance away. I will not be entranced by his dimple. I don’t care if it’s Christmas day and he brought his mother here to meet me. I will remain strong. Because Cole isn’t from Winter Falls. He’ll leave eventually. And when he does, he won’t be taking my heart with him.
