Miss Frost Solves A Cold Case: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost Book 1) (30 page)
Read Miss Frost Solves A Cold Case: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost Book 1) Online
Authors: Kristen Painter
“And you’re still best friends? How does that work?”
“We text.” I glanced at my phone where it lay on the coffee table. “I text.” I put my head in my hands. All these years the woman I’d considered my best friend had actually been my betrayer. My stomach churned with cold anger, and bitterness coated my tongue. “She broke us up. Because she wanted to get in your pants. I can’t believe what an idiot I was.”
The cushion sank beside me as Cooper joined me on the couch. “We were both idiots. I should have known you wouldn’t have acted like that.”
“And I should have known you weren’t using me.” I tipped my head sideways so I could see him. “You weren’t, were you?”
“
No
.” His breath seemed to catch in his throat. “I loved you, Jay.”
My eyes stung with regret and hurt. I sat back and stared at the ceiling. “I spent the next three semesters until graduation avoiding you.”
“Likewise.”
We stayed like that a long time, me staring at the ceiling, Cooper staring at me. There were a thousand things unsaid, but somehow we both understood.
Finally, I straightened and sighed out a long breath. “I’m sorry.”
“Me, too. Maybe we can be friends.”
I nodded, my gaze focused on the coffee table. “That would be a good place to start.”
“You, uh, you and Greyson…is that a thing?”
I laughed a little. “I guess. I don’t know. I mean, we’ve gone out a few times, but we haven’t exchanged promise rings or anything. What does it matter? I’ll be headed back to the North Pole soon. Speaking of, I need to call my dad, tell him what happened.”
Cooper nodded and stood. “I’m glad we talked. I didn’t like the way I felt about how things ended.”
I got to my feet, fighting a strong urge to wrap my arms around him. “Me, too. I’d rather think of our time together fondly, you know?”
His smile was a little sad as he leaned in and tentatively kissed my forehead. “See you around, Jay.”
“Yeah, you too, Coop.”
He let himself out. Then I lay down on the couch and had a good cry.
I ended up falling asleep and waking up a couple hours later to banging on my door. Juniper and Buttercup were on the other side. “Hey.”
They stared at me for a few long, hard seconds. Then Juniper spoke. “We get why you lied to us. It’s not a hundred percent cool, but we get it.”
Buttercup squinted. “And we forgive you. But you better not ever do it again.”
I agreed instantly. “I won’t. I swear.”
Juniper crossed her arms. “Was the whole Lilibeth thing fake or was that basically you with a different name?”
“It was me with a different name. Which is really Jayne.”
Buttercup rolled her eyes. “We know. And I am not calling you Your Highness.”
Juniper elbowed her and mumbled, “We have to.”
I laughed. “No, you don’t. In fact, I’d rather you didn’t.”
“Good,” Buttercup sniffed.
“I really don’t want you to treat me any differently. Cool?”
Buttercup nodded and Juniper smiled. “Cool. So, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I paused. “Are
we
okay?”
Buttercup smirked. “I can’t believe you’re the freaking Winter Princess.”
I wanted to think that was a yes. “At least I’m not named after one.”
She snorted and Juniper laughed. “It is pretty amazing that we had North Pole royalty right under our noses and didn’t know it. We hung out and everything!” Then she frowned. “Are you sure you want to be friends with us?”
I almost teared up. “Are you kidding? I love you guys. I can’t imagine anyone I’d rather be friends with.”
Juniper hugged me and then Buttercup joined in, albeit a little reluctantly. I hugged them back and we stood like that until a few seconds later when Spider started crying for food.
We broke apart, laughing. I scooped Spider up and held him like a baby. “Thanks for coming to see me. I wasn’t sure you’d want to.”
They smiled. Juniper gave Spider a scratch on the head. “Get some rest. We’ll catch up on all the good stuff tomorrow…Jayne.”
I smiled. “Tomorrow.”
As I closed the door, I felt as awful as I did good. The employee situation was resolved, Cooper and I were friends again, but I was leaving soon and probably wouldn’t see much of him or Greyson or Juniper or Buttercup again. Tomorrow might actually be my last day. Total suckage.
I hadn’t expected that leaving would to be so tough. I fed Spider, took a shower, put on some clean clothes, and called my dad.
With Spider curled on my lap, I ran the whole thing down for him the way I had for Cooper. When I finished, pride practically wafted right through the snow globe. “Amazing, Jayne. Well done. I’m not happy you or your friends got hurt, but you did an outstanding job of working this thing out. A real chip off the old ice block.”
“Thanks, Dad. I had Toly pegged wrong, though. I thought he was behind the whole thing.”
“Well, he was still involved, so you were right about that. And it remains to be seen just how deeply. No, Jay, your work on this was commendable.”
I smiled. It was nice to finally feel like I was good at something. “Do you have any idea who you’re going to bring in as manager to replace him?”
His expression shifted, clouded with reluctance. “Your uncle Kris and I have talked it over, and we’re going to close that store.”
“What? You can’t do that. What about Juniper and Buttercup? What about their jobs?”
“Honey, we can move them to other stores.”
I couldn’t stand to think of them separated. Words came out of my mouth before I really had a chance to think about them. “I want the store.”
“What do you mean?”
What did I mean? “I want…to be the manager.” Yelping yetis, I really did want to be the manager. “I like it here, I’ve made friends, and I love working in the store and with the customers. I’d be really good at running this place.”
“
You
love working with customers? Human customers?”
“They’re nice, Dad. Not at all like I thought.”
“You have changed.”
“For the better, don’t you think?”
“I do.”
That was a good sign. I kept at it. “Furthermore, I have more than enough power to run the shimmer, and I don’t think Spider could handle the cold anyway.”
My dad’s eyes narrowed. “How hard did you get hit on the head?”
“Dad, I’m serious. I’m staying. You’re not closing the store. This is a great location. I’ll need you to send me the files of the next ten applicants on the waiting list so I can pick out some new employees. We’re a little low.”
“You’re sure about this?”
“More than I’ve ever been about anything.” Smiling like a simpleton, I gave Spider’s head a good scratch. I was excited about this. And not just because of Greyson. And Cooper. Juniper and Buttercup definitely figured in.
“Well, it’s okay with me. I’m sure Kris won’t have any issues with it either. You can take the big apartment on the third floor then. If we need to visit, we’ll just stay with you.”
“No. I’m staying right where I am. This place is plenty big enough. But I will expect you and Mom to visit once in a while. She owes me pie.”
My dad laughed. “I’ll tell her. Anything else?”
“Hmm.” I thought for a moment. “We should probably discuss how much of a raise I’m getting…”
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About the Author
Kristen Painter
is a little obsessed with cats, books, chocolate, and shoes. It’s a healthy mix. She loves to entertain her readers with interesting twists and unforgettable characters. She currently writes the best-selling paranormal romance series, Nocturne Falls, and award-winning urban fantasy. The former college English teacher can often be found all over social media where she loves to interact with readers:
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Other books by Kristen Painter
PARANORMAL ROMANCE
Nocturne Falls series:
The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride
The Witch’s Halloween Hero
– short story
The Werewolf’s Christmas Wish
– short story
The Vampire’s Valentine Surprise – short story
Sin City Collectors series:
Standalone Paranormal Romance:
Miss Bramble and the Leviathan
URBAN FANTASY:
The House of Comarré series:
Forbidden Blood
Blood Rights
Flesh and Blood
Bad Blood
Out For Blood
Last Blood
The Crescent City series:
House of the Rising Sun
City of Eternal Night
Garden of Dreams and Desires
Nothing is completed without an amazing team.
Many thanks to:
Cover design: Janet Holmes
Interior formatting: Author E.M.S
Editor: Joyce Lamb
Copyedits/proofs: Angie Ramey/Marlene Engel
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