Troping Through the Snow by Alexa Riley

“Well, if you think it’s going to work on Jack, you’re dead wrong. He was already by the coffee shop trying to find you.”

“Jack who?” Carol laughs. “Wait…” I snap my fingers. “He owns that resort, right? Place is a dump.”

“If that’s how you want to play it. It’s not like Frostie and I didn’t see him go up to your apartment and not come down for quite some time.”

Great, how many people saw that? Secrets in this town never stay that way for long. It’s probably why Carol isn’t saying who her baby daddy is. I have done the math, and I think it happened when she was out of town one week, but I could be wrong.

“Okay he kissed me,” I admit. “But there wasn’t tongue.” The bell over the door goes off, and Frostie comes walking in. “You told her I was here.”

“I did.” Carol shrugs unapologetically as Frostie locks the door behind her.

“A business must remain open during posted hours,” I remind them, and they ignore me.

“You’ve been avoiding me.” Frostie puts her hands on her hips. “You didn’t even come down for your coffee this morning.”

“I’m the cop around here! I don’t need extra coffee and donut stereotypes.”

“What’s going on with you and Jack?” Frostie pushes on, determined to get information from me.

“You mean Jack-ass,” I correct.

“Whatever. What’s going on?”

“Nothing.” I pull the stupid wig off. This thing is freaking hot. “We hate each other. Don’t you all remember?”

“Nah, we’ve all had bets on when the two of you would finally crack,” Carol informs me.

“Seriously?” They both nod. “You’re telling me that Jack-ass is a jerk face to me because he likes me? What are we, in the fourth grade?” Now I’m getting mad, though I don’t think I would mind him pulling my hair. Oh my God, Tinsel. Get yourself together.

“We all see how he stares at you.” Frostie nods in agreement.

“You mean glare. He glares at me.”

“At the last winter festival, there was a group of college guys here from Townsin, and they were talking about how hot you were. One was going to ask you out, and Jack freaking lost it. He grabbed one by the collar and threatened him with an ass stomping if he or any of his friends went near you.”

“You’re shitting me,” I grit out. “I could have gotten him on assault. That would have been a good ticket.”

“I wasn’t sure if it was some big brother thing or jealousy,” Frostie admits. “That's why I didn’t say anything to you about it.”

“Oh, it was jealousy. I promise you that. I’ve never seen Jack so pissed in my life.”

“This is bullshit! Have you been to the resort? Those little snow bunnies flock to him, and I don’t say anything, but he’s scaring off someone that might want to date me? That’s messed up.”

“I’ve never heard about him hooking up with them,” Carol says, and she is a pretty good source. She knows most of the good gossip.

“Yeah, but he can sneak them back to one of his rooms or up to his fancy secluded cabin and no one would know. Not only that, if what you’re saying is true but if he’s been into me all this time, why hasn’t he done anything about it? He treats me like a jerk instead.” Frostie cringes, knowing I’m right.

“I’m sure it has to do with your brother.” Carol is always trying to be the voice of reason.

“Then he can date my brother. I’m apparently not worth fighting for.” I turn to storm out of the dress shop, but when I wiggle the lock, it doesn’t budge. It really ruins the whole storming off in anger when you can’t get the door to open.

“You’re not going anywhere.” Carol drags me back. “Why don’t we give him a taste of his own medicine?”

“What do you mean?” I perk up at that.

“Tonight the resort is hosting that cocktail party they have every other Wednesday during the winter season. They do festive drinks and finger foods for the guests, but we can crash it. I’m sure there will be out of towners since we don’t date locals.”

“Does Jack go to these cocktail parties?” I know they’re at his resort, but I’m sure he can’t be involved in everything.

“Let me see.” Carol pulls out her phone and sends out a text. A second later, an alert sounds.

“Emily said he’ll pass through to check on things but doesn’t normally stay.”

“Yeah, passes through to pick up some chick,” I mutter.

“You’re really stuck on him hooking up with other women.”

“Why shouldn’t I be? He’s been scaring off men I could be dating all because he might have a stupid crush on me all the while doing whatever he wants. Fuck him.”

“Whoa.” Frostie’s eyes go wide. “Maybe this isn’t a good idea. She’s pretty mad and owns a gun.”

“No, I’m doing this. Doll me up, girls. I’m going to walk into that bar and kiss the first man I see.”

“This is going to be bad,” Frostie says.

“I think it’s going to be perfect.” Carol gets an evil grin on her face. “I don’t only have dresses. Wait till you see the lingerie I have too.”