Troping Through the Snow by Alexa Riley

“Just so I know we’re on the same page here. You’ve been using box mix, and Clause knew about it? That’s fucked up, Frostie.”

“I really don’t need to be scolded about the box crap. What happened to who gives a shit?”

“I meant it’s fucked up he knew a secret about you that I didn’t. He was really trying to come for my BFF spot.”

“I didn’t tell him; he caught me buying it. This is all your fault!” I hiss at her. She got me into this mess with her… I’ll build you a website. It will be so easy.

“Okay, I’ll take the blame.” She nods as she drives down the highway toward Troping. “What did I do so I know my story? I’ll take the fall.” A small laugh bubbles up from me. Of course she would.

“It was the website. I couldn’t keep up with the orders, so I thought I could cut a few corners and use a box mix for some of it.”

“Makes sense. I mean, it’s your frosting that’s killer.”

“What’s wrong with my cake?”

“Nothing. I’m just sayin’ the frosting is kickass.”

“I’m sorry. None of that matters.” I sink back into my seat.

“Clearly because no one noticed you used box mix, so it doesn’t matter.”

“I didn’t use it.”

“You didn’t use it?” Her expression turns to confusion, and I shake my head.

“I snuck over to Westchester and bought all their box mix, but I couldn’t bring myself to use it. At least not without disclosing it. I reached out to the people who placed the orders online and offered refunds or gave them the option for me to go ahead with the order using the mix.”

“Bet they still wanted them, didn't they?” Tins smirks, already knowing the answer to her question.

“Yeah.”

“See, ‘cause it’s the frosting,” she sing-songs smugly. “Now you can prove that the people who got the box stuff knew. Why didn’t you tell that judge that? Why did he just believe it?” Tins’s brows furrow together.

“I wasn’t going to stand there and fight about stupid cake mix when the man I love just betrayed me.” Tins’s shoulders drop, and the inside of the car grows silent.

“Wait, how did he catch you? You wore a disguise, right?”

“Of course I wore a disguise!”

“I knew those wigs would come in handy. See, I was right about not throwing them out.”

“They didn’t work. Clause saw right through it and then blackmailed me.”

“He blackmailed you! It’s the quiet ones you need to keep your eyes on because you never know what they’re gonna do.” She strums her fingers on the steering wheel as her brows furrow together again in deep thought.

“Take me to Clause’s,” I tell her when we’re almost to town.

“We have to wait to burn his house down. It would be too obvious if we do it now.”

I snort. “Don’t make me laugh. I’m mad.”

“Really? You seem more sad.”

“Thanks,” I mutter.

“I don’t like it.”

“You think I like being sad?”

“No, not that.” She shakes her head. “I don’t believe it.”

“I can’t fake cry like you.” It really is a talent.

“That’s not what I mean. Something isn’t right,” she says as she pulls into Clause’s driveaway. I want to get my stuff before he returns home.

“I’m going to grab my things.” I hop out of the car, and she follows after me. The second I enter the bedroom, I freeze, and my eyes fill with tears again. I turn around and without missing a beat Tins wraps her arms around me.

“I love being irrational. It’s my favorite, but we should calm down and think,” she whispers into my ear. I never in my life thought Tins would say those words, but I guess today is full of surprises.

“What is there to think about?”

“Well, for one, your disguise must have—” Tins is cut off by the sound of the front door banging open, and I stiffen just before Clause bellows my name through the house.

“How did he know I was here?” I hiss. I can’t face him right now. I still can’t believe I threw a cake at him, because that’s more like Tins not me. A second later Clause and Jack both appear in the doorway.

“You tracked me.” Tins points to Jack, and my eyes lock with Clause’s. His expression sucks all the air out of me because it’s filled with a mix of rage and anguish.

“I always track you,” Jack responds.

“But you brought him.” She points her thumb toward Clause.

“The only way I could get Clause to not snap Mr. Sweetway’s neck was to promise him I’d take him to Frostie.”

“Oh, the plot thickens!” Tins shouts and bounces on her feet. “I knew something was up. Why didn’t I guess that? He’s jealous of my website, isn’t he? We stole his orders.”

“Wait, what?” I ask because I’m so freaking confused, and it’s hard to think straight right now.

“Frostie, I would never hurt or betray you.” Clause closes the space between us and drops to his knees in front of me, wrapping his arms around my waist. He presses his face against my stomach and takes a deep breath. I know he’s breathing me in because it’s something he always does, and my body can’t help but respond to it.