Sex, Lies And Mistletoe

by Tawny Weber

  “Sure. Yeah,” Pandora sniffed. “I’ll call Cassiopeia and get this fixed. Go ahead and start taking tentative bookings, letting people know that they might change depending on her schedule.”

  She glanced at the café and added, “Be sure to make the bookings for after two, when the café is closed. That way she has as much time and space as she needs.”

  Four hours later, the store was filled with week-before-Christmas shoppers. Both locals and out-of-towners browsed, compared and purchased enough throughout the morning that Pandora was ready to do a happy dance on the sales counter. She’d barely had time to leave her mom a message, let alone worry about how she’d patch things up.

  By the end of lunch, her feet hurt, her cheeks were sore from grinning and she was sure they’d just had the best sales day in Moonspun’s history.

  She’d just pulled up the numbers on the cash register to check, when there was a loud furor at the door.

  She glanced up, but couldn’t see what was going on because of the throng of bodies. Then she caught a glimpse of red curls.

  Showtime.

  Cassiopeia took her time crossing the room. She spoke with everyone, stopping to offer hugs and exclamations to friends and strangers alike. With Paulie draped over her shoulder like a purring fur stole, and her flowing hunter-green dress and faux-holly jewelry, she was the epitome of famous-psychic-does-holiday casual.

  Pandora leaned against the counter and watched the show. She didn’t realize she was grinning until Russ stepped closer and whispered, “Who is she? She’s famous, right?”

  Her smile faded as she looked at Moonspun’s newest employee. Fifi had said she’d known him, like, forever. And hadn’t his application indicated he’d lived here for years? How could he have lived in Black Oak for any length of time and not know who Cassiopeia was? Heck, everyone in the five neighboring towns knew her by sight.

  Before she could ask, though, her mother swept close enough to catch her eye.

  “Russ, will you help Fifi cover the store?” Pandora quietly asked him. “My mother and I will be in the back. Please, don’t interrupt unless it’s an emergency.”

  His pale brown eyes were huge. The guy was a basket case. He was probably afraid they were going to concoct some magic potion or poke pins in a doll.

  It was kinda cute, in a silly sort of way. She just patted his arm, then walked over to her mother. She heard him sputtering behind her as she went.

  “Mom, do you have a minute?” she said, interrupting her chat with Mrs. Sellers. “I’d really appreciate it.”

  “Oh, here I am hogging your time and you must want to see your daughter,” Mrs. Sellers said with a sweep of her hand. “You probably have so much to discuss. And you must be so proud of Pandora. She’s definitely a chip off the old block. Or in this case, a crystal off the sparkling quartz.”

  Pandora glanced at her mother’s face, expecting to see at least a hint of disdain. Instead, she saw just what Mrs. Sellers indicated. Pride.

  Joy, as warm and gooey as her Hot Molten Love chocolate cake, filled her. Had her mother ever looked at her like that before? Or had she always, and Pandora had ignored it since it meant she’d have to move that chip off her shoulder?

  “Mom, I’m so glad you’re here. People have been asking about you all day.” Pandora came around the counter and held out her hand. She put as much love and apology into that move as she could. “They’re hoping you’ll be available for readings soon.”

  Her mother’s smile trembled a little in the corners and her eyes filled before she blinked thickly coated lashes and tilted her head in thanks.

  “I’m glad to be here as well, darling.” She rubbed a bejeweled hand over Pandora’s shoulder, then spoke to the room at large. “I’m going to be spending some time catching up with my daughter. But I’d love to do readings. Fifi, will you go ahead and set up appointments?”

  The perky blonde nodded. Before she’d pulled out a small spiral-bound notebook, there was a line of excited customers in front of her.

  “You’ve brought in a stellar crowd, darling. Shall we go back and celebrate with cake or something sweet?” Cassiopeia said to Pandora, twining her fingers through her daughter’s in a show of both pride and solidarity.

  Pandora didn’t trust her voice, so she offered a smile and a nod instead. Before they got more than two steps, though, the bells chimed on the front door again. Pandora’s heart raced when she glanced over and saw it was Caleb. His sexy friend was with him, and the two of them made such a sight. Pure masculine beauty, with a razor-sharp edge.

  “Can we talk a little later?” she murmured to her mother.

  “I’m glad to see you have your priorities straight,” Cassiopeia returned quietly.

  Pandora glanced over, trying to see if her mother was being sarcastic. But her vivid green eyes were wide with appreciation. She gave Pandora an arch look and mimicked fanning herself, then tilted her head. “Go say hello, dear.”

  “Caleb,” Pandora greeted, crossing the room. She knew at least twenty sets of eyes were locked on her, but she didn’t care. Not anymore. She reached out and took his hand, then, determined to push her own comfort envelope, leaned in and brushed an only slightly shaky kiss over his cheek.

  There. That’d show everyone. She was dating that bad, bad Black boy and she didn’t care who knew. Or what they thought.

  “Hello,” she murmured. She was so caught up in her own internal convolutions that it took her a few seconds to notice his lack of a response. Chilled a little, she stepped back to get a good look at his face.

  Closed. His eyes were distant and cold. There was something there, in the set of his shoulders, that carried a warning. As if he was about to tell her a loved one had died. But she glanced around, making sure her mother and the two cats were still there, all her loved ones were front and center.

  Her gaze cut to Hunter, who looked even more closed and distant. Was Caleb leaving with him? Was that why he was here? To tell her goodbye?

  Then he smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Confused, Pandora stiffened, trying to figure out what was going on. He didn’t feel right.

  “Sweetheart, I’ve been telling Hunter how great your cooking is. We stopped by so he could check it out.”

  She glanced at Hunter, dressed in jeans and a black sweater that should have been casual but wasn’t. Yeah. He looked like a guy stopping by to sample cookies.

  “Sure,” she said, not having a clue what was happening. But it felt important, and secretive. So she’d wait until she had Caleb alone to ask. “Why don’t you both come into the café. We have some pasta salad left, and sandwiches, of course. The cookies are fresh this morning and I have a wooable winterberry cobbler that’s fabulous with vanilla-bean ice cream.”

  She babbled more menu options as she made her way through the curious onlookers, achingly aware of Caleb just a few inches behind her.

  Once she and the two much-too-sexy-for-their-own-good men were in the café, though, she dropped the pretense.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, her gaze cutting from one to the other.

  Their faces didn’t calm her nerves at all. Instead, her stomach knotted and black spots danced in front of her eyes. Something bad was happening here.

  “We have evidence that drugs are being run through your store. We want to use this space, today, to make the bust.” The words were fast, clipped and brutal.

  “Bust? Drugs?” Pandora’s brain was reeling. “What? I don’t understand.”

  Her knees weak, she grabbed on to a chair.

  “Ms. Easton, there’s a drug ring operating out of Black Oak. Caleb came to town to stop it. His investigation led to your store. We’d like your cooperation in apprehending the people behind the drugs, especially the ringleader.”

  She gaped. What the hell? Drugs? In her store? No. She’d changed the inventory, she knew every single item being sold here and unless saffron was now illegal, Moonspun Dreams was clean.

 
But before she could worry about that, she had to sift through the fury pouring into her system like a tidal wave. Betrayal raced behind it, adding a layer of pain to her reaction.

  “Wait,” she demanded, holding up one hand. She arched a brow at Caleb. “You’re a cop? You’re not unemployed?”

  “No. I’m not a cop and I am unemployed.” He was, however, as distant as the moon right now. She noted his body language, how he was leaning away from her, rolling on the balls of his feet as if he was going to run at any second.

  “Actually, you’re on hiatus since your captain hasn’t accepted your resignation,” Hunter interrupted.

  Pandora pressed her fingers to her forehead, hoping the pressure would help her sort it all out.

  “I don’t understand,” she muttered. She took a deep breath and looked at Caleb again. She could see the regret in his eyes, as if he knew he was ripping her heart to shreds and was sorry. But he was going to continue to rip anyway.

  “You think I had something to do with this? The drugs?” Her voice shook and she wanted to throw up. It was like déjà vu times a thousand. The humiliation, the pain, the heart-ache…

  “Caleb has cleared you,” Hunter said when Caleb stayed silent.

  Cleared her. As in, he’d found proof against her guilt. Guilt that he must have believed in at some point.

  “You thought I was involved? That’s why you asked me all those questions before. Why you kept coming around the store? Why you-” Why he’d made love with her? Would he go that far? They did in the movies, why not in real life?

  “I’ll step out,” Hunter murmured.

  The gentle clacking of beads indicated he’d left. But Pandora’s eyes were locked on Caleb’s.

  “You used me?” she whispered, her throat aching as she forced the words out. “You thought I was a criminal? Was everything a lie? Or did I just convince myself that what we’d shared was special?”

  “No.”

  “No?” she repeated, her voice hitting a few of the higher octaves. “That’s it? Just no? Care to elaborate a little?”

  He frowned, shoving his hands into his pockets. As he did, his jacket shifted so she could see leather straps. He was wearing a gun. The room spun. Afraid she was going to collapse, Pandora reached out to grab a chair again.

  “Look, it’s like this-”

  Before he could tell her what this was like, a rush of cold air swept over them. Then there was a quiet snick as someone shut the door to the alley.

  Who the hell was using her back door? Pandora and Caleb looked at each other, her eyes wide with curiosity. His were filled with a cold warning that scared her just a little. His hand shifted to his hip.

  She gulped, her heart racing as she tried to figure out when her cute café had turned into a nightmare.

  Then she realized who it was and relaxed.

  “Sheriff,” she greeted, her voice shaking a little. Way too much going on today, she thought.

  “Pandora. Black,” the lawman greeted. He’d looked shocked when he’d first stepped through the door, but now his face smoothed into a smile. “Am I interrupting something?”

  “No,” she said.

  “Yes,” Caleb retorted at the same time. “But I’m glad you did. C’mon over. Let’s talk.”

  Kendall’s easy grin shifted as he studied Caleb’s face. He took a single step backward, glancing toward the alley door. Pandora frowned, nervously gripping her fingers together. There was way too much tension in this room. She glanced at Caleb, trying to figure out why.

  Whoa. She’d have stepped back, too. Caleb’s smile was just this side of vicious.

  “It’s good to see you both,” the sheriff said after clearing his throat. “I was doing my rounds, checked up the street and the alley and figured I’d come in. I hear Cassiopeia is back in town. Is she here? We’ve got a lot to catch up on.”

  His hand on the butt of his service revolver, he gave them a wide berth as he sauntered out of the room.

  Pandora slammed her fists on her hips and turned to Caleb to demand an explanation.

  “Quiet,” Caleb ordered.

  So she hissed back, “What the hell is going on?”

  “Does he do that often?” Caleb asked, his words low and even.

  “Sure, once in a while. Mother gave him a key for security and such.”

  The grim satisfaction on his face worried her. This was all happening too fast. Caleb being a-whatever he was-questionably employed in some form of law enforcement? Drugs, in her store. The sexy, intriguing man she’d fallen for and shared her body with now acting like something out of a crime novel. Too much!

  “Let’s go,” he said, his large hand wrapping around hers.

  “Go?” She dug in her heels. “No, I want to know what’s going on. I’m not going anywhere until I do.”

  “C’mon,” he said, gently but firmly moving her toward the beaded doorway with him.

  When they reached it, though, he stopped and looked at her. His eyes softened and he gave a barely perceptible sigh. “Just trust me. Please.”

  With that, and a quick kiss brushed over the top of her head, he pulled her through the beads.

  It was like walking onto the set of a crime show, with Hunter playing the part of the sexy agent in charge. He stood behind Russ, one hand on the younger man’s back as he faced down Kendall. There were a dozen or more shoppers milling around, whispering and jockeying for the best viewing positions.

  “Damn right I’m questioning your jurisdiction,” the sheriff snapped. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, coming into my town and trying to arrest one of my people?”

  “What?” Pandora gasped. She was halfway across the room-whether she was going to Russ’s rescue or to smack him, she didn’t know-when Caleb grabbed her arm.

  Confused and angry, she shot him a glare.

  “What’d you find?” Caleb asked, ignoring her, the sheriff and the rest of the crowd to speak directly to Hunter.

  “He had the key and the dope in his jacket pocket.”

  Caleb gave a sigh that probably only Pandora noted. Then he nodded and after giving Pandora a look that said stay put, he approached Russ. He stopped a couple feet from the young man.

  “So let’s hear it,” Caleb said. “Who are you working with and what’s this store’s connection?”

  This store? Working with? Oh, God. He really did think she was involved. And now the entire town would, too. Pandora felt woozy as the room spun again. Dope. Drugs. Déjà vu. She was so grateful when her mother hurried over and took her hand.

  “You might as well confess. It’ll go easier on you,” Caleb promised.

  Why was he doing this here in the store? Was he trying to ruin her? Pandora gulped as tears filled her eyes again.

  Along with the rest of the crowd, she watched Caleb take a step closer. Hunter moved to the front door to block it. Russ shifted away, backing down along the sales counter as if he could escape through the cash register.

  He bumped into Bonnie, who was sitting on the counter, watching the show. She gave a low, throaty meow and butted him with her head.

  “Git.” Russ looked spooked, pushing the cat away.

  But Bonnie meowed again, her head tilted to one side.

  “What’s she doing?” he muttered, a tinge of hysteria in his tone.

  “She can read minds,” Cassiopeia intoned melodiously.

  “Nuh-uh.” But Russ inched away from the black-and-white cat like he wasn’t so sure.

  “You might want to confess before she shares any of your secrets,” Cassiopeia continued, sweeping her arm in an arc so the filmy fabric of her caftan flowed, wispy and ghostlike.

  Bonnie meowed again.

  Russ jumped. His gaze shot from person to person, locking for a long moment on the sheriff before he stepped closer to Caleb.

  “I want a guarantee,” he said, his voice shaking.

  “Let’s talk about this in my office,” Kendall demanded. The guy looked totally stressed out
and pissed, Pandora noted. His face was tense, and if she wasn’t mistaken, that was fear in his eyes.

  “We’ll settle it here,” Caleb said quietly. Pandora thought she saw an apology in the quick glance he threw her way, but then he was focused on Russ again. “Now.”

  “The guarantee?” Russ prodded.

  His face impassive, Caleb walked across the room. Everyone held their breath, not sure what he was going to do to the young man. But he passed right by him and stopped next to the cat. Without taking his eyes off Russ, he swept his hand down Bonnie’s head.

  All eyes cut to Russ. The kid looked as if he was going to puke all over Pandora’s imported astrology rug. He tugged at the hem of his T-shirt, his eyes nervously darting from Caleb to the sheriff.

  “Who’s your boss?” Caleb asked. “Your real boss.”

  Russ didn’t even glance toward Pandora. Instead, he closed his eyes for a second, took a deep breath, then whispered, “Sheriff Kendall.”

  The chorus of gasps around the room was deafening.

  Pandora pressed her hand against her stomach, afraid she might be the one to ruin the rug.

  “Did he just accuse…?”

  “He can’t be saying that the sheriff…”

  “Drugs? The sheriff? No…”

  “I always knew he was shifty-”

  “Enough,” Caleb said. He didn’t raise his voice or take his eyes off Russ, but the room immediately silenced.

  “That’s a major accusation.”

  “It’s the truth.”

  “It’s bullshit,” Kendall said from the other side of the room. Furious, he looked as if he wanted to pull the gun from his hip and shoot someone. Tension expanded in the room like an overstretched rubber band, ready to snap at any second. Finally, thankfully, he slammed his arms over his chest instead, glaring at one and all.

  Pandora met her mother’s eyes, though, and tilted her head to indicate his stance. Shoulders rounded, chin low. He was lying. Her mother nodded in agreement.

  “Who else?” Caleb asked quietly.

  Pandora’s heart raced. She glanced at Fifi, who had tears pouring down her face and had already chewed off three fingernails.