Page 55 of Frosted and Sliced

“Listen, I don’t know what you think you’re playing at, but you’d better tell your little boyfriend to stop spreading gossip about me.”

“Siggy?” Georgette said, still only partially aware of what was going on.How does Jenna know Siggy? Is he bad or is she intent on ruining everything?

Jenna gave Georgette’s arm a hard shake. “No, the one who follows you like a lost lamb. You tell him I’m not up to anything, and if he doesn’t stop spreading gossip about me with his questions, I’m going to make life really unpleasant for both of you.”

That got through to Georgette, because if there was one thing she understood, it was that Jenna had the capacity to make things extremely unpleasant for anyone she targeted. ButGeorgette wasn’t a young hearing-impaired orphan anymore. She was a mature hearing impaired orphan, with an inn and friends and a really low tolerance for alcohol, one that made her incoherent and an unreliable secret keeper.

“The Oracle knows,” she said. The unsteady wobble in her voice and gate made her seem especially spooky, if Jenna’s reaction was any indication. She shrank back slightly. Georgie’s overheated brain took it as a victory and advanced, jutting her finger in Jenna’s face. “It knows. It knows all about you, Jenna Archer. It knows everything. Be afraid. Be very afraid. Wooo.”

In retrospect the “wooo” was more unhinged than spooky, but Jenna looked properly freaked out.

“Stop it, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jenna said, but now her voice wobbled, and when she put her hand up to smooth her hair, it shook. “I’m done with this. Stay out of my way. Or else.”

“Oracle’s gonna getcha,” Georgie said. She hoped she hissed it, but she couldn’t be sure, and when a few people darted her curious glances, she offered them a smile and friendly wave as cover.

The evening waned, and so did Georgie’s dose of alcohol. By the time the crowd ebbed, her buzz was also gone, leaving her with an upset stomach, headache, and general malaise.

“We can stay and help clean up,” Elyse volunteered, Cotton standing loyally beside her in agreement. Brody hadn’t returned after he left to break up the fight, and Georgie didn’t want to think what else he might have gotten involved in.

“You guys are so sweet, but it’s been a long night and we’re all exhausted. I’ll take care of cleanup tomorrow. Thank you for everything. Sorry I got accidentally drunk and made you work.”

“Georgie, we always would have worked to help you do this. This was a huge undertaking for one person.”

“Burke helped,” Georgie said. She tried to say it factually but thought it came out sad.

“He’ll be back,” Elyse said. “He probably had to go away to think for a bit. Stability is new to him.”

“Okay,” Georgie said, but she wasn’t certain she believed her friend. Elyse hadn’t seen the hurt on Burke’s face when she told him about Siggy, the rejection and betrayal. It had made Georgette feel like the worst person in the world, and totally confused.

She walked Cotton and Elyse to the door and locked it behind them, feeling bereft and lonely as soon as they were gone. It had been a long time since she’d been truly alone in the big house. There were often guests, and almost always Burke was there. But now it was just her, and the massive old manse had never felt larger or more empty.

Georgie went from room to room, turning out lights and making certain all the candles were out, all the doors locked. She began at the front and worked her way toward the kitchen in the back, purposefully ignoring all the work she would have to do tomorrow to restore order. At least there wasn’t much food to put away. Maybe people had been hungry and she shouldn’t take it as a compliment, but she did anyway, tucking it away as a sign of the night’s success.

She had just reached for the light by the stairs when she felt it, a presence behind her, a decidedly male presence, large and imposing and warm.

A leather gloved hand reached out and wrapped around her wrist. Georgie bit back a scream, but the hand let her go, gently touching her chin instead. The scream died as Georgie whirled and saw Burke. He stood before her decked out in all black like a burglar, his deadpan expression giving nothing away.

“Did you eat? I’ll make you something,” Georgie blurted.

“Maybe later. What’s wrong with you? You smell different and your voice is strange.”

“Got accidentally loaded drunk at theAnneMarie.”

“Ah,” he said, nodding a little.

They regarded each other in tense silence. Georgie swallowed hard. “You missed all the fun.” She tried to say it lightly and failed miserably.

Burke almost but not quite winced. “I had to step out for a minute to retrieve something.”

“And did you do that?” she asked. What could it have been? What had been worth missing her big night, the event he’d helped her plan and work so hard to achieve?

“Yes.” He looked down at his shoes, almost awkwardly, and then forced himself to look her in the eye again. “It’s for you, actually, the thing I had to retrieve.”

Georgie’s brows rose, unable to imagine what he might think she wanted more than his presence. “For me?”

He nodded. “Come with me.”

With that he took her hand and led her up all the flights of stairs to his attic lair. Once there he punched in a code on the lock he’d apparently installed on the door. He turned the handle but swirled to face Georgie before opening the door. He seemed to be searching for something. Georgie had no idea if he found it, but eventually he faced the room, pushed open the door, and pulled her inside.

---