Mayhem & Mistletoe, стр. 40

We stared at each other in silence before MacDonald turned his attention to Eliot.

“I hear congratulations are in order.” He extended his hand.

Confusion wrinkled Eliot’s forehead, but he gripped MacDonald’s hand anyway. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“On your engagement,” MacDonald said, causing me to cringe. “Avery was telling us all about it the other day.”

“Really?” Eliot cocked an eyebrow my way. “I wasn’t under the impression she was spreading our happy news yet.”

MacDonald appeared chagrined. “I’m sorry. Was I not supposed to mention anything?”

Like he cared. “We’re not engaged,” I offered. “I said it was a possibility ... way down the line.”

“Not so far down the line,” Eliot countered. “As for the engagement, it’s fair to say that we’re still hammering out the details.”

“I see.” He said the words, but I very much doubted MacDonald understood. “Well, that’s lovely. I’m sure it will be a festive affair.”

Eliot placed his hand on the small of my back, perhaps as a way to keep me in check, and maneuvered me around MacDonald. “It was nice seeing you.”

It was a dismissal, plain and simple, but MacDonald didn’t take the bait. Instead, he focused on me. “Do you have anything new on the dead Santas?”

I glanced around to see if anyone was listening — you never knew where sneaky media types might gather to try and steal my story — but it was just the three of us. “It’s still a work in progress. The sheriff’s department hasn’t released all the names yet.”

“Yes, I’m confused about that.”

“Sheriff Farrell doesn’t want any family members discovering their loved ones are dead until they’ve been officially notified,” I explained. “That’s a departmental rule ... and he’s a stickler for rules.”

“When do you think the names will be made public?”

“Hopefully today, but I have no control over the sheriff.”

“I’ve heard differently, but that’s hardly important now. Keep at it. I’m sure you’ll come up with a good story.”

“That’s why you pay me the big bucks.”

MacDonald’s laugh was hollow. “Yes, well, keep me informed.” With that and a curt nod for Eliot, he was gone.

“I don’t like that guy,” Eliot offered once the front door had closed and there was no chance of MacDonald overhearing us.

“Join the club.”

“Then why were you confiding in him about the wedding?”

I froze. “I haven’t been confiding in anyone.”

He waited.

“I might — and I stress might — have been talking to Erin about things.”

He brushed my hair from my face. “And what does Erin think?”

“Erin bought one of those magazines with the ugly dresses.”

A smirk emerged on his handsome face. “Did you see anything you liked? If so, I’ll give you my credit card if you want to buy it.”

I couldn’t decide if I was more insulted by the idea he thought I might actually buy a frilly white monstrosity or that he thought I would take his credit card and go shopping. “I’m good, thanks.”

He held my gaze. “I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re talking about this with other people. It means that you’re much farther along than I thought.”

I hated how smug he sounded. “Erin blabbed to Fish and MacDonald. It wasn’t me.”

“No, but you told Erin. That’s a big step.” He patted my shoulder. “What about Lexie and Carly? Did you tell them?”

He had to be joking. “Carly is about to spew a human being from her loins.”

He made a face. “That’s a lovely visual.”

“She doesn’t have time for my crap,” I said. “As for Lexie, you know I can’t tell her.”

The smile he’d been boasting disappeared. “She’s one of your best friends.”

“And she has a huge mouth. If I tell her, she’ll tell my mother just to mess with me.”

“Would that be such a terrible thing?”

He had to be joking. “Do you want my mother calling you ten times a day to see where the wedding plans stand?”

He hesitated and then shook his head. “No. I guess not. She might be excited enough to let things go, though. She’s told me at least a hundred times that she never thought she’d be able to unload you on someone until I came along. I think she’ll be happy.”

“She’s also a control freak. She’ll take over.”

He looked as if he wanted to continue arguing, but finally held out his hands. “This is your show. I’m gratified you’re talking to someone, even if it’s not who I expected.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re happy. You know I only care about your feelings.”

That drew a smile. “You’re doing really well, Trouble. I can’t tell you how happy I am that you seem to be getting with the program ... and in record time.”

It had been weeks since he’d dropped the bomb. I had to wonder what he considered “record” time. “As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”

“That’s exactly what I was going to say to you.”

I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SAY IT, but I was happy to go into work. Eliot was growing bolder with his marriage talk — with my help — and the realization that he was likely right, and I would grow to accept what he had to offer, was a sobering thought.

I ignored the woman behind the reception desk as I entered the lobby, not bothering to make eye contact. I wasn’t a small-talk kind of gal unless it involved breaking down movies or television shows. Yes, I was still bitter about the Game of Thrones finale.

I cut through one of the conference rooms, one that had dual entrances and served as a shortcut to my desk. Reporters’ row was busier than I expected. A small cluster of people grouped around one of the desks. I wondered who stood sat at the center of the scrum.

Then I heard a voice.

“I don’t know why I did it,” an enthusiastic female trilled. Sabrina had one of those voices impossible to ignore ... or forget. “I don’t even remember making a conscious decision to do it. I just stood there, behind the tree, and watched for a