Sealed with a Hiss by Addison Moore (read 50 shades of grey .txt) 📕

Fun fact: There is no faster way to clear the room of pets than stripping down and showing off the fact you’re more or less hairless all over. I think Fish hacked up a furball in the kitchen in my honor.

Inside the Country Cottage Inn it’s warm and toasty, and I find both Nessa and Grady huddled behind the reception counter whispering something to one another. And if I’m not mistaken, Nessa is giggling away like a schoolgirl.

“What’s going on?” I ask as I set Fish and Sugar on the counter while Sherlock runs wild through the foyer, conducting his routine morning inspection.

“Good morning to you, too, Bizzy.” Nessa takes a step away from Grady and her expression sours. “Nothing exciting going on here. Jordy hauled out the Valentine’s Day decorations like you asked, and he’s plastering metallic cutouts of Cupid all over the place.”

Grady gives a frenetic nod. “And he’s putting up those heart-shaped lights you like so much.” He shoots Nessa a quick look.

My eyes narrow in on them. “Why do I feel as if the two of you are up to something?”

Sugar mewls, Maybe they’re in love? Grady is a looker. She belts out a hearty yowl his way as if she were throwing her fuzzy hat into the ring.

I shake my head at her. There’s no way these two would even look at one another that way. They’ve known each other since they were little. They’re practically brother and sister.

Grady is a dark-haired Irish Adonis, and Nessa is a perky little brunette with olive skin and glowing eyes. She’s Emmie and Jordy’s cousin, and I’ve known her for as long as I’ve known them. They’re both recent college grads, in fact.

No sooner do I take off my coat than Georgie and Mackenzie stride this way from the direction of the café.

Georgie points toward the windows. “And that’s where we’ll put the Valentine’s Day tree and the four of you can take your pictures.”

“What’s a Valentine’s Day tree?” I ask as the two of them pass me by without so much as a glance.

Fish titters. I heard Georgie mention yesterday that she was stepping in as the wedding planner extraordinaire. My guess is, she’ll have a tree there for Sugar and me to climb in no time.

“Wait,” I call out as I catch up to the two of them. “Georgie, are you acting as the wedding planner?”

Georgie narrows her lavender eyes my way. And I can’t blame her. That neon green kaftan she’s donned hurts my eyes to look at as well.

“I’m not acting, Biz. I’m getting paid for the gig. That makes me a pro.”

I look to Mackenzie with her hair pulled back into a bun, a navy suit on as if she were ready to conduct a corporate takeover—and believe me, it feels as if she’s about to take over the inn.

“Are you the paying party?” I ask.

Mackenzie’s lips glide into an easy smile, a sure sign of a malevolence on her part.

“That would be Gwyneth. Gwynie offered to pay for incidentals such as a wedding planner, flowers, and baked goods so long as I did all the dirty work.” She ticks her head to the side. “I’m sure you’re willing to comp the cookies seeing that it’s your father’s and your brother’s big day, but I say you keep your mouth shut and we split the take. I could use a few extra nickels to call my own.”

I shrug. “Sure, why not.” She’s right. Of course, I was going to comp all the sweet treats, but let’s call a spade a spade. Gwyn hasn’t been the nicest to me, and I could use a few spare nickels myself. I’ll most likely spend them all in an effort to feed her son so it all works out in the end. “What’s with the tree?”

“It’s a Valentine’s Day tree, Bizzy.” Georgie does an odd little hop. “It’s pure marketing genius on my part. Even your mother will have to agree. I’ll have a box of my sea glass ornaments for sale at ten bucks a pop right at the reception counter. And I’ll tell every couple that shows up on that heart-shaped night that if they make a wish as they put the ornament on the tree it’s guaranteed to come true.”

I lean in a notch. “That’s a brilliant idea. But I’m not sure I would use the word guaranteed. I wouldn’t be surprised if I had ten lawsuits thrown at me the next morning for breach of contract.”

Georgie grunts, “I still think we should feed ’em whatever they want to hear. They get hope for a night, and I get a few nickels myself. It’s a win-win all the way around. And don’t think the women coming to that shindig won’t be putting out on the big night. Their dates will practically owe us a thank you card.”

“Who’s getting lucky?” a deep voice whispers in my ear before dotting my cheek with a kiss, and I turn to find Jasper Wilder, my handsome other half, offering me a happy-go-lucky grin that usually leads us both to lucky, lucky places.

“You.” I wink. “Hey, I thought you were leaving for work?”

He winces as he glances back to the entry. “I was.”

Heading our way are both Diane Regal—along with Gizmo in tow—and Lacey, the saucy blonde I saw less than twenty-four hours ago at her best friend’s bedside.

“Hello, ladies.” I pin a smile to my face. “What can I do for you?”

Sherlock barks as he gives Gizmo a playful nudge with his nose. Stick around, kiddo. The one in the green has bacon. Play your puppy dog eyes right, and she’ll give us both a snack to remember.

The two of them scamper over and sit at Georgie’s feet, whimpering and looking as pathetically adorable as they can muster.

They’re so stinking cute I have half a mind to raid Georgie’s pockets myself and rain salted meat over them. Gizmo really does look