A Christmas to Dismember by Addison Moore (best desktop ebook reader TXT) 📕

be. Kudos to my mother for actually forging a friendship with almost all of Dad’s wives and girlfriends. If that were me, I’d shoot them on sight. Okay, so that’s a little harsh. But I’d shun them on sight, for sure.

And speaking of sights, the best one yet is headed this way. Within a minute Jasper wraps his arms around me as Sherlock barks and jumps by his side.

I knew he’d show up, Bizzy. I knew he would. I just finished marking the doors. This store is as good as mine.

Georgie takes Sherlock’s leash and quickly parades him around with pride.

“Glad I didn’t miss it.” Jasper lands a heated kiss to my lips that warms me down to my bones. He pulls back with a loose grin on his face. Let’s just say the things that happened behind locked doors last night were enough to leave a silly grin on both of our faces for the next ten years. Who knew Jasper has always had a hankering for the Mistletoettes?

“You didn’t miss a thing,” I say, dusting the snow off his shoulders. “I just found out Macy was the deciding factor on what they named this place.” I quickly relay the choices and he laughs. “That’s actually tougher than it seems.”

Emmie hops this way with a platter of her peppermint bark, and both Jasper and I indulge.

“Jasper”—Emmie glances over her shoulder—“Leo was just looking for you. It sounded important.”

“I see him there across the street.” Jasper gives him a wave. “I’ll be right back.”

He takes off, and Georgie comes over with Sherlock and Fish.

Sherlock barks up at Rudolph and does his best to nip the puppy’s tail. Get down here in the white stuff! It’s cold, makes you run twice as fast, and you can eat it, too!

Fish yowls and swipes her paw in Rudolph’s direction. Don’t eat the yellow snow!

Emmie laughs. “I don’t need to be a mind reader to know he wants down.”

“You would be right,” I say, doing just that and lengthening his leash in the process. “Sherlock wants to share his love of the frozen white stuff.”

Georgie rubs her hands together and looks my way. “Speaking of white stuff, how’s the proposal planning coming?”

Emmie takes in a sharp breath. “Oh my God! Is Leo going to propose?” Her eyes bug out at the thought, and she’s clutching onto my arm with a death grip.

“Sorry, Toots.” Georgie is quick to shoot Emmie off the proverbial altar. “But Hux is set to propose to Mayor Woods,” she whispers that last part, and thankfully so, seeing that they’re standing ten feet away. “Get this—Mack is going to propose to Hux. And the kicker is—they’ve both enlisted Bizzy to help get the job done.”

Emmie groans as she looks my way. “Talk about being forced to drink a cup of vinegar. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me this. It’s kind of hysterical. I mean, we both love Hux and we want the best for him. But Mack?” She glances skyward. “I guess we’ll have to live with what fate has given us, at least for as long as they can hold their breath as one. I give it a year.”

“I’m with you on that.” I nod. “Although, my worst nightmares have been known to come true, and having Mack strapped to my family like a bomb for the next fifty years might just be one of them.”

Georgie clucks her tongue. “You never know. She could end up finding her way into the inner sanctum again. Weren’t the three of you besties once upon a time? It could happen again.” She takes Rudolph’s leash from me and takes off with a couple of happy puppies.

Emmie makes a face. “Did she just put a hex on us?”

“The very worst kind.”

Mackenzie gets the show on the road by way of ringing a bell, obnoxiously loud and quick.

“Hear ye, hear ye!” Mackenzie bellows the words out in a bullhorn. “As the Mayor of Cider Cove, I’d like to welcome another female-owned business to the family of respectable establishments right here on Main Street. Without further ado, let’s reveal the name of this place so we can get inside and knock out the rest of the names on our shopping lists!”

A cheer breaks out as Hux climbs a ladder and gives the sheet that covers the sign a hard yank.

It takes a moment for the crowd to let the name of the shop sink in before a raucous laugh breaks out all up and down Main Street.

“Two Old Broads?” Mom barks it out like a threat as she looks past me.

Emmie and I turn to find Macy wrapped in a forest green coat while giggling herself into a conniption.

“My work here is done.” She beams a smile of satisfaction as the doors to the new establishment are opened and the crowd drains inside.

Mom gags and chokes her way over. “Macy Ree Baker! How dare you humiliate me like this!”

Hux comes over with a laugh caught in his throat. “You did good, sis.”

“Two Old Broads!” Georgie shouts with glee as she runs from inside the shop. “I knew you wouldn’t let me down, Macy Baker! Now get in there and show ’em how it’s done.”

Macy gives a long blink. “You mean shopping?”

“No, the register is malfunctioning again. I keep yelling at it, and it’s still keeping its moneymaking mouth shut.”

Macy gives a hard groan. “I told you this is not a voice command unit—they don’t exist. You need to input your password each time you want to use it. I’ve got a solution. Why don’t we just send all these nice folks to my shop instead?”

I take the leashes from Georgie as my sister pulls her into the store with marked exasperation.

Mom shakes her head. “I’d better get in there before Georgie decides to give everything away for free so she doesn’t haven’t to deal with technology.”

Georgie pokes her head out the door. “Everything is free for the next few hours! Tell a friend!”

“She’s kidding!” Mom