Chaos in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law Mystery/Romance Series) Read Free Page B

make a move, he’d retreat. She supposed she could give him the benefit of the doubt on this last one, as he had to attend the conference for his job. It wasn’t his fault that they had a showdown with the bad guy and then he had to leave for work.
    She frowned. But had he kissed her because it was an emotionally charged moment in which they’d almost died? Or had he kissed her because he wanted to kiss her? She’d hoped when he returned from the conference she’d be able to tell, but so far, he’d been back two days and the only contact he’d made with her was over the mystery boat.  
    Maybe he’s tired.
    That was certainly possible. Those professional conferences were often exhausting.
    Maybe he changed his mind.
    She sighed, certain that somewhere between “he’s tired” and “he changed his mind” was the truth. The question was, which direction did the truth lean toward—ultimate bliss or decided embarrassment? More than anything, Jadyn wished she could get the answer to that question without putting herself out there. Without risking ultimate humiliation.  
    If she were a normal girl, she’d have a group of crafty girlfriends with clever ideas, just like the ones she saw on television shows. They’d be able to draw Colt’s feelings out of him without him even knowing and with no exposure for Jadyn. But she was far from normal. And although she could quite happily—and surprisingly—claim a group of girlfriends, she wouldn’t put Mildred, Maryse, and Helena in the “crafty” club, especially when it came to men.  
    Which left her with sticking her neck out or waiting. Patience had never been one of her strong suits, but then neither had volunteering for a beheading. She sighed again as she pulled in front of the café. She didn’t have to make a decision right now. In fact, the worst time to make a decision was before you’d had coffee.  
    As she hopped out of her Jeep, Maryse bounded up the sidewalk waving and looking more like a teenager than the brainy scientist she was. Jadyn couldn’t help but smile. As a botanist, Maryse was a serious professional, but once she left the lab, she exhibited a tiny bit of immaturity that translated to playful and passionate. With most women, it would be an annoying combination, but with Maryse, it was sort of charming. Probably because it was genuine.
    “Jadyn!” Maryse called. “Are you going to have breakfast? I desperately need a cinnamon roll, or I may not make it through the day.”
    Jadyn smiled. Sometimes Maryse and Helena were more alike than either of them would be willing to admit. “I’m definitely having breakfast, but I’ll leave the life-changing cinnamon rolls to you.”
    “Don’t tell me you’re still watching what you eat.” Maryse rolled her eyes as they walked into the café. “I can’t think of anything more depressing than counting calories.”
    “That’s because you’re blessed with one of those fat-repellent bodies,” Jadyn said, a bit grudgingly. Since she’d arrived in Mudbug, Jadyn had watched Maryse consume more calories in one sitting than a lumberjack did in a week, and yet not a single extra pound ever appeared on her.
    Maryse grinned as they slid into their regular booth in the back corner and gave their breakfast order to the waitress. “Luc says I talk it all off.”
    “Maybe when he gets home, but you’re alone all those hours in the lab.”
    “I sing. Loudly. And I dance. Last week, the pest control guy caught me doing the samba with a push broom.”
    Jadyn laughed. “I would have liked to see the look on his face.”
    “Oh, it was classic, especially after I told him I’d been this way since the last time he sprayed.”
    “That’s awful! And hilarious. Did you give him a heart attack?”
    “He got all flustered and started assuring me the chemicals they use aren’t toxic.”
    “So what did you say?”
    “Nothing. I straddled the broom and started riding it around the lab like it was a stick