Page 55 of The Mistletoe Kisser

Ryan jumped at the whisper and found the redhead standing next to him. “That’s Beckett’s ‘you’re in huge trouble’ voice. What’s going on?”

“From the sound of it, Mrs. Beehive was supposed to be keeping track of the reporting to the state and instead spent six months watchingBuffy the Vampire Slayer.”

“Oooh! Team Spike,” the redhead said.

“Amethyst, this is beyond irresponsible,” snapped the woman in brown. “The state auditor will be here on the twenty-fourth. How are we supposed to get everything in order by then?”

“It’s my fault,” the bearded man said, hands fluttering. “I never should have gotten her Hulu. I should have just gotten her a blouse or a beanbag.”

Amethyst began to wail in a manner completely undignified for someone wearing a lace turtleneck and pearls.

“This is really not good, right?” the redhead asked Ryan.

“It’s pretty bad.” Barring a miracle, the town was likely good and fucked. A state auditor would have no problem levying fines and wreaking havoc on the municipality. Funding would be frozen during an investigation.

“I’m Gia, by the way,” she whispered.

“Ryan,” he said, shaking the hand she offered. “I met your husband and daughter at the liquor store last night and your sisters today.”

Gia grinned. “Did Aurora try to give you peppermint schnapps?”

He shook his head. “Tequila.”

“Beckett, we need to deal with this now,” the woman in brown announced. “Maybe a town meeting. We can ask for volunteers. Anyone with QuickBooks or bookkeeping experience. Hell, anyone with a computer and a scanner.”

The mayor sighed heavily. “Rainbow is right.”

“That’s Rainbow Berkowicz?” Ryan asked.

“That’s her,” Gia said before stepping forward and knocking on the open door. “Sorry to interrupt. But it’s time to cut a ribbon with a comedically large pair of scissors.”

He hadto wait until after the ribbon-cutting, after getting wrangled into the group photo next to Mason in front of the building. But Ryan finally got Rainbow alone.

She was aggressively puffing on a clove cigarette on the concrete patio outside the empty office.

“Rainbow Berkowicz?”

“Who wants to know?” she grumbled.

“I’m Ryan, Carson Shufflebottom’s great-nephew.”

Rainbow blew out a cloud of smoke. “What does that nincompoop’s great-nephew want with me?”

“I need a few minutes of your time to discuss the foreclosure on Carson’s farm.”

“Unfortunately, I’m in the midst of a crisis. But you’re welcome to schedule a meeting after Christmas.”

“That’s convenient, seeing as how you’re foreclosing on my uncle’s farm on Christmas Eve.”

She peered at him through a villainous cloud of smoke. “I assure you, there is nothing convenient about a foreclosure. We take our loans very seriously. Unfortunately, your uncle didn’t do the same.”

“I need to see a copy of the loan and an accounting of the overdue balance, late fees, and accrued interest.” he insisted.

“Ha!” she scoffed. “Then you better start digging through your uncle’s files. Though I don’t see why you need to bother since Carson doesn’t seem concerned.”

“Carson is helping a family member after a surgery,” Ryan said stiffly.

“Cry me a river,” she puffed. “If the man cared about saving his farm, he would have paid his debt and he would have stayed in town to fight for it.”