Beauty In Her Madness (Winterland Tale #3) - Stacey Marie Brown Page 0,66

the letdown about to come from his mouth.

“Scott would be amazing,” I inserted, drawing his heavy look onto me. “He works so hard. And learns faster than anyone I know. You’ve had to see how much extra time he’s put in. No one will work harder for you.”

Doug shifted on his feet, his eyes never leaving me. “No one?”

Panic thumped at my lungs. The temperature in the room was heating up to a boil, the two double drinks swimming in my veins. Crap! Was I even supposed to drink while taking the medication?

A slow smile curved on Doug’s face, and he snapped back to Scott. “Well, your stunning girlfriend has given me pause. Maybe I will rethink my previous choice.”

“Really?” Scott’s eyes widened.

“Yes.” Doug’s eyes traced over me. “She’s quite convincing.” He dropped his empty glass on a nearby table. “Grab us some drinks, and we can talk more about it.” He nodded at Scott.

“Yes. Yes, of course!” Scott’s enthusiasm shot up, almost bouncing him on his toes. “What would you like, sir?”

“Dewar’s on the rocks.”

“Okay. Dinah and I will be right back.”

“Oh, I would enjoy talking to her more one-on-one, if it is all right. Get more insight into you.”

My glare shot to Scott, and expression of don’t you dare leave me alone with him shooting from my eyes.

“Of course.” Scott smiled happily, totally missing my panic, disappearing into the crowd.

“Dinah.” Doug stepped away from his wife, who didn’t seem to notice he was even in the room. “The way you speak of your boyfriend is admirable.”

“Admirable?” My brows furrowed. “Why wouldn’t I speak of him like I do? He is amazing. And I think he is beyond qualified for the position.”

His focus wandered heavily over me again, his tongue sliding over his bottom lip.

“It’s crystal clear that he loves you, and you respect him a lot.”

My shoulders jolted back, stiffening as he leaned into me, his mouth close to my ear.

“Like your sister, you are full of muchness. Your passion is far too great for him…or this world.” His tone sounded strange, while his sentiment felt like an ice pick piercing my chest.

“What?” I stepped back from him, fear tapping the back of my neck.

He watched me, and his smile curled, almost looking like a coal mouth.

“Duuuudddee…it’s a party!” Two small figures darted by me, jerking my attention to them. Panic pounded in my throat, my eyes taking them in.

Oh. Please. No.

“Bro, I love a party!” exclaimed Jangle, the skinnier blond one, pointing at the food table. “All the sugar we can eat.”

Oh. No. Oh. No…not now!

My throat tightened as I watched them dart around people, crashing into one of the tables, sending a plate of cookies to the floor.

I turned my head away from them, my hand rubbing my temples. They are not real. They are not real.

“Dinah?” Doug’s voice snapped me up to him, but it was what I saw past him that claimed all my attention.

Quin stood on the bar, flipping bottles and pouring drinks. “Hey, wahine! Come on over. I’m making my famous cranberry coladas.”

“They are ah-mazing!” Dor popped out of one of the glasses, swimming in the liquor. “I feel all light and happy, like a twinkling star. Twinkle, twinkle…” Hiccup. “Littttllleee stttarrr…”

“Oh god,” I muttered, shutting my eyes. Come on, Dinah, get it together. They. Aren’t. Real!

The sound of plates breaking whirled me back toward the food. Half the dishes covered the floor, but a tiny mouse stood on a chunk of cheese, the plates shattered across the floor around him. Chip’s huge eyes looked guilty as he shoved the cheese in his mouth, ballooning the side of his cheek, his fingers signing, “Oops.”

The room spun, my fears pounding in my chest. It felt like every eye burned into my skin, as if they knew this was linked to me.

The crushing of cardboard had me once again leaping to another point in the room, a roar filling the air.

“Oh, holy hell…” I breathed out.

In the corner next to the Christmas tree and karaoke area, a polar bear the size of an SUV bounced around, trying to get a box off his leg. “Dor, help! Get it off me! It’s attacking me! I’m gonna die!” PB’s ass rammed into the twenty-foot Christmas tree, tipping it.

“Shit stockings! Move!” My body reacted, running to the tree, waving for people nearby to move. But it was too late. The tree sliced through the air, smashing into the karaoke stage, crushing all the equipment to the floor.