Lock, Stock, and Feral

okay on the writing front,” I say. “But these two will need your full attention.”
Georgie shoots me a look. I see what you’re doing, Bizzy Baker Wilder. But I’ll have you know, I’m here to investigate, too—a potential thief trying to steal Jasper Wilder’s heart.
That makes two of us.
I make a face at the thought as I quickly land next to Hadley, and both Georgie and Mom land next to me and pull out the notebooks we brought along—each one suspiciously blank.
“Okay, ladies.” Rachelle sounds like a drill sergeant all of a sudden. “Who knows what they’d like to write about?”
I give Hadley the side-eye, but she’s too immersed in clicking away at her keyboard to notice me.
Mom raises her hand. “A Parisian romance. What’s more romantic than a love story set in Paris?” She fans herself with her notebook, and I think she’s swooning.
Fish bleats out a tiny meow. Boy, she’s got it bad. You’d better put an end to this, Bizzy, before she trots off and leaves the country.
I nod up at the feisty feline because she’s right.
I lean toward my mother. “That’s a great idea. You should write about the long distance aspect of the romance. I bet it’s impossible to stay romantically involved with that many miles between you.”
“I’d rather not.” Mom sags. “It’s tough enough I have to live it.”
Rachelle’s mouth falls open. “You’re doin’ a little long distance hanky-panky? Well, there’s your story. But don’t put in any of that long-distance crap. This is your chance to reimagine your love story. And be sure to fill it with all the steamy romance you wish you could have with your man. It’d be a great gift to give him one day. An even better wedding present once you get the mileage between you sorted.”
Mom straightens. “That’s a great idea. I can really spice things up, too. I mean, we’ve tried to spice things up, but there are only so many naughty stories and racy pictures you can take.”
Everything in me freezes. “Please tell me you have not sent that man a single racy picture.”
Mom presses her lips tightly before elbowing Georgie. “What’s your book about?”
Georgie’s chest bucks with a silent laugh, but her expression is serious as stone. “A casino heist, a strip club, and a man with one eyebrow.”
Rachelle belts out a laugh. “You’ve already got me hooked. Get some ideas down on paper, and I’ll be back to see how you’re doing.” She walks down to the other end of the table with Fish in tow, and soon that tiny feline is the star of the show.
Hadley laughs as she looks my way. “Welcome to the Writing Wenches.” She examines my features, and I try not to glower at the woman. She looks adorable in a denim shirt and her red hair pulled back into a whippet of a ponytail. Her lips are bright cherry red, a color I can never get away with, and yet it looks effortless on her. “Hey—didn’t I meet you last night?” Her features smooth out. “Aren’t you Jasper’s wife?”
“That would be me.” I shrug. “Guilty as charged.”
She belts out another laugh. “Well, I won’t lie, I sort of wish I had been charged with that same crime myself. My only crime was leaving him high and dry.” She glances to the ceiling. “But I suppose he told you all about that.”
My lips part, but I think better of contesting the fact.
“That’s right,” I say. “He told me everything.”
There. At least now she’ll think Jasper and I don’t have a single secret between us. It’s the same thing I thought right up until twenty-four hours ago.
Georgie leans in. “I don’t know any of the details myself, so if either of you would like to give the kinky game away, I’d be glad to hear it.”
Leave it to Georgie to kink up the conversation.
“Me too.” Mom nods her way.
I filled both Georgie and Mom in on the fact I knew little to zilch on Jasper’s old flame, right after I informed them that I didn’t care a thing about his past.
It was right about then Fish asked me how it felt to lie to my mother.
And it felt pretty awful.
Hadley shakes her head. “I’ll leave those details to Dizzy.”
“It’s Bizzy,” I’m quick to correct her. “Camila just can’t seem to get it right.”
Hadley covers her mouth a moment. “Sorry. Camila can be a bit catty, can’t she? Boy, she never liked me. Or at least it seems she didn’t up until she sank her claws into Jasper herself. Anyway, what’s your story about?”
“Oh, um—” Good grief, think of something quick. “It’s a romance between a baker and two different suitors.” I happen to have a friend out in Honey Hollow who’s living the real deal. Lottie Lemon is transmundane like me, but her ability is referred to as supersensual. “She’s dating both a hot judge and a hot homicide detective, and she has the supernatural ability to see the dead—mostly furry creatures who have crossed the rainbow bridge and have come back to help find the killer of their former owner.”
She winces. “Wow, that’s dark. Maybe go light on that whole killing thing and focus on the romance?” A goofy grin takes over her face as she sighs. “I hope you don’t mind if I’m honest with you, but Jasper has been my muse for as long as I’ve been writing romances.”
Mom and Georgie lean our way.
Georgie nods. “Go on, Toots. Fill in a couple of blanks. How exactly do you use him as your muse? I bet you named your battery-operated boyfriend after him.”
Mom clucks her tongue and pulls Georgie back. “Please, she’s a lady.” She turns to Hadley. “I bet you recall all the times he gave you flowers or held your hand on a walk along the shore.”
My stomach churns just thinking of Jasper doing either of those things with anyone but me. And if I’m being truthful, I’d prefer he did them with Camila over