“We…umm…we did a few things to the house,” Gabrielle said. She glanced down at her colorful Emilio Pucci rain boots, which Lauren loved.
But now wasn’t the time to discuss fashion. Lauren’s stomach churned as she asked, “You did what to the house?”
“And why?” Alert and wary, Jason straightened and stared at the women in confusion.
Amber stepped forward. “It’s like this. We were having a Ladies’ Night at The Wave. It’s something we do once a month, Gabrielle, myself, Sharon and sometimes Clara.”
“And we’d very much like you to join us next time.” Gabrielle treated Lauren to a wide smile.
Derek rolled his eyes. “Quit stalling.”
“And trying to soften her up,” Mike said. “Just tell her.”
Amber sighed. “I’m getting there. Anyway, it was right after the fall festival and we already knew you two had sort of hooked up.”
Lauren’s cheeks flared hot but she forced herself not to touch her face and call attention to her embarrassment.
“We immediately saw the potential for the two of you,” Gabrielle continued. “It was obvious how different Jason seemed after that night. So we figured we’d just help Cupid along, so to speak.”
Jason narrowed his gaze. “Help how?”
Gabrielle swallowed hard. “Well, we didn’t want to do any harm. We just wanted to keep you two together. So-”
“We bought pet mice at Petco and snuck inside-did you know the locks are pretty flimsy? Easily picked.” Amber’s words rushed together quickly.
“Then we let the mice loose in the house.” Gabrielle stared at a point over her husband’s shoulder, unwilling to meet anyone’s gaze.
“Actually I let the mice loose,” Amber admitted.
Mike muttered a curse.
Derek said something about stupidity and meddling women.
Jason’s jaw merely hung open.
And Lauren couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “The mice are pets? As in people actually want to own them?”
Gabrielle nodded. “They spend hard-earned money on them.”
“Hold on!” Derek said. “That’s what’s bothering you about all this? Aren’t you upset that they broke in and meddled in your life?”
“Hey!” Amber said, sounding affronted. “That’s a really negative spin on things. We were just trying to help!” She plac
ed her hands on her hips and glared at her husband’s cousin.
Gabrielle walked over to Derek and calmly stroked his arm. “We just wanted to give Jason a reason to have to stick close to Lauren. Most normal women who see a mouse would freak and not want to be alone.”
“It worked,” Lauren admitted, shaking her head in disbelief.
“But she’s petrified of rats and mice!” Jason exploded. “And for good reason, not that it’s any of your business! Do you have any idea how stupid your plan was?”
The women winced and neither male Corwin cousin stepped in to protect his wife from Jason’s anger. They obviously agreed with his assessment. And though Lauren should as well, she just couldn’t manage to get upset with them. All she could think about was that, unlike Jason’s father and uncles, these women didn’t mind her relationship with Jason. She wasn’t sure where his cousins fell on the Perkins scale, but they seemed more upset with their wives’ behavior than Jason and Lauren.
“Jason, they meant well,” Lauren said, standing up for Amber and Gabrielle. “And they apologized. That ought to count for something.”
Jason frowned, clearly unwilling to forgive and forget just yet. “Why are you confessing now?” he asked, shooting his cousins a look of pity for having to deal with these two women.
Amber groaned. “Because I was in town and I heard the fire was deliberately set-which means we weren’t the only ones doing things in the house. So we wanted you to know we were responsible for the mice-” She hesitated. “And gluing the windows.”