Rum and Raindrops: A Blueberry Springs Chick Lit Contemporary Romance by Jean Oram

shopping?
    “In fact,” said Rob, “I’m taking your canoe excursion in two weeks.” He looked at her, a hint of a smile playing at his lips as he waited for her reaction.
    Fuuuuuuck.
    She knew she’d known his name from somewhere. Rob Raine. Age twenty-eight. Lifejacket, size large. No known allergies. Canoeing ability: not beginner. Rob Raine who just broke up with his girlfriend, Cindy. The guy she’d convinced to come along anyway.
    Rob Raine. The chocolate drizzle on the cherry on the icing on the cake that had been her crapola week.

    * * *

    Brew Babies was dark and quiet. Just what Jen needed after her hellish day. That and this nice big, cold Cuba Libre sweating in its cold glass. She took another sip, trying to make the rum drink last so she wouldn’t find herself drunk and doing something stupid. Such as trying to put out the forest fire all by herself. She could probably fly a plane in the dark, right? Just dump an ass load of water on the flames and voila. Job done.
    She took a long gulp of her drink, the lime mixing with the sweetness of Coke. Mmm.
    Mandy, smelling of fresh baked bread and looking exhausted, slipped onto the stool beside her. She ordered a Coke with a double shot of spiced whiskey from Moe and rubbed her eyes.
    “Long day?” Jen asked.
    Mandy nodded and kneaded her right shoulder. “I’ve been sending picnic lunches out with evacuees.”
    “I’ll help. What do you need? Money? Sandwich makers? Someone to get more supplies from the city?”
    “You can’t leave town,” Mandy reminded her.
    “Um, nobody’s actually given me the official word on that.” Jen hunched over her drink, tugging the hem of her shirt.
    “What did I miss?” asked Amber, a long-time friend of Mandy’s. She slid onto the stool on the other side of Jen. “Other than the fact that the jukebox is broken. How long has it been like that?” She nodded to Moe who poured her a shot of vanilla vodka, and placed it in front of her. “Thanks.”
    “About a year,” Moe said, heading down the bar to empty a dishwasher full of beer steins.
    Jen rested her head in her hand. How had things in her life gone from bad to worse so quickly? Was it something she’d done in a past life?
    “So?” Amber said. “I guess I really didn’t miss too much being away for a few years, huh?” Amber had been living in the nearby city, Dakota, for the past few years until her newscaster boyfriend, Russell, had decided to take a sabbatical, moving himself and Amber to Blueberry Springs so he could write a few books and live the quiet life for a while. Although, Jen secretly figured it was more of a case of him enjoying being shacked up with Amber who was wild, fun, and free in ways she could never be.
    “Where’s Russell?” Jen asked.
    “Spending a few days in the city. He’s shopping his book around to publishers.”
    Mandy leaned across Jen to address Amber. “The fire inspector is on Jen’s overnight canoe trip. And he interrogated her this afternoon. Oh, and your uncle—Judge Radcliff—is still a big, fat jerk face.”
    Amber nodded. “Sounds about right.”
    “What am I gonna do?” Jen asked, her head still in her hand.
    Mandy shrugged, sending her glossy, straight hair cascading onto her back.
    “Wait! This is perfect !” Amber clapped her hands and gave a fist pump. “You can nail him in the bush.” She batted her dark, kohled eyes, rolled a shoulder seductively and murmured, “Woo him. Then blackmail him.”
    Jen frowned at Amber. “ Blackmail him? Him being Rob?”
    Mandy laughed. “Amber, this is real life. She’s not going to get down and dirty with him in the woods.”
    “Fine. At her place then. Less likely to get poison ivy on the ol’ hoo-ha.”
    Jen choked on her drink.
    “You think it wouldn’t work? It could totally work. When was the last time anyone gave you the big O? A nicely built man such as our fine Mr. Fresh as Rain is guaranteed to move you in ways you’ve never been