Free The Hunt for Snow by S. E. Babin Page A

bastard soon, aren’t you?”
    I rubbed my hand over my face and thought about his words. “Hardly. Cyndi thinks I’m lonely. She switched my clothes out to help me be more attractive, I guess.”
    Concern flashed in his eyes, and a thoughtful look spread over his face. “And are you? Lonely?”
    I shrugged and drained the rest of my drink. “I’ve been on Earth for ten years. No boyfriends to speak of, no other friends besides Belle and Cyndi. Maybe I am.”
    Robin slung an arm over my shoulder and grinned. “See, that’s why we should sleep together.”
    I laughed and pushed him off. “Idiot,” I said with affection as I ruffled his hair. “There are plenty of simpering females around here. Go find one of them.”
    He shook his head and a serious look stole over his face. “I’m afraid there’s only one lady for me right now and, so far, she seems to hate everything about me on principle.”
    I made a noncommittal noise, knowing full-well who he was talking about. I was going to try my best to stay out of this one, especially after seeing how pissed off I got at what Cyndi just did. I glanced at the clock above the bar and groaned. “Thirty minutes until the mixer. I don’t think I’m going.”
    Robin groaned. “Don’t be such a spoilsport, Snow. Go rummage through the case and find something suitable. Cyndi doesn’t have terrible taste, and you know it.”
    He was right. Cyndi had fantastic taste, but if there wasn’t a shirt that didn’t have a trace of pink in it, I was going to have to strongly talk myself out of pepper spraying her just to get some aggression out. “That’s not the point,” I grumbled.
    Robin threw down some bills and gestured at me to get up. “It’s taken care of. Now go upstairs, clean yourself up a bit, and come back down so we can make everyone insanely jealous of our ethereal beauty. And, just think of this as a chance to pay Cyndi back…in spades. I’m sure you can come up with something quite creative to get her back for this.”
    I grinned and swayed unsteadily. “Thanks, Robin.” I patted him on his scruffy cheek. The corners of his eyes crinkled adorably as he smiled.
    “If Belle keeps telling me no, I’m going to show up in your room naked one day in the future.”
    I laughed out loud and started picking my way through the bodies in the bar. “Good luck not getting shot,” I called out as I left.
    His rumbling laughter followed me out and well down the lobby.
     
    I opened the room to find Belle in the bathroom busy getting ready, and Cyndi collapsed on the bed sobbing into my pillow. Belle reached out and snagged me by the arm before I could walk to Cyndi. She jerked me into the bathroom and pointed her mascara wand at me menacingly. “Don’t make her feel any worse,” she hissed. “She’s been sobbing the entire time you’ve been gone and lamenting about what a horrible friend she is.”
    I backed away before she jabbed me with her Brown Delight #2 and peered around the corner at Cyndi. “I’m not going to yell anymore. I’m going to plot to get her back.” In the back of my mind, an evil, evil genius plan was beginning to hatch and I felt the start of a grin tug at my lips.
    Belle snorted and started layering another coat of mascara on her already envious lashes. “I’m sure whatever you’re planning will make her feel scads better,” she whispered dryly.
    “No, it will make
me
feel better, though.” I winked at Belle in the mirror and left the bathroom. I was still furious at Cyndi, but I knew her heart was in the right place…somewhat. I bent down to the suitcase still lying in the middle of the floor and started searching in earnest for something to wear. I didn’t want to interrupt Cyndi until she got it all out of her system. Plus, I was never very good around tears and emotions. After digging for a few seconds, I felt my teeth grind together in frustration. Pink, lavender, yellow, fuchsia. No black. Anywhere.
    I heard Cyndi shift