Death by Pumpkin Spice by Alex Erickson

Winthrow or Rita Jablonski. I doubted it really mattered; both were fond of poking their noses into other people’s business and then spreading it all over town.
    â€œWell . . .” My eyes strayed to where Will was still standing. Could I really talk about it? What if someone overheard and told both Paul and Will?
    Don’t be stupid, Krissy. No one in this place cared a whit about what I had to say.
    â€œIf you don’t want to talk about it, that’s okay, too,” Jules said hurriedly, as if he was afraid their questions were too prying.
    â€œIt’s just, I think I’m screwing things up with Will. I would have been okay, but then Paul showed up and then there was the murder, which made everything crazy. I’ve been helping Paul out with the investigation, which means I’m not hanging out with Will, which means he’s off talking to his friends, and who knows who else. And as far as I know, he thinks I’m running off to the bedroom with Paul every time we leave the room. I’m not, of course, but with how my life is going, I just can’t bear the thought of it all falling apart because I don’t know how to handle . . .” I trailed off, out of breath, unsure how to go on.
    â€œI’m sure Will thinks no such thing of you,” Lance said. “In fact, from what I can tell, he seems pretty darn proud of you.”
    I snorted a laugh. “Not likely.”
    â€œOh, no, Lance is right,” Jules put in. “He might not like you running off and leaving him alone every few minutes, but you don’t see how he smiles after you while you are gone.”
    â€œOr he’s smiling because I am gone.”
    â€œNow, Krissy,” Jules said. “Don’t start putting yourself down because you’re insecure. You’re a far better person than you give yourself credit for, and these two men know it. We all do. I mean, in less than a year you’ve made all kinds of friends, helped put killers behind bars, and have significantly impacted the community with your service, and we’re talking in a good way.”
    â€œIf you say so. . . .”
    â€œI do.”
    Lance was nodding right along. “Maybe Will Foster is jealous of the time Paul gets to spend with you,” he said. “But that’s okay. We all get jealous some of the time. And if he is jealous of what you and Paul still have, no matter what that might be, then that means he cares. Just as long as you tell him what he means to you, and he doesn’t get obsessive to the point of violence, a little jealousy can be a good thing in a relationship.”
    I raised my eyebrows at that. I’d never been too appreciative of any sort of jealousy, even my own. I guess it has never turned out all that great on my end, though it did feel pretty good that Will cared enough to be jealous. Bright side, I suppose.
    â€œJust talk to him,” Jules said. “Put his mind at ease. I promise you it will all work out in the end.”
    They were right. Moping wasn’t going to get me anywhere. In fact, if I kept it up, I would surely lose him. What guy wanted a girl who constantly talked about how unworthy she was? I’m not weak; I can handle myself. It was time I showed it.
    â€œThanks, guys,” I said, feeling monumentally better than I had been. “I’ll go talk to him now.”
    â€œYou do that,” Jules said.
    â€œAnd remember to smile,” Lance added.
    I gave them both my best smile and then turned to go set not just Will’s mind at ease, but my own as well.
    He was standing where I last saw him, so I started that way, despite the fact his friends were still there. I’d spill my guts to him in front of them if I had to, though I was hoping he might take me aside so we could talk somewhere privately.
    I was halfway across the room when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I almost ignored it, but then common sense took over. It very well might be