Yesterday's News

By Jade C. Jamison

Some don’t want to see the truth.

As much as she wants to, Nicki knows she can’t fix everything that’s wrong with Winchester. Her hope is to educate her fellow citizens so they can see the truth—for some, though, what Nicki’s finding is yesterday’s news.

And nobody cares.

But when a woman who’s running for city council seems intent on dividing the city, Nicki knows she must expose the woman for what she really is...

PLEASE NOTE: This book was previously published in 2014 as FAKE.

The Nicki Sosebee Stories are an interconnected series and should be read in order for maximum spoiler-free enjoyment.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jade C. Jamison
• Release date: Dec 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005765651

Jade C. Jamison

1. Imagine 2. Play some music 3. Write 4. Blow readers away 5. RepeatJade C. Jamison is a steamy romance author, heavy metal fangirl, wife and mom, coffee connoisseur, cat lover, and vegan foodie--not necessarily in that order. She loves life and believes we learn our wisest lessons when reading, especially if it's fiction. Her heroines are fierce, her heroes all but broken, both seeking redemption together. Whether in a small Colorado town or big city, she strives to take her readers' breath away...one story at a time.Find out more at www.jadecjamison.com ORhttp://www.subscribepage.com/JadeCJamison (newsletter)

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Nicki Sosebee smiled, leaning back in the chair. It had already been a long though enjoyable evening, and the fun didn’t seem ready to end anytime soon. Nicki looked over at her boyfriend Sean, sitting at the same small table she was, but he was pinching his nose between his fingers, his elbow resting on the table. For over three months, Nicki and Sean had been together, probably the longest steady relationship Nicki had had in nine years. And while some of his behavior had made her edgy of late, she was still grateful for him.

As he shook his head, he looked at her, a slight glimmer of pain clouding his deep blue eyes. He forced a smile, flashing his white teeth, and Nicki subconsciously took in the details of her boyfriend, the ones that got her hot without much thought—his trimmed soul patch, flared sideburns, purposely messy dark blond hair that hung just over his eyebrows. Fuck. I can’t watch this. I’m gonna get another drink. Can I get you anything?

Nicki glanced at her glass on the table. Nah, I’m good. Then she looked to her right where one of her besties, Jillian, sat at the small table next to theirs. Want anything? Sean’s heading back up to the bar.

With a shrug, Jillian stretched, running her fingers through her black hair that now reached her chin in a flattering bob. Yeah, I guess so. Another rum and Coke?

Sean nodded. Before he stood, he took Nicki’s face in his hands and kissed her deeply. It caused all her muscles to tighten as she felt his promise of a night that would just get better and better. Be right back, sexy.

When she stroked his cheek, she felt tiny whiskers poking out. Better hurry.

Don’t be surprised if I’m not back till this song is over.

Nicki shook her head as Sean walked away, and then she glanced back at Jillian and smiled. The table next to her friend was empty. The two women’s other BFF, Brandy, who’d been there with her husband Kevin, had left a few minutes earlier. Brandy had told them she was tired and needed to hit the hay, but at least Nicki had been able to enjoy having them all together for a while.

In the meantime, the chair next to Jillian that separated her and her friend was empty because its inhabitant had just taken the stage. Jesse, Nicki’s old boyfriend and Sean’s best friend, was getting ready to sing a song karaoke-style for the fourth time that night.

This song wasn’t metal, though, unlike the other songs Jesse had sung, not even light metal, which was apparently where Jesse believed his vocal talents lay. While Nicki recognized the tune, she couldn’t quite place it. It was an eighties pop tune with kind of a dance beat. Jesse had had a lot more to drink since his last song, and Nicki suspected that was why Sean didn’t want to stick around. He’d thought Jesse was going to embarrass himself.

But, watching him now, Nicki didn’t think he was embarrassing himself at all just as she managed to place the tune—INXS’s Need You Tonight. Jesse was feeling the music and moving in a sexy way, reminding Nicki of just one or two of the reasons why she’d fallen for the guy in the first place. He had a lean body that he’d been sculpting over the last few months, preparing for his job as a firefighter. Add to it, he was almost catlike in his movements, and he felt the beat. Nicki was afraid maybe she was staring too hard as he approached the mike, and she glanced over at Jillian to see if her friend was giving her a dirty look. But no…Jilly was captivated, too.

Nicki couldn’t help herself as Jesse started almost breathing the words into the mike in his hands, making his voice sound sexy as hell. His dark brown hair hung down over his chestnut eyes, shadowing them, but Nicki had always loved everything about the way Jesse looked: his tattoos, including the one she could see on the hand gripping the mike, the one with her name; his piercings—in his eyebrow, nose, and now lip, plus a couple in each ear and the secret ones on his nipples that Nicki’s fingers remembered.

As Jesse practically made love to the mike with his voice, Nicki felt her temperature rise, and as soon as she realized it, she felt guilty as hell. Sean was just a few feet away, Sean, the man she’d yearned for and loved for most of her adult life, and here she was, lusting after an old boyfriend who’d frankly just been a short blip on the radar of her love life.

Well, no, that wasn’t fair. Not by a long shot. Jesse had had a profound effect on Nicki, had made her realize there could be a life without Sean—and he was one of the sweetest men she’d ever known. So to call him a short blip was to downgrade his true status.

Still, she had no right thinking about him in any way other than as an ex. Sitting up, she cleared her throat, downing her glass. Maybe she should’ve asked Sean to get her another drink after all.

Jillian moved over and sat in Jesse’s empty chair, then leaned over so Nicki could hear her. Holy hell. Is he dating anybody right now?

Nicki felt her hackles rise. While she could understand why Jillian was intrigued, her friend was still married, even if she was separated from her husband, not to mention Jesse was Nicki’s ex, and that would be uncool. Yeah, Nicki was jealous, but she also didn’t want Jillian hurting Jesse, either. Jillian was currently residing in rebound and/ or just-want-sex-and-don’t-give-a-fuck territory. Nicki just said, Bad idea.

Resting her chin on her hand, Jillian kept her eyes focused forward, not looking at her friend. Yeah, I know, but why couldn’t I be bad for just one night? Finally, she broke her gaze from Jesse. Didn’t you say he was really good in bed?

Nicki was dumfounded. She had no idea what to say, and she was afraid her jealousy would trump anything else she could possibly tell her friend. Fortunately, Sean showed back up, placing a drink in front of Jillian and sitting next to Nicki, draping his arm over her shoulders. This one doesn’t sound too bad, he said, but I still can’t fucking watch.

Nicki wasn’t going to say a goddamn thing, and in her mind, she was pleading the fifth.

The song changed gears, moving into the second half, a song called Mediate, which Jesse handled just fine in spite of the alcohol raging through his system. The song was cool but not sexy, and Nicki was grateful for that.

Sean wound up watching the rest, and Nicki could tell it didn’t bother him as much as he’d thought it would. When Jesse stepped away from the mike, he got more applause than anyone else had the entire evening. Nicki glanced around, not surprised to find that lots of those cheers came from the female portion of the crowd. As Jesse approached their tables again, his grin was wide, and he picked up his bottle of beer.

Grinning, Sean shook his head. Man, you got balls.

Jesse started laughing and sat on the other side of Jillian. You should try it. It’s fun once you stop bein’ a pussy about it.

Nicki let out an exasperated breath of air. Sean and Jesse were great guys but crude when they were together. In fact, Nicki was pretty sure she’d never heard Jesse call another guy a pussy the entire time they’d been dating. Or maybe she’d been so enamored of him she hadn’t noticed.

Of course, it didn’t even phase Sean. Not gonna happen. I don’t need to get up on a stage to feel validated.

Jesse raised his eyebrows, and he looked angry at first. Then he smiled and sat down, picking up his beer bottle again and drinking what was left. When Jillian leaned over, Nicki had to strain to hear what she was saying—and that was when she realized Jillian wasn’t talking to her or the group, only to Jesse.

Down, green-eyed monster. Down, damn you.

She managed to hear Jillian saying something, though—something about having too much to drink and could she maybe get a ride home with Jesse?

Oh, God, this was not good. Nicki had no right to feel jealous like this. No right at all. And she could blame it on not wanting Jillian to cheat on her husband, but she knew better. She knew that wasn’t it at all.

And no way could she say a single word.

So she did what any good girlfriend would do—she turned to her boyfriend and smiled. When he looked back at her, a small smile lit up his eyes, and she brought her hand to his neck. He leaned over, expecting Nicki to say something, but she instead brought her lips to his. After immersing him in a kiss, she said, I think I’ve had all the fun I can handle.

"Well, when you put it that way…"

Before they could even stand, though, Nicki heard Jesse’s voice. I think we’re both outta here. I’ll give Jillian a ride home, so you guys don’t have to worry about her.

Nicki wanted to hear it from her friend with her own ears. As she stood, she asked, What about your car, Jilly?

Standing, Jillian shrugged. I’ll just pick it up tomorrow.

Jesse’s tone was matter-of-fact. I’m giving her a ride—just to be safe.

Nicki was growing angry with herself that she was letting any of it bother her—and she was also upset that part of her felt relief and happiness that Jesse didn’t seem interested in her friend beyond showing kindness.

After Sean stood, he grabbed Nicki around the waist, pressing against her from behind. We were getting ready to leave, too. I just wanted to make sure Mr. Rock Star here would be all right with that.

Jesse gave him a look, then flipped him off. Sean laughed and held out his fist, still behind Nicki. Jesse bumped Sean’s fist with his own. You’re lucky you’re my bro.

Don’t I know it. You’re cool to drive?

More than. Turning to Jillian, Jesse asked, Ready?

Yeah. As she started to follow Jesse toward the front door, she turned to Nicki and smiled, shrugging her shoulders and grinning from ear to ear, indicating her glee.

Nicki could feel something dark and nasty simmering in her gut, and she didn’t like it. It wasn’t like her. So she focused again on the wonderful man whose arms were wrapped around her, turning to place her hands on his chest. "What the hell are we waiting for?"

I was getting ready to ask you the same question.

After he kissed her, he picked up his drink and slammed the rest of it down, leaving just a few cubes of ice clinking in the glass. Let’s get out of here.

When they walked in the apartment, Nicki draped her jacket over the back of one of the kitchen chairs and set her purse in the seat, while Sean dropped his keys in the ashtray on the table by the door. He locked the door and turned around as Nicki got close and wrapped her arms around his waist. She had way too much sexual energy and she needed to expend it—fast—so she hoped Sean didn’t feel the need to dabble too much in foreplay at the moment.

Kissing her on the tip of her nose, he said, Oh, sexy, I don’t want to get your hopes up.

What do you mean?

Sorry, babe, but I’m not up for anything tonight.

Nicki paused for a few seconds, then realized Sean had to be joking. Sean had never said no to her—not once—since they’d gotten together. The man’s libido was a rival for her own. She laughed, but then she saw the look in his eyes. He was dead serious. Why not?

Way too much to drink tonight.

What?

I had too much to drink. I just need to sleep it off.

Her arms went slack, but she still had them wrapped around him. Wait a minute. You just drove home, and now you’re telling me you had too much to drink?

When he sighed, she could tell he wasn’t amused, but she didn’t give a shit. He said, Did my driving look bad to you? Did I swerve? Make you nervous? Hit anything? No. So you don’t need to worry about it. He let her go and started walking toward the bathroom. I just need to go to bed, Nicki, and it didn’t hit me till we got here. There’s no reason to take it personally.

He shut the bathroom door behind him. She didn’t want to, but Nicki found herself seething.

In fact, she hadn’t been this angry at him since before they’d gotten together.

Fine. She was almost tempted to curl up in the twin bed in the extra bedroom in the apartment where she’d slept the first few weeks she’d lived with him. That would communicate her displeasure—but it would also be childish. So, while he was brushing his teeth and getting undressed, she stripped down to her panties, threw on one of the clean white t-shirts she found in his middle dresser drawer, and crawled into bed. But she rolled over on her side with her back to him, because she was in no mood to talk.

When Sean left the bathroom, Nicki could hear him walking around the apartment a bit, and she couldn’t help the grin that spread over her face. She probably should have shut the kitchen light off, but she hadn’t thought about it. Still, it wouldn’t kill Sean to do it. She almost apologized for not doing it when she heard him come into the bedroom and then thought better of it. After he shut off the light and crawled into bed, he snuggled up right behind her and wrapped his arm around her torso but didn’t say a word.

Then Nicki felt bad and placed her hand on his and squeezed. I love you.

She felt his breath on her neck as he said, Love you, too.

And just as she started getting her hopes up that maybe she could persuade him to have a little fun before sleeping, she heard a slight snore escape his lips as his arm grew heavier on her side.

She only hoped sleep would take her as mercifully, too.

The next morning, she awoke to Sean’s lips on her neck. As she pulled herself into wakefulness, she heard him say, I want to make last night up to you. I already drew a warm bubble bath to wake you up.

It didn’t take long for Nicki to remember she should be angry with her boyfriend, and she could hear it in her tone. Won’t you be late for work?

Don’t be pissy, Nicki. After he kissed her on the neck again, he got up and