Page 2 of Bobbing for Bodies

Chapter 2

Fall in Honey Hollow has always been a mainstay as far as the tourists are concerned, and seeing that it’s early October I was expecting my fair share of leaf peeper foot traffic, but the number of bodies that have been passing through the Cutie Pie Bakery is enough to fill a cemetery.

I frown at my morbid analogy. I can’t help it, though. After I nearly lost my life this morning when that scaffolding came down, I’ve been more than a bit shaken. I feel downright lucky to be alive and you’d think that thought alone would have me in a good mood, but there are cookies to be baked, cookies that are beingeatenat a breakneck pace, thus the aforementioned hustle in the kitchen. Thankfully, both of the chefs from the Honey Pot, Margo and Mannon, have been helping out these past few days as we pump out batch after batch of delectable treats. The entire town holds the scent of vanilla and sugar at this point.

“Lottie!” Lainey comes at me with a death grip of a hug. Technically, we’re not blood-related since the Lemons adopted me when I was just a few hours old, but Lainey and I have the same caramel-colored waves, same hazel green eyes. Even our features hold the same open appeal. Neither of us seems to go too long without offering the world a friendly smile. “I can’t believe we pulled this off!” She takes a step back, and we admire the place together. Yes, it’s Lainey’s finishing Halloween touches that really make the bakery feel homey and well, a bit haunted. “Wasn’t it a great idea to hang those witches by their pointy hats? I just love the way they’re spinning over the refrigerated shelves!”

I glance to the stuffed witches as they twirl effortlessly in a circle. “They’re great, and I love the pumpkins you brought in even more. They’re adorable and really make it feel like fall.” Lainey wanted to put up fake spider webs in every free corner, but since spider webs in general hold an unhygienic appeal, I opted out of that decorating disaster. I don’t want the first impression of the Cutie Pie that the world sees to look as if I’ve never cleaned the place.

Keelie heads over with an empty tray and hands it to one of the many workers from the Honey Pot who is graciously helping me out today.

“We really need to get you a staff of your own. This grand opening is straining the Honey Pot. But don’t you worry. I’m discerning just the right people to populate the bakery with.” She leers over at me suggestively. “Guess who I saw pulling in across the street?” She bites down on a cherry red smile, a sure sign she’s up to no good. “Everett and Noah just showed up.”

“Together? In the same car?” I’m a bit stunned by this. I may have just met them both a few weeks back, but I know enough about their history to understand they’re not the best of friends. They were stepbrothers for a time while they were both in high school, and it didn’t end well between their parents—and, apparently, not between themselves either.

Keelie shrugs. “Who could tell. There are so many people out front, a spaceship could have dropped them off and I wouldn’t have noticed.” She gives a wild wave at someone coming in from the Honey Pot, and I look to find Keelie’s grandmother, Nell, weaving her way over.

“Hello, girls!” She offers us both a spontaneous embrace. “How are two of my favorite granddaughters?” She pinches my cheek with vigor. Nell is a sweet little old ninety-two-year-old powerhouse who happens to own her fair share of real estate in Honey Hollow. The Honey Pot Diner and the Cutie Pie Bakery happen to be two of them.

“Fine and dandy.” Keelie kicks my foot as she answers for me. “Should we tell her about the surprise?” She nods at her grandmother as if trying to get her to agree.

I glance to Lainey with wild eyes. Neither my sister nor I can fathom that life could get any better.

“What surprise?” I shoot Keelie an accusing glance. She knows I don’t like surprises, and she knows I’m the last person on Earth I want anyone fussing over. The last time I got a surprise I was in a courthouse down in Ashford County when Everett took the stand as the judge presiding over the small claims court the Simonson sisters dragged me off to. Everett and I had just had a physical altercation of sorts, to put it delicately. We tripped and fell—and, well, I might have inadvertently used my head to hammer down over his crotch. It was not at all what you might think. It was totally accidental and not at all sexual even though his nickname Mr. Sexy was employed within the same hour. Everettissexy, but then so is Noah. I let out a dreamy sigh just thinking about that man’s lips. Noah’s, not Everett’s.

Nell clears her throat while shooting Keelie with venom herself. “It was going to be a true surprise if you hadn’t said a word.” She looks my way, and her features soften. “But, since the cat is halfway out of the bag, just know that I’ll have to ask you to leave the shop a little early one night later this month, and when you get back in the morning, there will be something special waiting for you.”

I gasp at the thought. “You are one naughty lady, Nell Sawyer.” I elbow Keelie. “You’re pretty naughty yourself. You know I don’t need a single thing.” I glance back at the gleaming stainless appliances—it was Noah who helped purchased them with the money his father stole from unsuspecting people, but I didn’t know it at the time, and that marble island that sits in the middle of the kitchen was a surprise enough. I had ordered a simple counter constructed of stainless steel, but Nell canceled the order and had a beautiful stone island put in instead. Trays and trays of sandwich cookies, peanut butter bars, cream cheese swirled brownies, and chocolate macaroons sit upon it waiting to be brought out to the front for residents and tourists alike to enjoy. “Trust me, I already have everything, and if you continue to spoil me, I might just morph into a monster.”

“You, a monster?” a deep voice strums from behind, and I’m greeted with a handsome Noah Corbin Fox looking just as vexingly good-looking as his surname suggests, and next to him stands Judge Essex Everett Baxter—who humbly goes by Everett. Noah is an intense man with a dangerous side that has a way of looking at me as if he were about to take me to the nearest bedroom and do amazing things to my body—all of which I wholeheartedly approve of. I’ve been in one serious sexual drought ever since the New York debacle, and Noah is just the right kind of trouble to alleviate me of all my frustrations.

Everett is dark and intimidating. He rarely, if ever, smiles, keeps his words to a minimum, and oozes testosterone to the point of demanding the attention of every female of everyspeciesto the forefront of his majesty.

“You’re here!” I shout while throwing my arms around each of them at once. I hop back and take them in once again—Noah in a navy corduroy jacket and jeans, and Everett in his traditional three-piece inky dark suit. “Can you believe all of the people who are streaming through this place? I swear, it’s all of Honey Hollow and then some have come to visit.”

Noah takes in the crowd. Both Noah and Everett have the same dark hair, with the exception Everett’s is jet-black and Noah’s has a touch of red in the sunlight. Noah has the dreamiest marbled green eyes, and Everett’s gaze is more of a blue heated flame. Both men are handsome in their own right, but it was Noah I took a bold step with a few weeks ago. We’ve been fused at the mouth pretty much ever since. And how I can’t wait to fast-forward this day just to pull him into the walk-in like I did last night and shower him with all the affection I can. Who knew having a boyfriend could be such a stress reliever?

I touch my fingers to my lips a moment as if I had spoken those words out loud.

Noah and I aren’t anything official. I shouldn’t even be thinking the wordboyfriendlest I accidentally pepper it in casual conversation. I’d hate to chase him off over some silly verbal blunder.

Noah winces. “I’d say you’ve got all of Vermont in here and part of New Hampshire, and Connecticut, too.”

Everett chuckles at the thought. It still amuses me to see him smile. He wasn’t at all friendly for at least the entire first month I knew him. It’s a miracle we’re friends at all.

“It’s more like the Western Hemisphere.” He nods to the feast out front. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m loading up.”

Noah brushes a quick kiss to my cheek, and I can feel my skin heating to unsafe levels. Never have I had anyone show me physical affection in Honey Hollow before. Not even Bear, and we dated on and off for about three years in high school. I shudder just thinking about that time in my life.

“I’d better go with him.” Noah frowns at this once-upon-a-stepbrother. “I’ll make sure he leaves enough for the rest of us.” He takes off after him just as I spot my mother circulating in the crowd, and I can’t help but groan at the sight of her.

“She’s here,” I hiss to my sister.

Keelie bumps past us with a tray full of Honey Bars. “Don’t sweat a thing!” she calls out as she heads to the front.

“I can’t help it,” I say, pulling my sister in close. “I don’t trust this new guy Mom is dating.”

Lainey scoffs. “You don’t trust any guy Mom ever dates.”