Page 22 of Donut Disaster
The Evergreen Manor itself sits at the edge of town, and if I squint down the road I can see Country Cottage Road. The side of the street Everett and I live on happens to butt up against the woods that divide our properties from this one.
Other than my mother’s B&B there is no place else for tourists to stay in town, so both locations are almost always booked. The Evergreen has a wonderful restaurant that’s open to anyone, boarders and townies alike, and it boasts a full-blown spa in the back as well.
The enormous structure itself was once a colonial era home that belonged to a wealthy earl who decided he’d much rather be a Yankee. It has a Disney’s Haunted Mansion appeal with its white pillars that stretch to the sky in front and miles of ironwork that scrolls around the endless balconies.
Lily and I head in and are greeted with dark paneled mahogany, floors with thick emerald carpeting, and silk plants strewn about to give it a quasi-tropical appeal.
The front desk is currently occupied by someone who is not Naomi, and Lily huffs as she yanks me toward an enormous room filled with crystal chandeliers and Baroque era furniture with peach velvet couches and enormous mirrors inlaid with gilded frames.
The room is filled with the usual suspects, aka dozens of women I’ve seen before at Naomi’s naughty book club coven. Naomi usually hosts her risqué reception at my bakery—thus scaring off the paying customers with the bawdiness that ensues—so both my bottom line and myself are thrilled to see Naomi expanding her horny horizons.
We spot Alex right off the bat, and Lily ditches me to join the mass of estrogen already congregating around him. He’s donned his signature too small for his body T-shirt, and has that greedy grin that saysI know I’m too hot for my bookish britches.
Seated around the room are my new half-sisters, Kelleth and Aspen, Cascade Montgomery from the Busy Bee Craft Shop, Amanda Wellington, realtor and party planner extraordinaire, Felicity Gilbert from the Enchanted Flower Shop, one-eyed Britney—okay, so presumably she has two eyes, but I’ve yet to see them both on the same face at the same time. Cormack is here accosting someone who’s partially hidden by an overgrown silk banana plant, Naomi herself is practically in Alex’s lap, and Keelie sits nearby with both Meg and Lainey.
I’m about to head in their direction when Carlotta and my mother bop up with their faces glowing a peachy pink as if they’ve just partaken in a slapping contest, and I’m terrified to find out the true nature of their garnet glimmer. I sneak a quick glance behind them in search of the perpetrators that might have infected them with that not-so-angelic flush. But there’s nary a sign of Pastor Gaines or Harry Nash—there is, however, one handsome pooch with an ethereal luminosity and a semi-bored look on his face.
It’s clear Cookie seems to have taken a liking to Carlotta, judging by how he keeps nuzzling his head to her knee.
“Lottie!” Mom touches her crispy curled hair. “Carlotta and I just came from the spa. They had a two-for-one special.”
“That’s right.” Carlotta digs her fingers through her own well-coifed tresses. “Buy one get one free. Miranda bought one, and I got mine free.”
Mom chortles as she waves her off. “It’s my way of repaying you for all the housekeeping you’ve done around the B&B.”
My mouth falls open. “Mom. She does that because she’s not paying any rent. That’s how bartering works.”
Mom winces. “Oh, I know, Lottie. But this woman scrubbed eight toilets yesterday. I couldn’t let that kind of work go unnoticed. Sometimes you’ve got to throw a bone out there and let people know you appreciate them.” She catches her breath once she spots someone in the crowd. “Oh, look! Your sisters are here—Kelleth and Aspen.” She cranes her neck a bit more. “And I do believe they’re seated with your other sisters as well. I’d best ask Lainey if she’s got a bun in the oven yet. I do not want to miss one exciting moment of my grandchild’s life.” She takes off. Meg and Lainey suddenly feel like traitors for sitting with the Nash clan. Neither Kelleth nor Aspen and I seem to get along. I don’t really foresee this changing in the future.
“Speaking of grandchildren.” Carlotta leans in. “I saw Mr. Sexy pulling up just as we entered the building. So is it going to be him, Lottie? Is he the one who will sire my grandchildren?”
I avert my eyes in lieu of an answer as I bend over and give our friendly specter some serious loving. Mr. Sexy happens to be a quasi-formal nickname that was bestowed upon Everett by baristas everywhere.
“How I’ve missed you, Cookie Monster. My, aren’t you handsome. I love you so.” He does his best to lick my face up but alas to no avail. Perhaps if my gifts continue to grow, one day the dead’ll kiss me.
Cookie barks softly. “Who are we here to see, Lottie?”
“Cassie Montgomery,” I whisper. “Naomi said she’d get her to show up today. Cassie is the one that gave me a shiner the night of the murder.”
“I don’t like her already.”
“Well, you’re a sweetheart and everyone loves you.”
Naomi calls the book club to order, and everyone takes a seat wherever they can find one. Cormack yanks whoever it was she was assaulting behind the banana plant out, and I gasp to find it’s Noah.
“Would you look at that?” I smack Carlotta on the arm. “I don’t think Noah is playing along with this farce anymore. I’m starting to think Noah and Cormack are the real deal.”
“It must be love.” A pair of warm arms wraps themselves around my waist from behind as that all-too familiar cologne envelops me.
Everett dips a kiss close to my ear. “Did you have a good time the other night?”
I spin into him and lose myself in his cobalt gaze. “You always know how to make me feel better.”
Carlotta taps me on the arm. “Heads-up. The one who knows how to make you feel lousy is on his way over.” She scuttles off to find a seat, and Cookie follows her diligently just as Noah offers a dimpled smile my way.
“Lottie.” He leans in to kiss my cheek, and I instinctively pull away.
“I don’t do sloppy seconds.”