Page 37 of Macaron Massacre
I’m suddenly fearing for my life. What exactly has Meg dragged me into again?
“I was separated,” Noah shouts over the increasing din of voices. “And Lottie and I got serious fast.” His eyes sweep my way, an apology buried in each one. “And—I may have hesitated in telling her about my separation. I’m at the tail end of my divorce. Lottie left me, but I’m hoping to win her back one day.”
A choir of voices coos over Noah’s perfectly romantic proclamation.
Judith bounces our way on her knuckles, and her legs remain perfectly crossed as she does her best primate impression.
“So, you’re the rebound?” She bites over her lip as she grins at Everett. A common response among women everywhere.
Keelie nods. “Yup. Mr. Sexy here was in the picture all along, though. Lottie and Everett have a friends-to-lovers romance. And from what I hear, the lover part is pretty steamy.”
Noah’s chest bucks, and I’d swear I just heard him gag.
Kellie proceeds to tell them all about how Noah went from frosting my cookies to persona non grata while I dove under the covers with Vermont’s premier playboy—her words, not mine. My God, never mine.
The room fills with whispers as one by one the women in the group close in around us.
A blonde with her hair in a chignon shakes her head at me. “You can’t let this go on this way. You’re toying with their hearts. Sure, your heart was broken, but they have feelings, too.”
Noah points to Everett. “He doesn’t have feelings.”
“Me?” Everett sounds affronted and rightly so. “Why don’t you tell them about the time we were stepbrothers for a season and you decided you wanted my girlfriend for yourself? I was the one with feelings. You were stone cold, heartless.”
Gasps of disapproval break out all over the room as various people make their thoughts known on the matter declaringthat’s so cold, lame, and even awhat were you thinking?
“All right.” Noah pats the air with his hands, trying to calm the crowd, which is quickly turning on him. “I was a kid. I had issues.” He glowers at Everett. “But the fact you’re a grown man didn’t stop you from exacting your revenge years later by snatching up Lottie.”
The crowd gasps again.
“Technically, I was single.” I raise a hand, but no one seems too interested in that little tidbit at the moment.
“It wasn’t revenge.” Everett picks up my hand. “It was organic.”
“More like orchestrated,” Noah quips. “You positioned yourself just right, and as soon as Lottie and I hit a rough patch, you—”
“I caught her when she fell out of your turnip truck,” Everett slips it in without missing a beat. “Yes, I was there—but only because Lemon wanted me there. I would never force myself on a woman. Lemon and I have an open and honest relationship built on trust—something you gave away when you left out the details of your life.” Everett glances to the group as they sit rapt at attention. “Do you know how we came to learn of his marital status? His wife.”
The room breaks out into an all-out riot of disapproval.
“It’s true,” Keelie shouts above the rumbling. “She stormed right into Lottie’s bakery and demanded to have her husband back.”
Bear nods. “They’re in couples’ counseling now trying to make it work.”
Noah wags his finger in the air. “The divorce is still on. It’s strictly procedural. As far as Lottie and I go—we’re simply on a break.”
The hippie winces at Everett. “Dude, you’re the break guy?”
Everett growls as if he might toss Judith’s boy toy to the wall. “I’m not the break guy. I’m the comforter.”
Judith clutches at her chest as she leans my way. “You poor thing! Nobody should go through something so traumatic. So, is that why the three of you are here? You’re looking to make it work together? As a threesome?”
“No!” Everett, Noah, and I say it in unison—loud and determined to make our position clear.
Noah lifts a hand in the air as if asking permission. “Once my divorce goes through, I’m hoping Lottie will give me another shot.”
A dark-haired woman in the back scoffs, and I can’t tell, but it might be Meg. “Get over it, detective. She’s moved on! Buy a clue.”
I crane my neck, and sure enough it was my sister. I’m going to kick her on the way out for this public ridicule.