Page 42 of Peach Cobbler Confessions
Chapter 14
The very next evening, Everett, Noah, and I pile into my shiny new minivan and drive down to Leeds.
Everett actually does the driving since that pizza we scarfed down at Mangias doesn’t seem to be sitting well with me.
Ironically, poor Everett and Noah think it has to do with the baby and, dare I say, they were each a smidge too excited when I mentioned I was feeling off-kilter.
Noah leans forward from the middle row.
“I read that morning sickness, which could actually occur at any given time during the day, is a very good sign of a healthy pregnancy.”
“You read?” A note of panic rises in me. “You’re reading books?”
He chuckles. “You bet. In fact, don’t tell the sheriff, but I spent more than an hour looking up everything I could on the internet today. There’s just so much to learn. I don’t think nine months is long enough.”
I cower in my seat.
“I’m guilty of this as well.” Everett gives a wistful shake of the head. “Remember all of those baby books we bought last November?”
I moan at the thought. “How could I forget?” EvenIthought I was pregnant during that scare. I shake my head, but choose to keep my mouth shut. I’m so angry at myself for letting this farce propagate I can’t see straight. And when you get right down to it, the pizza isn’t making me sick. It’s my horrible secret. I don’t even care about Everett having a secret of his own. I’m sure it’s nothing like the matzo ball I’m holding in the air. I’m sure whatever it is, we’ll work around it. In fact, I should probably let him go first this weekend when we get to doing the big confidential reveals—right after the taping at my mother’s B&B tomorrow, or better yet Sunday.
Everett’s secret will be a mere papercut compared to the guillotine I’m about to drop on our relationship. I’ll be lucky if Noah or Everett ever speaks to me again. Heck,Iwon’t be speaking to myself ever again. I’ll be too busy shoving peach cobbler into my pie hole, trying to eat away my guilt.
Everett finally lands us in Leeds, right in front of Caper Productions Studio, and the three of us head inside.
“Hey? Guess what?” I whisper to my two handsome bookends. “I’ve got Ethel with me.” I hold out my purse like a wing under my arm.
Noah makes a face. “You didn’t need her tonight. I’m here.”
“I’m here, too,” Everett adds, looking equally miffed.
“So? I’m here. What if the two of you need to use the restroom or go out for fresh air and I’m all alone? Or what if you’re in trouble? I’ve got your back.” My soliloquy doesn’t seem to appease them. “What gives? If I don’t bring Ethel with me, you’re irritated. And now, if I do bring Ethel with me, you’re irritated.”
Noah shrugs. “I don’t know… You’re going to be a mother. I just—it doesn’t feel right.”
“I agree.” Everett slips an arm around my waist. “I’m sorry, Lemon. It’s just something I’ll have to get used to.”
Not for long, I want to say, but instead, I nod to appease them.
The studio is a cavernous warehouse made of tin that holds the scent of deep fried fast food and something metallic just beneath that—I’m guessing rust. It’s warm inside, but not stifling, and the concrete floors are slicked with dust.
The lighting is dim and theatrical as if everywhere we looked the room was about to brighten and we’d be treated to a bona fide play. To the left, extinguished floodlights face a stool sitting in the middle of a brown drop cloth. And to the right, there looks to be a series of rooms.
A couple of men with clipboards walk by before backtracking and Noah asks to speak with Kent.
On the drive here tonight, Noah and Everett came up with a cover and it sounded reasonable enough to me. I guess we’re about to find out.
Kent Noble himself appears wide-eyed as he looks our way, his mouth in a tiny O. He’s wearing a white T-shirt stretched over his distended belly, and the stubble on both his head and face looks more salt than it does pepper in this dull light.
“Can I help you?”
“Kent,” Noah says as we head his way. “I’m Noah Fox. This is Everett Baxter and my girlfriend, Lottie. We met at the awards ceremony.”
“Oh right.” His brows lift, but he still looks somewhat confused.
I can’t help but sneak a glance over at Noah. I’m sure when he introduced me as his girlfriend, it was because it felt natural and not because he was trying to slight Everett. And to be honest, it felt natural to hear it, too.
Everett nods his way. “We were old high school buddies of Dane’s and we were just in the neighborhood meeting my wife’s sister for dinner, so we thought we’d stop by.”