Page 50 of Peach Cobbler Confessions
Collette Jenner moans. “I miss Dane. I missmen.” She frowns over at me. “Oh, Lottie, can’t you find some way to let me possess you so that Essex could take the edge off for a little while?”
“Please,”I say. “Everett would only worsen the condition and leave you wanting more. I don’t think there’s a woman on this planet who could ever not want more.”
“You got me there, girl.” She offers up an unenthusiastic high-five, and I take it.
Lea growls, “You know who the killer is, Lottie. Have him arrested.”
“I do,” I whisper, looking briefly over my shoulder as the bodies of the film crew circulate freely out in the B&B. “And I’m going to pull Noah aside and tell him just that. He had an emergency down in Ashford when I called to talk to him, but he said he’d be here in twenty minutes.”
A blonde pokes her head into the kitchen. “She’s in here!” she screeches, and before I know it, Everett and Noah stream in. Those two handsome men bring a smile to my face. The blonde? Not so much.
The blonde in question is Cormack Featherby, the girl these two handsome men once thought it was a good idea to war over. And now that no one is warring over her, she’s made it a point to demand Noah take her back.
Thank God that’s never materialized. As much as I want Noah to be happy, having Cormack as a permanent fixture in his life would drive me to resort to homicide—hers. Cormack and I have never been friends, partly because a real friend would actually know my name. Cormack has made a habit of saying every name under the sun that begins with L, with the exception of my own. I have no doubt she does it just to crawl under my skin.
“Lottie.” Noah pats his stomach while looking at the extra dessert platters I’ve lined up on the long marble island. “You’ve brought my favorite,” he says as he swipes a chocolate chip cookie and takes a bite.
“I wouldn’t forget.” I head over just as Everett picks up a brownie.
He holds it out as if he were toasting me with it. “And I like them all.” He takes a bite and moans. “This is the best. Well done, Lemon.”
“So?” Cormack bounces on her heels. “Essex?” She gives a little wink his way. “How did Louise take it when you told her that she didn’t have to marry you?”
The entire room stops breathing, all movement ceases, and all eyes—of both the living and the dead—are focused on Everett.
“What’s that?” Noah’s head inches back, as a look of ripe anger fills his features.
“Of course, I didn’t have to marry him,” I say, annoyed that she even had to ask. “I volunteered. And for a good cause.” I look right at my blue-eyed husband. “Helping you save your inheritance was totally worth it.”
Everett takes a breath and his eyes close a moment too long.
“Everett?” I take a step toward him. “What’s wrong?”
Noah huffs, “I think what Cormack is trying to get at is the fact you didn’t have to marry him at all, Lottie. It was a ruse, wasn’t it, Everett? Did you lie to Lottie? Was this some big setup to yet again keep us apart?”
Everett takes another deep breath, longer and filled with far more frustration than the first time.
“Everett?” I step forward. “Is this true?”
Collette Jenner sucks in a breath so hard and fast my hair sails in her direction.
“Essex, you dog!” she howls with a laugh. “I would have married you with a wink and smile.”
Everett offers a forlorn look my way. “Yes, Lemon. It’s true.”
Cormack titters. “Oh dear. Did I just let that little tidbit fly?”
My mouth falls open, but before I can say a single word, Noah slams Everett up against the wall and proceeds to pummel him over the face. And if I’m not mistaken, Everett doesn’t look as if he’s fighting back.
“Noah!” I shout as I pick up the first thing I see, a broom in the corner, and begin whacking him over the back. “Stop it!” I scream as Noah indulges himself in the slugfest. “This isn’t like Everett!” I riot out the words as I knock Noah over the head in hopes to get him to relent.
I wedge the broom between the two of them and Noah staggers back, breathless, the venom in his eyes alive and ready to distribute round two.
“Everett?” I drop the broom and pull him forward as he winces and touches his lip with the back of his hand. He glances down to reveal a smattering of blood. “Oh my God, you’re bleeding.” I pull a dishcloth off the counter, and by the time I hand it to him, he has blood splattered down the front of his white dress shirt. “Here.” I try to dab him, but he refuses.
“I’m okay, Lemon.” He bears those heady eyes into mine. “Are you?”
“Yes,” I say without thinking. “I mean, I don’t believe a thing Cormack says. It’s not true, is it?”