Page 30 of Poison Apple Crisp
“Oh, Lottie!” a woman’s voice trills from behind, and I turn to see my mother running up with a bouquet of flowers, her blonde hair coiled neatly as it bounces over her shoulders. “Did I miss it? Oh, tell me I didn’t miss it.”
“If you wave, she might be looking this way,” I say, although I doubt it. Evie is probably hiding in the bowels of that building with embarrassment in hopes that acid rain will fall over us and we’ll all dissolve to nothing.
“Oh shoot.” Mom stomps her foot to the ground. “Here, you take these, Lottie,” she says, handing me the bouquet of hot pink roses. “I have so much to do. Cokie and I decided to add an additional fundraiser this Friday night to help pay for Brenda’s funeral. It’s game night, so we’ll need you sharp as a tack. There’s an entry fee to participate, and the winners of each game will get to take home a prize. Every business in Honey Hollow is donating something.”
“The bakery will, too,” I say. “How about a cookie bouquet?”
“Sounds delicious.” She gives a silent clap. “Why don’t you make up a few dozen platters of whatever you like, and I’ll cover the costs? That poor woman.” She sniffs as she looks to the school. “She was a mother. There’s a child in there starting off the school year with a heartache that will take decades if ever to overcome.”
My own heart aches when she brings up Brenda’s family. So far in this investigation, the poor woman has been pegged a bully. It’s easy to forget she had a full life with people who loved her.
Carlotta links arms with my mother.
“Well, go on, Mr. Sexy. Fill us in on this surprise you’ve got cooking. If what Evie said is true, I’m not missing out on a chance to take a gander at the brewing baby booger.”
“It’s true.” Everett sheds a flicker of a smile my way. “Noah and I thought you shouldn’t have to wait weeks to have your first appointment.”
“I called Dr. Barnette’s office.” Noah’s chest expands. “And I was told they were booked solid.” His dimples flicker. “But then, I remembered my old stepbrother had a penchant for making inroads with the good doctor.” He slaps his former stepbrother on the back. “Everett pulled it off. You’ve got an appointment in an hour.”
Everett nods. “I hope you’re okay with that, Lemon. We’ll get to see the baby today.”
“Are you kidding? I think that’s great.” My lips quiver because I’m petrified on so many levels, and I’m not quite sure why.
Luke Lazzari steps up. “What’s this? You got a bun cookin’ in the oven?” He holds out his arms, and the next thing I know I’m being embraced by America’s most wanted. Okay, so he may not be the most wanted, but he is definitely on the list. “Congratulations.” He pulls back. “Congratulations to the two a yous, too.” He winks over at Carlotta and my mother, and the two of them swoon.
“Thanks, Luke.” Carlotta winks back. “Why don’t you come down to Mirandy’s B&B this Friday night? We’ll share a few drinks and talk about the good old days. I might even let you get lucky.”
Good God. I glance to the sky. Is nothing sacred? Must Carlotta put the moves on the man with an illegal plan in his back pocket?
“Oh yes.” My mother nods. “In fact, I wouldn’t mind having a few drinks with you myself. I’ll see you at my place, Friday night at seven.” She winks his way.
“You bet, ladies. See you then.” He takes off, and I don’t waste a minute stepping up to the overheated duo.
“Are the two of you nuts?” I squawk. “He’s a crime lord! He kills people for a living. The last place he needs to be is at a wholesome school fundraiser.”
“Game night. But it’s mostly trivia based,” Mom points out.
“Here’s a little trivia for you,” I snip. “The two of you are taken. Remember? Carlotta, I understand you have some weird open relationship with Mayor Nash, but I suggest you take your wandering eye elsewhere lest you get tangled up in a hail of bullets. And before you say it, bullets are not sexy.
“And, Mother? Aren’t you supposed to be betrothed or something to Wiley Fox? For the life of me I can’t recall if he dropped to a knee for you, but since that sparkler keeps blinding me, I can only assume so.” Okay, so the ring isn’t on the right finger, but still. Honest to God, Wiley and my mother might have had a big blowout of a wedding for all I know, but this pregnant brain Keelie and Lainey kept talking about is a very real thing. Apparently, the further along you get, the more brain cells your baby eats for breakfast.
Everett pulls me in and wraps his arms around me. “Don’t work yourself up. Are you ready to meet our baby?”
Noah clears his throat.
I look to the both of them with a sense of apprehension.
“I’m ready.”
I’m just not ready to break one of their hearts all over again.
Chapter 9
We drive down to the doctor’s office, and soon I’m shuttled to the back, peeing in a cup, and dressed in a paper gown. Carlotta and my mother decided to stay in the waiting room until it’s time for the baby’s close-up. But I insist that Everett and Noah join in on the fun, seeing that one of them landed me in this predicament to begin with. And they both are very eager. They don’t want to miss a minute of it.
Dr. Barnette steps into the room with a bright smile and cheery greeting. She’s a stunning brunette with bright blue eyes who just so happened to deliver Lainey’s baby girl, Josie, and Keelie’s baby bear,Bear. In fact, the night both of their angels made their debut on this planet is when Dr. Barnette told me the news that I was expecting an angel of my own. It was unexpected to say the least. But both Noah and Everett were with me—so in that sense we experienced the shock together. Dr. Barnette looked genuinely shocked herself when I told her that I didn’t have a clue who the father could be.
A jovial laugh belts from her as she looks to the three of us.