Page 4 of Toxic Apple Turnovers
Amanda Wellington appears next to me. “Isn’t this wonderful, Lottie? It’s a surprise engagement party!”
My mouth falls open as I lock eyes with Noah—my sanity and my heart break at the lunacy exploding around us. Clearly, our date is off, too.
“It’s something,” I say as I shake my head. Soon enough, both Noah and Cormack are surrounded by well-wishers, and I suddenly want to be anywhere but here.
I turn to go, and Amanda catches me by the sleeve. “You have to meet my sister, Lottie. She’s my new assistant, and I’ve told her all about your wonderful shop. The Cutie Pie Bakery and Cakery is officially the only bakery we’ll refer our customers to.”
Amanda flags down a petite redhead that’s essentially her doppelgänger. “Hazel, meet Lottie. Lottie, this is my little sister, Hazel. She just finished up with grad school, and now she’s come to work for me.”
“Nice to meet you, Hazel.” I shake her hand and can’t help but note the adorable freckles dotting her nose and cheeks.
“I’m not working for my sister,” she’s quick to correct. “I guarantee in less than a year she’ll be working for me. I graduated summa cum laude twice over, and I happen to hold the scholastic reins in the family. She might be able to lord over me the fact she’s older than me by two years—and far more successful, but I plan on lording my degree over her head for a good long while.” She gives a little wink, and Amanda laughs it up as if it were the funniest thing in the world. Truthfully, it might be, but Cormack just plucked both my funny bone and my heart out by way of her stiletto.
Everett rushes up to me, along with Meg and her boyfriend Hook.
Everett wraps a strong arm around my waist. “Let’s get out of here, Lemon.”
Meg grunts, her ice blue eyes set to kill. “And miss the fun? I say we start a good old-fashioned food fight. It’s good to see you brought enough ammo, Lot.” She glances to my poor innocent turnovers and I shudder.
“No way. I’m above that.” Albeit just slightly.
The sound of an argument brewing behind me ignites, and I turn to find it’s Amanda with that blonde bombshell and the brunette on stilts going at it once again. I’m about to look away when that gorgeous little owl lands smack on the brunette’s head and I gasp.
I give Everett’s arm a tug. “It’s happening.”
Meg snaps up a handful of my sweet miniature treats. “Darn tootin’ it’s happening.”
“No, not that.” I step in close to Hook. “Do not let my sister toss a single turnover into the crowd,” I say as I yank Everett over a few steps. “I see a ghost! An adorable baby owl sitting right there on that brunette’s head.” I nod that way.
“All right.” Everett gets that serious look in his eyes, the one he usually reserves for the courtroom. He walks us over to the bickering girls and is quick to hold up a hand. “I apologize for interrupting your conversation.”
The tiny brunette, who is pretty to a fault but looks as if she’s been injected, filled and stuffed with silicone from the chest up, brazenly gives Everett’s silver tie a quick tug.
“You can interrupt me anytime, big boy. I’ve been watching you. I predict we’ll be going home together in just under an hour. I’ve got plans for those blue eyes and strong hands.”
The blonde bombshell groans, “Ignore her, Essex. How have you been?”
Every muscle in my body freezes when she spouts off his proper moniker. That’s a dead giveaway that she’s done the dirty deed with my boyfriend.
Speaking of boyfriends, I lean back to scowl at Noah who is still swimming in well-wishers. One of them is Detective Ivy Fairbanks, a leggy redhead who works alongside him down at the Ashford County Sheriff’s Department. I’ve always suspected she’s wanted more from their friendship, but as it stands she’ll have to stand in line. First, behind Cormack, and then behind me.
Noah cranes his neck past her as if looking for someone, probably me. It looks as if our date has gone sideways once again. But that seems to be par for the course for the two of us.
“I’m Lottie Lemon.” I look to the blonde who could pass as a body double for Marilyn Monroe. “I’m Everett’s girlfriend.”
“Fiancée.” Everett bows into the lie. I’m not sure why he keeps perpetuating this myth. Honestly, he told his mother and sister he was engaged to some mystery woman before he ever met me, and I just so happened to fill that mystery woman’s shoes. And then a few months back, his mother shoved a rock the size of Gibraltar onto my ring finger, her own mother’s wedding ring, and I’ve been wearing it loyally ever since. I’m not really sure what else I’m supposed to do with it. Everett won’t take it back, and I’m paranoid I’ll lose it or it’ll get stolen if I take it off for a moment. The only time I do take it off is when I’m at the bakery, and then I put it in the ground safe in my office along with the deposits ready for the bank.
“Fiancée?” Marilyn’s look-alike’s eyes bug out. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Janelle Hastings. I used to work down at the courthouse. I can’t believe what I’m hearing.” She turns to her brunette friend. “Connie, I would have thought he was a shoo-in to end up in your bed tonight. It looks like you missed out on the Baxter Express.”
“We’ll see about that.” She winks. “Connie Canelli.” She holds her hand out toward Everett, and he pauses a moment before shaking it. “Ha! I take it you’ve heard of my brothers.”
Brothers? As in the Canelli brothers? Now it’s me going rigid. Everyone has heard of the notorious Canelli brothers. They’re essentially the mob that runs Leeds. I shudder just thinking of that seedy town south of us, and then I shudder harder at the thought of that illegal gambling ring they run—among other unsavory illegal dealings they have their shady hands in.
The owl lets out something between a hoot and a purr before disappearing into a sparkle of dust.
A lot of help he is. That is, if he’s ahe. I’ll grill him on his name and gender the next time we’re alone, and I have a feeling we’ll be alone often. I’m just about to ask which of these lovely ladies once had an affinity for the pretty poltergeist when Cormack trots up in that lacy white number that should have given away her silly shenanigans.
“It’s time, Amanda.” She gives a cheeky wink as she picks up both my hand and Everett’s and dances us to the middle of the cavernous room.