Page 16 of Wedding Cake Carnage
I’m about to press my nose to the glass door once again and nearly get it taken off as it swings open and in walks Felicity Gilbert.
“Felicity,” I say. “Welcome to the Cutie Pie, where the baker is always waiting at the door to greet you.”
She laughs as I press my hand to my chest from the close call.
“Or to get her nose rearranged. Sorry about that.” Felicity is an adorable redhead with shaggy hair and a sprinkling of freckles over her face. “I’m just hopping in to pick up a couple of slices of that pink champagne cake everyone is talking about for Carlotta and me. Your mother really has been a godsend at the shop.”
Felicity’s mother was Carlotta’s childhood best friend and took her in when she came back into town last January. Unfortunately, Felicity’s mother was brutally murdered a few months back. And since then, Felicity has been navigating the flower business with the help of Carlotta.
“Well, I’m glad to hear she can be of help. How are you holding up? I know you and Jana were close.”
“Very close. She was my college roommate and she was my roommate right here in Honey Hollow. She and Pierce were house-hunting just before she passed.”
“That’s right. You lived together.” House-hunting? “You wouldn’t happen to know who their realtor was, would you? I mean, Lainey is looking for a house right now, too.” Of course, they already have one, but I choose to omit that little detail.
“Amanda something or other.”
“Amanda Wellington?”
“Yup. They were intermeshed in so many things. I think the pressure was mounting because they’ve been butting heads as of late. But before you get any funny ideas, Amanda didn’t do this. She’s not violent. I can no more imagine her firing a gun than I can you.” She makes her way to the counter and Lily helps her out with a box of cookies and a couple of iced lattes.
I have a gun. And I happened to have used it to defend myself against a killer just last month. But Felicity doesn’t know that. It makes me wonder what she doesn’t know about Amanda.
Felicity breezes by.
“Tell Carlotta I said hello!” I wave as she takes off for the flower shop.
Lily comes over and hands me a blank envelope. “Found this tucked in the back door.”
“Huh, that’s strange. There’s nothing printed on the front.” My heart drums in my chest as Beasty slinks over and stands at attention. His head is as high as my chest, he’s that huge.
My fingers do their best to work it open and I pull out a single black heart. Written in white are the most frightening words of all—It’s over.
Chapter 6
There is no place more special than Honey Lake on the Fourth of July. The sun is setting and a pale wash lies over the water, shimmering as if it were liquid gold. The lake itself is seven miles long by two and a half miles at its widest. It sits nestled with brown sugar sand and evergreens, both of which add to its fairy-tale charm.
The thick scent of grilled burgers and hot dogs fills the air, and the laughter of the people gathered, the squeal of the children makes it feel as if we’re at one big family reunion.
Noah and I have stretched a quilt out onto the sand not far from Keelie and Bear. Lainey and Forest are behind us as are Meg and Hook. My mother is at the picnic tables with her friends, Becca—Keelie’s mother, Carlotta, and my uncle William, who is currently suing to have his mother’s will disputed. Nell Sawyer, my lovely grandmother (a surprise to me as of January), is the one that left me the entire Eastern Seaboard, plus the land under my bakery. If I just got the land in the settlement, I would have been thrilled. I’ll be the first to admit, the rest is a bit much.
But the one person who is missing today is Everett, and how I hate the fact he’s missing.
Noah took the note Lily found at the bakery the other day. He can’t figure out heads or tail what it could possibly mean.
“Lottie!” my mother calls from the picnic table and waves wildly until she catches my attention. “Yoo-hoo!” She does her best to wave me over, and I groan as soon as I see the sight behind her. Mayor Nash and my new siblings are mingling in the crowd. Kelleth and Aspen look stunning in their long summer dresses—red, white, and blue themed, of course—and their hair is milky in this dim light. Finn stands behind them looking adorable as he chats up a few girls from Naomi’s naughty book club. Mayor Nash makes a grab for my mother’s waist as if he owns it, and I can’t help but wrinkle my nose at the sight.
Noah takes up my hand and helps me to my feet. “Come on, Lot. You might as well get it over with.”
“Fine. But if I’m going down, I’m taking you with me.”
Noah chuckles as we head on over. The night is quickly descending on us, and soon enough we’ll be treated to a fireworks spectacular.
Mom wraps an arm over Noah’s shoulder as she looks to me. “Be nice, Lottie. Like it or not, these are your siblings,” she grits the words through her teeth, trying her best not to move her lips.
I step over to Finn, aka the nice one, and he offers up an impromptu hug. “What’s up, sis? Noah?” He clinks his beer bottle to the one in Noah’s hand. “Hey, why don’t you two come up to the lodge sometime? I’m one of the managers at the Sugar Bowl Resort. I’ll set you two lovebirds up with the honeymoon suite.”
“Sounds good to me!” a female voice chirps from behind as Cormack comes in for the attack. I’ve wondered where she’s been all day.