Page 17 of Wedding Cake Carnage

Finn frowns over at her as she rattles on and on about her room service preferences.

Lainey pops up. “Did someone say honeymoon?”

“Finn works at the Sugar Bowl Resort. He said he could set Noah and me up with the honeymoon suite.”

Noah leans out of Cormack’s range. “We should take it, Lot. God knows we need a vacation.”

Lainey giggles. “That man is still striving to get in your pants. Hey? Do you think your brother would help set me up with a honeymoon deal?”

“Lainey, don’t you have your honeymoon mapped out yet?”

“Not really. Mom offered to buy us a fourteen-day cruise as a gift, but not only can Forest not get that kind of time off, he gets seasick.” She makes a face. “And I want my honey to shoot me over the moon, if you know what I mean—not have his head buried in the toilet.”

“Go ahead and ask. It looks like Finn would pay to have someone interrupt Cormack’s list of demands.”

I glance back and spot a sparkling spray of light over by the woods, and sure enough I see Beasty striding this way with a little moppet of a spook riding on his back, Lea. I take a step in the direction and knock right into a body—Kelleth.

“Excuse me,” I say, offering a meager smile. She’s holding hands with a man who looks about her age, tan, dark hair, square jaw, and thick bushy brows.

“Where are you off to?” Kelleth steps in my path as if this were a showdown. “Are you looking for my father so you can splash your drink in his face? You do realize that little stunt has cut you out of the will for life.”

A dull laugh lives and dies in my chest. “Listen, Kelleth. I have no interest in your father or any of the cash and prizes he might be willing to part with upon his untimely death. I’m doing just fine on my own. I don’t need anyone else’s money, and I certainly don’t need anything Harry Nash can provide.”

The man holding her hand bellows out a laugh. “A woman after my own heart.” He thrusts his hand forward. “Steven Compton. I’m Kelleth’s fiancé.”

“Nice to meet you, Steven, I’m Lottie Lemon, Kelleth’s unexpected half-sister. I own and operate the Cutie Pie Bakery and Cakery down the street. Pop in anytime you want for a sweet treat.”

Kelleth’s over glossed lips contort in all sorts of ridiculous directions as if I just propositioned her fiancé. And I guess if your mind is in the gutter, it sure sounded that way.

“So what do you do for a living?” My lips stretch into a short-lived smile his way just as Noah joins us along with Cormack.

“I work for Underwood Investments, but I’ve been with the company since the beginning. That baby is practically mine.”

“Underwood Investments?” I ask as Noah and I exchange a glance. “I bet you know Pierce. It’s such a tragedy what happened to his girlfriend.”

He closes his eyes a moment. “The worst news ever. Poor guy is a wreck. I’ve been steering the ship just to give him a breather.”

Noah steps in. “Noah Fox. Lottie’s friend.” Just hearing the platonic tag hurts my heart. Noah is so much more than a friend, but sadly there’s no name for that gray zone. “What do you think happened? That was a pretty brutal murder.”

Steven lifts a brow and shrugs. “Random, I guess. I mean, who would want to see Jana dead? The woman was a saint.”

Kelleth shudders. “I bet it was one of those crazed bridezillas. I heard that convention was crawling with them. And don’t think for a minute that planning a wedding can’t bring out the worst in someone. I should know. Steven has been a real whiner.” She brays like a donkey—a trait I’m thrilled not to have inherited in any way, shape, or manner.

“Cute.” Steven dots her lips with a kiss. “But Kelleth is the whiner.” He gives a sly wink her way and I like him more by the minute. “Hey?” He looks to Noah and me. “If either of you has some money parked that you can’t figure out what to do with, give me a call.” He whips out a thick business card and hands one to each of us.

“Thank you. I think we will,” I say as I shed a secret smile Noah’s way.

Noah looks to Steven. “What kind of investments do you specialize in?”

“Colored diamonds, binary options in varying markets from coffee to currency.”

Lainey comes up. “I’ve got my honeymoon all settled!” she trills with delight before bearing hard into my eyes. “And so help me God, if you find a body between here and there, I’ll hang you by your toes myself.”

Kelleth steps forward. “My fiancé and I are tying the knot in February. And you?”

Lainey’s vocal cords go off like a tightly coiled spring that’s just been released as she pulls Kelleth to the side as if they were long-lost sorority sisters. Steven waves our way before wisely heading off toward the refreshment table.

Meg and Hook bounce our way.