Raspberry Tart Terror (Murder in the Mix Book 30) Unknown (christmas read aloud .TXT) 📖

the next time you need a little cash, feel free to knock on my door.”

“Good to know, Lot,” Carlotta answers. “Expect a couple of bangs from me. With all the writing I need to do for my follow-up book, I won’t have time to tend to my massage business. And the candle gig was seasonal.”

Carlotta started giving massages out of her van a couple of months back. The name of her dangerous endeavor? A Whole Lotta Touchin’—an inspiration for that self-help book she just penned.

She sold overpriced candles during the holidays, too, but now that she’s tapped the market as far as selling to everyone she knows, the merchandise has stopped moving. I’m positive about this because I happen to have the remainder of her inventory in my garage.

Carlotta lifts a raspberry tart my way as if she were toasting me with it. “Now let’s get back to names, Lot Lot. Carlotta is a fine name to gift any young woman. And that’s something both your mother and I can agree on.”

Mom chortles. “I do happen to agree. But you know, Miranda is a fine name, too. Or how about Nell? I bet Nell would have been so honored to have her name as a part of your child’s life.”

“Nell is a beautiful name.” I press my lips tightly to keep my emotions in check. “And Carlotta is pretty, too,” I say, looking over at my namesake. All those years ago when Carlotta left me to fend for myself in the Honey Hollow Fire Department—as a newborn—she pinned a note to the blanket letting everyone know I should be named Carlotta. My sweet mother, Miranda Lemon, complied. Although she quickly gifted me the nickname Lottie, and that nickname has sort of stuck. “But there are so many beautiful girl names out there. And I have to come up with boy names, too.”

Noah looks up. “Noah is a good name.”

Carlotta rumbles with a laugh. “And if the baby is Sexy’s—”

“Noah is still a good name,” he points out while flashing those dimples my way.

“Very funny,” I say as Evie jumps out of her seat and lets out an ear-piercing howl that chases out the handful of customers I had left.

“No freaking way!” Evie shouts at the top of her lungs while staring down at her phone. “It just gets better!”

“What in the world is going on?” My voice hikes as I try my hardest not to panic. Over time, I’ve learned that Evie can get more than a little excited about a simple “like” on her Insta Pictures account—especially if that like came from a cute boy.

“I can’t believe this,” Evie pants while staring wide-eyed at her phone. “I only had a little over four thousand followers on my Insta Pictures account this morning, and every time I refresh it, I have a gazillion more.”

Carlotta hops up and peers over her shoulder. “What number are you on, little Toots?”

“I don’t know,” Evie shouts. “I can’t count this high.”

Carlotta moans as she tries to decipher it herself. “I can’t count that high either. What’s it say, Foxy?”

Evie thrusts her phone his way and Noah gives a couple of blinks.

“Evie, you’ve got over a million followers.” He eyes her suspiciously. “What’s going on? What kind of pictures are you posting?”

I suck in a quick breath. “Carlotta! Did you shove that phone up your sweater, thinking it was yours?” I know firsthand that she’s sent more than a few naughty pictures to Mayor Nash.

Her mouth falls open. “It was my pants.” She looks to Evie. “Prepare to be far more popular than you ever believed possible.”

The bell on the door chimes and in walk three women and a baby, two of which I desperately need a hug from.

“Keelie,” I moan her name as I head over and pull both her and baby Bear in for a hug.

Keelie Nell Fisher just so happens to be my very best friend in the entire world. We paired up in preschool and have been besties ever since.

Her blonde curls blind me a moment as I pull back to get a better look at that adorable babe in her arms.

Little Bear is six months old, just like my sweet niece, Josie. He’s got dark blond hair and the chubbiest cheeks you ever did see. He’s as solid as they come and he’s every bit a boy, with his husky laugh and determined stare. Bear and Josie were born on the same night. Actually, it was Noah who delivered Bear into this world because Keelie couldn’t quite make it to the hospital.

Mom swoops over and steals Bear from Keelie’s arms.

“Come to Glam Glam, you adorable little peanut.” She bops and rocks him over her hip as Carlotta heads their way and begins to prod at the poor kid, too.

“Lottie”—Keelie holds a hand out to the women by her side and a breath hitches in my throat because I happen to recognize both of them from last night—“have you met your new neighbors?”

“I met Sugar last night,” I say as I take her in with her adorable red and white dotted raincoat and her bright pink lips that sit over her face like a bowtie.

Sugar nods. “That’s right. And I was just at the Honey Pot for lunch when I met Keelie. She helped me organize my shelves over at the bookstore.”

The brunette from last night that I most definitely saw having a disagreement with Verity smiles my way. The gold-rimmed glasses slide down her nose a notch as she inspects me. She’s donned a cranberry corduroy dress and slouchy boots, and looks as sweet as can be.

“And I’m Juliet Jackowski.” She offers me her hand, and I give a little shake. “I just took over the knitting shop across the street from Mrs. Collins.”

“Oh, I didn’t know she was selling,” I say with a touch of sadness over the fact. “It’s super nice to meet you, Juliet. I think I saw you last night at my mother’s B&B.” I cringe